Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Access to Health Care) Policy 2009
Notifiable instrument NI2009-118
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14(1) (Corrections policies and operating procedures) 

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (Access to Health Care) Policy 2009.
2	Commencement 
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the
Access to Health Care Policy
attached to this instrument, to facilitate the effective and efficient management of correctional services.

James Ryan
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
      25 March 2009

Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC)

Access to Health Care Policy

Purpose
Authority
Policy
Principles
Confidentiality
Health care services
The Health Centre
Health Education
Issue of medication
Related Policies and Procedures

Purpose
To outline the policy for prisoners to have access to appropriate medical treatment. 

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, sections 14, 21, 53, 54, 68 and 77.
Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997, section 5. 
Health Professionals Act 2004.

Policy
Principles
The provision of health services at the AMC is designed to ensure that:
•	prisoners have a standard of health care equivalent to that available to other people in the ACT; and
•	conditions within the AMC are appropriate to the health and wellbeing of prisoners. 

It is the responsibility of a corrections officer to alert Corrections Health staff of any prisoner who appears to be unwell, whether or not the prisoner has a specific complaint.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality of medical information will be maintained to preserve prisoners’ entitlement to privacy. All medical files will be sealed by Corrections Health staff for transport and handed directly to the treating health professional by the senior escort officer. 

Health care services
Prisoners will have access to screening, referral and treatment services as outlined in the Adult Corrections Health Services Plan. 

This includes:
•	reception assessment;
•	regular health checks;
•	timely treatment, particularly in urgent circumstances;
•	hospital care, where necessary;
•	specialist health services as appropriate; and
•	appropriate and reasonable health care programs, including rehabilitation programs.

Prisoners who wish to see Corrections Health staff may do so by requesting an appointment directly through health staff or via correctional staff. 

The Health Centre
The health centre at the AMC is named the Hume Health Centre. Wherever possible, prisoners will be assessed and treated by Corrections Health staff at the Health Centre. Where the necessary facilities and/or expertise are not available in the AMC, the Health Unit Manager may require a prisoner to be transferred to a medical facility outside the AMC. Corrections officers will facilitate this in accordance with the Prisoner Escorts Policy and Procedure and the Admission to External Hospitals Procedure.

The Health Centre provides prisoners at the AMC access to:
•	nurses
•	medical practitioners;
•	dentists;
•	forensic psychiatrists; 
•	optometrists; and
•	other services as required.

Corrections Health staff may triage prisoners’ requests for routine health services.  Following this process, prisoners will be referred to an appropriate Correction Health staff member.

Health Education
Health education programs will be provided in the AMC to encourage prisoners to live a healthy lifestyle whilst in custody and upon release.

Issue of medication
Corrections Health staff will issue all medications. Corrections officers will monitor the issuing of medications so as to reduce diversion and trafficking. The only exception to this is the issue of paracetamol and prescription medication that are required to be issued when there are no Corrections Health staff on shift.  In this case, Corrections Health staff will leave detailed instructions for the nightshift CO2.

When a nurse or other qualified Corrections Health staff attends the accommodation units to issue medication, the nurse (and medication) is to be escorted at all times by a corrections officer. 

Related Policies and Procedures
Issue of Medication Procedure
Escorts Policy
Escorts Procedure