When someone first arrives in prison, they may already have a prescription from their GP, or they may have medicines with them. They will not usually be allowed to keep those medicines when they arrive. A prison doctor or member of the healthcare team will need to assess them and prescribe what they need. This is done for safety and security reasons, including checking that the prescription is correct and that the medicine and dose are still right for them. This can mean that your loved one’s regular medicines are paused when they first arrive in prison. This can feel worrying, especially if the medicine is long-standing. Once the healthcare team has completed the assessment, an appropriate prescription should restart.

It may take time for regular medicines to be prescribed and made available. This may be because the prison healthcare team is waiting for GP records, or because health screenings for new arrivals still need to be completed. Medicines for life-threatening conditions should usually be dealt with promptly. For example, someone with Type 1 diabetes should not be left for weeks without insulin. When someone is transferred between prisons, they may be given a short supply of medicine to cover the move.

Regular medicines are usually given out at “the hatch”. This is often a window or desk in the healthcare area. People usually need to collect their medicines themselves, rather than having them brought to their cell. Medicines are given out at set times of day, depending on what the medicine is and when it needs to be taken.

The hatch is supervised. People usually queue and receive their medicines one at a time. They may need to take the medicine there and then, in front of an officer or a member of the healthcare team. This helps make sure the person has taken the medicine they need and helps reduce the risk of the medicine being taken by someone else.

If your loved one cannot get to the hatch, they should let the healthcare team know. For example, they may have mobility problems or severe anxiety. They can speak to an officer on the wing and ask to submit a healthcare application. You may also be able to write down your concerns and send them to Safer Custody using the prison’s online form. If your loved one is in a London prison, you may also be able to contact PHILL, the Prisoners’ Health Information and Liaison Line.

Some people find the medication times difficult. For example, a morning medicine may be easier to take with food, or an evening medicine may make someone drowsy earlier than they would like. If this is happening, encourage your loved one to keep taking their medicine if they can, and to speak to the healthcare team about what might help.

Depending on the medicine and the prison’s safety rules, some people may be allowed to keep certain medicines in their cell. This is sometimes called “in-possession” medicine. Decisions can depend on the type of medicine, the risk of it being misused or taken by others, and sometimes the person’s Incentives level. If someone’s Incentives level changes (whether they are on 'basic' or 'enhanced', for example), this may affect whether they can keep medicines in their cell. Life-saving medicines, such as asthma inhalers or adrenaline auto-injectors, are often treated differently because they may be needed quickly. If your loved one is on an ACCT, they will not usually be allowed to keep medicines in their cell.

Some medicines are only needed from time to time, such as pain relief. Because some pain medicines can raise safety and security concerns, prisons may only make certain options available. Paracetamol is commonly used, and it may need to be collected from the hatch rather than kept in a cell. It may also be given out only one or two tablets at a time. This can be frustrating for people with ongoing or severe pain. If your loved one is struggling, encourage them to keep asking the healthcare team for support and to explain clearly how the pain is affecting them.