Prisoners ‘will not be denied medication’

STRIKING prison doctors yesterday rejected claims that new inmates could be denied medication.

Prison GPs who yesterday began a week-long strike were responding to comments from prison management. The country's 25 prison doctors are only providing emergency cover.

A spokesman for the Prison Service yesterday said the strike was causing a real difficulty.

"If you have someone in receipt of methadone maintenance and his prescription runs out that becomes a difficult situation. You just can't come along and give him methadone. You need to know what programme he's on, what dosage he's getting."

The spokesman said similar problems would arise with other new committals with medical needs.

However, Dr Hugh Gallagher of the Association of Prison Doctors said there was no question of new committals not receiving their medication.

"Anyone who is on medication will be continued, be they on methadone, treatment for blood pressure, diabetes or whatever.

"That would include new committals, of course. We couldn't possibly deny people medication."

He said methadone prescription didn't run out. "If they are on medication, it's maintained. It's not like prescriptions run out during their stay in prison. It remains valid."

The 23 part-time and two full-time doctors want improved contracts and the implementation of a major report on prison healthcare services published in 2001.

Dr Gallagher said they were still open to discussions but had received no requests for talks.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said their previous offer remained on the table. He said this included a 50% rise in pay for full-time doctors, bringing it up to €94,000, with pro-rata increases for part-time doctors.