Recovery work recognised at HMP Perth

MONDAY, 9 MAY, 2016

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Recovery work recognised at HMP Perth

The success of work at HMP Perth to promote recovery of addiction has been recognised by the Scottish Recovery Consortium.

Last year prisoner healthcare staff joined community recovery champions, representatives from community agencies and prisoners to walk for a mile around the grounds of Perth Prison to support the Scottish Recovery Consortium (SRC) with the annual Recovery Walk Scotland.

Following the success of ongoing work to promote recovery in HMP Perth, this year’s annual Recovery Walk Scotland in September will adopt HMP Perth’s recovery slogan ‘Recovery Comes from Within’ as its theme.

Delphine Easson, caseworker manager for the Substance Misuse Team at HMP Perth, said, “It’s a privilege to have the work of the recovery community in HMP Perth recognised in this way. The Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership and the Scottish Prison Service have forged links with a range of partners including prisoners, the Scottish Recovery Consortium and recovery champions aiming to create the first recovery-orientated prison in Scotland.

“Our prisoner healthcare team is committed to ensuring that those in custody are afforded the same opportunities to address their substance use issues as those in a community setting. We have facilitated an environment in which peer-led and mutual aid approaches are embedded in our day-to-day practice. This, along with the wider substance use health provision, helps to lay the foundations for a healthier, happier offence-free life when returning to the community.”

Dharmacarini Kuladharini, Chief Executive of the Scottish Recovery Consortium, said, "Prisoners recovery from addiction is very important to the recovery community in Scotland.  The SRC has been delighted to work with HMP Perth over the last few years to build recovery inside the prison. This year’s Recovery Walk Scotland is honoured to promote the prison’s recovery slogan - recovery comes from within" 

The Recovery Walk Scotland, which began five years ago, aims to raise awareness of substance misuse and recovery from addiction by gathering the recovery community in Scotland together.

The walk also aims to help combat the stigma associated with addiction and inspire action to strengthen recovery.

NHS Tayside Prisoner Healthcare Substance Misuse Service provide screening and comprehensive assessments, as well as individualised and recovery-focused care plans for adult male prisoners.

Contact:

Debbie Huband

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740134

9 May 2016