How do unmet health and care needs impact individuals prior to, during and after a custodial prison sentence in England?

People from socioeconomically deprived backgrounds, those with disabilities and with chronic health conditions are disproportionately represented in prisons in England and Wales.

Whilst people in prison are entitled to receive healthcare equivalent to the general population, custodial environments challenge healthcare delivery.

People leaving prison have significantly higher mortality rates in their first year of release, and are more likely to frequently use urgent and emergency care (UEC) services.

Research demonstrates that people who frequently use UEC do so due to unmet health and social care needs and where other avenues, such as primary care or local authority support, have failed.

This doctoral study, grounded in zemiological theory, will explore wider 'social harms' for justice-involved populations and will consider the complex relationships between health, socioeconomic deprivation and contact with both the justice system and other health and social care services.

Using a qualitative approach the study will explore the perspectives and experiences of justice-involved populations and staff working across prisons, healthcare and third sector organisations.

Narrative interviews will be undertaken with people who have co-occurring experience of prison and disabilities, chronic health conditions or use of UEC; semistructured interviews will be undertaken with staff participants. Justice-involved populations will be invited to produce creative or visual artwork to explore their narratives.

Whilst the study will be disseminated through academic channels, and to policy and practice partners via webinars, importantly, produced artwork will also be exhibited, alongside an artistic interpretation of the research findings, bringing results to a wider audience and promoting discussion.