Principles for operation of a prison in the Australian Capital Territory

I. Health delivery

1. All people in custody should receive a standard of health care no
   lower than the standard available to the broader community

   In particular drug treatment, access to treatment and its quality should be at
   least up to the standard available in the community at large.

   Because of the congregation in prison of people with substantially greater
   health problems than the community at large there is a need for a particularly
   high quality and concentrated level of health care to apply in prisons.

   50% of intravenous drug users test positive for hepatitis C infection;

   The rate of HIV and AIDS infection among prisoners is likely to be much
   greater than the general community because of the high proportion of
   intravenous drug users in the prison population.

   The community at large has a major interest in effective health strategies for
   prisons to prevent the spread of such diseases through sexual partners and
   children of prisoners.

   That prisoners should receive health care of the same standard as is available
   in the community reflects the key principles of the Australian Medical
   Association, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody,
   National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the approach already adopted for ACT
   correctional institutions.

Prisoner Welfare – Principles for the operation of a prison in the Australian Capital Territory