ALL Metrics
-
Views
-
Downloads
Get PDF
Get XML
Cite
Export
Track
Brief Report
Revised

Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches

[version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
Previously titled: Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and dispensing approaches
PUBLISHED 16 Oct 2020
Author details Author details
OPEN PEER REVIEW
REVIEWER STATUS

Abstract

The preparation and distribution of medication in prisons or jails are critical for individuals to access their treatment. This process is resource-intensive for healthcare professionals and may violate principles of confidentiality, autonomy, respect, and dignity if non-qualified staff are involved. However, there are no published best practices on the topic. This report aims to bridge this gap by presenting the results of a mapping exercise on different models of medication preparation and delivery. Authors call upon healthcare professionals to enrich this live document to inform health services research further and improve access to prescribed medications for people experiencing incarceration.

Keywords

Access to medication, preparation, dispensing, detention, prison, autonomy, confidentiality, dignity

Revised Amendments from Version 2

We have amended the wording in the methods based on the latest review feedback.

See the authors' detailed response to the review by Lamiece Hassan
See the authors' detailed response to the review by Saman Zamani

Background

Individuals experiencing incarceration carry a high burden of physical and mental health conditions14. Clinical services operating in prisons and jails are vital in offering non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions to treat, care for, and support incarcerated persons. Once prescribed, medications require coordinated preparation and delivery for individuals to access their treatment on time. The report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) published in 1992 recommended that there should be appropriate supervision of the pharmacy and the distribution of medicines. Further, the preparation of medicines should always be entrusted to qualified staff (pharmacist/nurse, etc.)5. Therefore, medication preparation and distribution should only engage qualified healthcare professionals. This process is notably intensive and can take away resources from other clinically meaningful activities, such as individual patient visits and health promotion and prevention activities. In smaller detention facilities (less than 100 occupants), which usually have limited healthcare staff, prison officers or even prisoners can be involved in medication preparation and distribution6. Such practices violate the principles of confidentiality, autonomy, respect, dignity, and quality of care. CPT experts raised such concerns during recent visits in different European countries, where they observed a lack of respect for the 1992 recommendations of the CPT7. For instance, prison officers and incarcerated individuals were found in Greece to work as orderlies (i.e., persons trained in first aid and selected healthcare tasks, such as the delivery of medications, under the supervision of nurses)8. In Norway, although nurses were present daily, custodial officers had the duty to distribute prescribed medications9.

Best practices related to medication preparation and distribution in prison, and in particular in smaller facilities, could help inform the organization of healthcare service delivery that complies with quality of care, confidentiality, and other human rights principles. There is, however, a paucity of publication on the subject. The objective of this paper is to present a live inventory of different approaches to medication preparation and delivery in prisons.

Methods

First, we looked for published literature on different modalities of medication preparation and distribution. On 15 August 2019, we searched PubMed and Google Scholar for publications studying different approaches using search strings combining medical subject headings (MeSH) terms related to medication preparation, dispensing, and prison with terms related to best practices (i.e., pharmaceutical preparations AND prisons AND practice guidelines as topic). The review of titles and abstracts yielded no relevant articles, prompting us to extend our search to the grey literature by using Google Search, to no avail. Though our choice of keywords were limited, the lack of relevant publications yielded by our search suggests there may be paucity of research on this specific yet important operational aspect of health services management in prisons.

Second, we conducted a focus group discussion among our clinical staff from the Division of Health in Prison, which operates at the post-trial detention facility of La Brenaz in Geneva, Switzerland. On 22 August 2019, the Head of the unit facilitated a focus group discussion, which involved four female nurses, two male nurses, two internal medicine specialists (one female, one male), and a female psychiatrist. The discussion was guided by the care continuum of medication preparation, distribution, and self-administration and the “4Ws + H” lens (what, where, when, who, and how). We did not record the discussion but directly captured participants’ inputs on a whiteboard to help visualize the emerging mapping and catalyze additional contributions. Photographs of the whiteboard were taken and used to transcribe and further categorize the information in a Word document table (Table 1). We consolidated the initial results with inputs from healthcare colleagues who could not attend the focus group discussion and validated the content of the table with participants of the focus group discussion and the Division Chief. The mapping drew from our work experience in prisons and visit to other facilities in Switzerland and various countries in Europe and North America. It was also informed by quality of care and operational considerations with a focus on reducing errors10 and promoting key human rights principles, such as autonomy, confidentiality, respect, and dignity11.

Table 1. Summary of different models of medication preparation and delivery in prisons.

PreparationComments
By whom?Clinical staff working in
prison
   -    nurses or healthcare
        assistants
   -    doctors

   -    dedicated pharmacy
        preparer

   -    in most cases

   -    if no nurses, such as for ambulatory emergencies
        outside working hours
   -    e.g., in France (préparatrice or préparateur en
        pharmacie)
Prison officersRaises quality of care and confidentiality issues
Where?Clinics in prison
Pharmacies
   -    intra-muros
   -    extra-muros

   -    e.g., in large detention facilities
   -    e.g., for the preparation of opioid agonist
        therapy,such as methadone, where this cannot
        be done in prison. In France, the University
        Hospital Centers (CHU) have an automated
        system to prepare medications, which are then
        delivered to prisons in the form of individual
        sachets containing de-blistered medicines
Prison officers’ quartersRaises quality and confidentiality issues
How?ManuallyTime-consuming, prone to errors
Automated/computerizedStart-up investment required, less time-consuming,
less prone to errors
In which
form?
Tablets in the blister packMedication quality preserved
Tablets deblistered and intactMedication quality can be compromised if not taken
immediately or put into an adequate medication
container; no blister label to check the expiry date
and whether the medication is the correct one.
Tablets deblistered, crushed,
and mixed with water
Medication quality compromised, degrading (no
patient autonomy, lack of respect and dignity), prone
to wrong medication administration
Liquid or cream in its original
container (e.g., tube or
bottle)
Medication quality preserved but often larger
quantity than required and may not adhere to prison
security requirements (e.g., plastic and transparent
containers)
Liquid or cream in smaller
and transparent plastic
containers with cover
Medication quality can be compromised if not taken
or applied immediately; no original label to check the
expiry date and whether the medication is the correct
one
Delivery
By whom?Clinical staff working in
prison
   -    nurses or healthcare
        assistants
   -    doctors

   -    in most cases

   -    if no nurses (e.g., ambulatory emergencies
        outside working hours)
Prison officersRaises quality, confidentiality and other
patients’ rights issues (e.g., coerced medication
administration), confusion of roles (prison vs. health
staff)
Fellow incarcerated personsRaises quality and confidentiality issues
Educators or teachersE.g., in facilities for minors; raises quality of care and
confidentiality issues
How?In-hand, e.g.,:
   -    in the clinic


   -    at the cell door
   -    at the workplace
   -    in the classroom
   -    at a prison counter

   -    allows 2-way communication, however access
        may be limited by restrictive rules regarding
        movements inside the facility
   -    potential lack of confidentiality
   -    potential lack of confidentiality
   -    potential lack of confidentiality
   -    e.g., reception desk; potential lack of
        confidentiality
Left inside the cells E.g., for individuals living in individual rooms
Self-service from a locked
medication cupboard
E.g., prepared medications are left in individual boxes
stored and locked in a common cupboard; prison
officers open the cupboard at a set time for patients
to take their medications; confidentiality issues, prone
to errors, prone to violent interactions between
patients
Personal locked medication
boxes
E.g., at the post-trial detention center of La Brenaz,
Geneva (168 individual rooms); requires start-
up investment; promotion of users autonomy,
confidential, dignified, and respectful; no reported
theft or peer pressure incidents; possible operational
challenges if implemented in larger facilities or pre-
trial prisons with high turn-over
Self-administration
Under direct supervision
   -    for all prescriptions
   -    for controlled
        substances

   -    lack of respect, dignity, and autonomy
Unsupervised   -    confidentiality, autonomy, respect, and dignity
        preserved; risk of misuse

The Cantonal Ethical Review Board of Geneva granted ethical approval for the study (2017-01379). All participants consented to participate in the study and have the data published.

All the available data is presented in this paper.

Results

Table 1 summarizes different models of medication preparation and delivery with the right column giving comments on the quality of care and operational considerations as well as human rights principles. Within the same facility, various modalities may coexist, depending on staff availability and medication type. Medication can be prepared manually or via an automated and computerized system by a range of health cadres at different locations, including clinics within the facility, pharmacies inside or outside the facility, or prison officers’ quarters if officers carry such a duty. Medication tablets can be given within blister packs or deblistered (intact or crushed), while liquids or creams remain in their original tubes or bottles or are transferred into plastic containers. The distribution can be the responsibility of clinical staff, prison officers, fellow incarcerated individuals, educators, or teachers. Medication can be given in hand or left inside the cell, a personal locked medication boxes, or a cupboard for self-service. Finally, patients can take their medication under direct supervision or unsupervised.

Discussion

This report aimed to present an inventory of different medication preparation and delivery models in carceral settings with a focus on whether they respect quality of care and key human rights principles. Ensuring access to medication while conforming to prison security requirements and taking into account concerns about trafficking, theft, and misuse, particularly of prescribed psychoactive substances12, needs a pragmatic and well-adjusted operational approach. We acknowledge the fact that our inventory is not exhaustive – this was the beginning of an effort to bridge the gap in published best practices on the topic. Therefore, we call upon prison health services managers, providers, and researchers to enrich this live document with their own experience and observations by adding their contributions directly in the section entitled “Comments on this article” located at the bottom of the online page of the article (an updated version will be uploaded once information saturation is reached). Additionally, individuals experiencing incarceration should be engaged in programmatic and research discussions to provide their perspectives on the topic so that guidance and practices reflect their needs. This continuously enriched inventory can provide a foundation for further operational research and cost-effectiveness studies. The emerging best practices can help inform the design of new medication delivery systems that can contribute to improve the efficiency of healthcare services in prisons as well as empower individuals to safely, timely, and confidentially access and manage their prescribed treatment.

Data availability

Underlying data

All data underlying the results are available as part of the article and no additional source data are required.

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 3
VERSION 3 PUBLISHED 13 May 2020
Comment
Author details Author details
Competing interests
Grant information
Copyright
Download
 
Export To
metrics
Views Downloads
F1000Research - -
PubMed Central
Data from PMC are received and updated monthly.
- -
Citations
CITE
how to cite this article
Tran NT, Pralong D, Secrétan AD et al. Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 2020, 9:357 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.23640.3)
NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.
track
receive updates on this article
Track an article to receive email alerts on any updates to this article.

Open Peer Review

Current Reviewer Status: ?
Key to Reviewer Statuses VIEW
ApprovedThe paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested
Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.
Not approvedFundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions
Version 3
VERSION 3
PUBLISHED 16 Oct 2020
Revised
Views
3
Cite
Reviewer Report 16 Oct 2020
Lamiece Hassan, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK 
Approved
VIEWS 3
Satisfied with amendments. ... Continue reading
CITE
CITE
HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT
Hassan L. Reviewer Report For: Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 2020, 9:357 (https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.30223.r73243)
NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.
Version 2
VERSION 2
PUBLISHED 01 Oct 2020
Revised
Views
11
Cite
Reviewer Report 08 Oct 2020
Lamiece Hassan, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK 
Approved with Reservations
VIEWS 11
The authors have responded to the points I raised in my initial report. The changes they have made have improved the paper.

Yet, I still feel that their choice of keywords for the literature review was unduly ... Continue reading
CITE
CITE
HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT
Hassan L. Reviewer Report For: Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 2020, 9:357 (https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.29916.r72344)
NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.
  • Author Response 16 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    16 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Many thanks for your feedback and advice. We have amended the text accordingly. With much appreciation and warmest regards
    Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT
  • Author Response 16 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    16 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Many thanks for your feedback and advice. We have amended the text accordingly. With much appreciation and warmest regards
    Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Version 1
VERSION 1
PUBLISHED 13 May 2020
Views
13
Cite
Reviewer Report 02 Sep 2020
Lamiece Hassan, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK 
Approved with Reservations
VIEWS 13
This brief report addresses the topic of medication preparation and dispensing in prisons. The authors draw on a focus group discussion and their own previous experiences to map approaches to medication preparation, dispensing and administration, providing a brief synopsis of ... Continue reading
CITE
CITE
HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT
Hassan L. Reviewer Report For: Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 2020, 9:357 (https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.26085.r69115)
NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.
  • Author Response 01 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    01 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Dear Reviewer,

    We are grateful for your review and have addressed the three important points you raised as follows.

    With sincere appreciation

    *****

    First, on the literature search:

    We were also surprised by the findings ... Continue reading
COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT
  • Author Response 01 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    01 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Dear Reviewer,

    We are grateful for your review and have addressed the three important points you raised as follows.

    With sincere appreciation

    *****

    First, on the literature search:

    We were also surprised by the findings ... Continue reading
Views
16
Cite
Reviewer Report 16 Jun 2020
Saman Zamani, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Geneva, Switzerland 
Approved
VIEWS 16
The brief report titled "Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and dispensing approaches" is an important note for further dialogue among public health experts in this field. 

The study team appropriately started their ... Continue reading
CITE
CITE
HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT
Zamani S. Reviewer Report For: Access to treatment in prison: an inventory of medication preparation and distribution approaches [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000Research 2020, 9:357 (https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.26085.r63450)
NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.
  • Author Response 01 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    01 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Dear Reviewer,

    We are grateful for your review and for your suggestion regarding the continuous engagement of people experiencing incarceration, which we have now added to our manuscript. 

    With sincere appreciation
    Competing Interests: I have no competing interests to declare.
COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT
  • Author Response 01 Oct 2020
    Nguyen Toan Tran, Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, Australia
    01 Oct 2020
    Author Response
    Dear Reviewer,

    We are grateful for your review and for your suggestion regarding the continuous engagement of people experiencing incarceration, which we have now added to our manuscript. 

    With sincere appreciation
    Competing Interests: I have no competing interests to declare.

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 3
VERSION 3 PUBLISHED 13 May 2020
Comment
Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article:
Approved - the paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested
Approved with reservations - A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.
Not approved - fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions
Sign In
If you've forgotten your password, please enter your email address below and we'll send you instructions on how to reset your password.

The email address should be the one you originally registered with F1000.

Email address not valid, please try again

You registered with F1000 via Google, so we cannot reset your password.

To sign in, please click here.

If you still need help with your Google account password, please click here.

You registered with F1000 via Facebook, so we cannot reset your password.

To sign in, please click here.

If you still need help with your Facebook account password, please click here.

Code not correct, please try again
Email us for further assistance.
Server error, please try again.