UKPPG

The UKPPG works closely with pharmacists to establish a professional network of people who understand how to treat people with mental illnesses. Pharmacists are called upon to take on challenging roles, and one of these roles involves the treatment of prisoners. Prison staff employ psychiatric pharmacists to establish as safe an environment as possible. It is their goal to prevent violence by identifying potential triggers. Proper medications aid in this process, and pharmacists must make the right decisions in order to help keep the peace. Prisoners are still people, and they deserve the best mental health care possible.

A huge part of prison treatment opportunities is safety. Safety training takes place for all prison psychiatric pharmacists. They must be able to recognise when a prisoner has the potential to lash out at them. In order to do this, they must work with the prisoner frequently, and they must understand the steps to get out of a dangerous situation. Proper safety training prevents violence between the inmates and staff. There are some medications which should not be used due to side effects and poor combinations. Safety is the number one priority for every person in a prison.

Different methods are used to understand and analyse potential mental health triggers. For example, an inmate might experience a violent episode if he is being targeted by other inmates. A prisoner with mental health challenges will not be able to deal with the dangers of prison life n a safe manner. A psychiatric pharmacist provides the mental tools that the prisoner needs in order to make better decisions. Medications help to curb the violence on staff and other inmates. Adjustments are made to account for especially violent behaviours. It takes a team effort to analyse the stressors, and then plan a correct course of action.

There is a fine line between recognising doctor-patient confidentiality, and safety. Communications between a patient and a doctor are usually always confidential, but this is simply not the case in prison. Many of the people who are housed in a prison have violent track records. They must be treated with care. Anytime another person's life is in danger, the pharmacist must notify prison staff in order to prevent the loss of that life. Thankfully, most pharmacists develop a good relationship with their patients. Once they establish trust, the patient is willing to share information readily.