Dimensions – A holistic approach to working with men’s sexual and emotional health in a prison setting
| Description | The project aims to reduce transmissions of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections between men attracted to men or who are living with HIV in the prison population. |
|---|---|
| Setting | HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire. |
| Populationting | Male prisoners who are men attracted to men or living with HIV |
| Intervention summary | The project provides information and emotional/psychological support in both one to one and group settings. |
| Outcome Summary | Reduction in transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. |
| Startup Cost | £300 (for materials and resources) |
| Running Cost | £4 313 per annum |
| Funding | Through HMP Littlehey and Huntingdonshire Primary Care Trust |
| Started | April 2006 |
| Ended | March 2007 |
| Location | Cambridgeshire, England |
| Contact |
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Background
The project aims to reduce transmissions of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections between men attracted to men or who are living with HIV in the prison population.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
The project aims to reduce transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections between men attracted to men or living with HIV in the prison population at HMP Littlehey.
What local organisations are involved?
HMP Littlehey, DHIVERSE (a Cambridgeshire based HIV and sexual health charity) and Huntingdonshire Primary Care Trust (PCT).
How many people are running this project and who are they?
Group work is delivered at HMP Littlehey by a health support worker from DHIVERSE and two prison officers, with one to one support from the health support worker and a specialist counsellor.
What local population are you targeting?
Male prisoners who are men attracted to men or who are living with HIV. This is still a pilot project to see whether the approach meets prisoners’ sexual health needs. If successful the plan is to disseminate and establish the model more widely across male prison populations in the east of England.
How many people are you targeting?
Approximately 60-70 men
Interventions
What interventions are you using to address the problem?
The project provides information and emotional/psychological support in both one to one and group settings, to prisoners at HMP Littlehey who are men attracted to men or who are living with HIV. It also identifies and meets ongoing needs of prisoners after release.
Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.
No.
Outcome
What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?
Planned outcomes are both quantitative and qualitative; information will be gathered through user feedback questionnaires and through feedback from prison staff.
Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?
So far informal feedback from users of the service as well as prison and DHIVERSE staff is extremely positive.
Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?
The project contributes directly to fulfilling the WHO guidelines on HIV infection and AIDS in prisons 1 , endorsed by the government, on the "principle of equivalence", that prisoners should receive standards of healthcare and treatment equivalent to those available to the general population. The WHO has recognised the collaboration between DHIVERSE and HMP Littlehey as an example of best practice in this respect, granting HMP Littlehey the Health in Prisons Project Award in 2006.
Feedback
What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?
N/A
What have you learned about the project so far?
After release, the project has been able to address ongoing sexual health needs of prisoners.
What would you do differently?
N/A