title: The Belmarsh Scheme. A prospective study of the transfer of mentally disordered remand prisoners from prison to psychiatric units.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contracting in psychiatric services from the NHS into prisons has been advocated to improve the care of the mentally disordered in custody. The Belmarsh Scheme is such a service.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study investigating the characteristics of a six-month cohort of remand prisoners requiring transfer to hospital and evaluating the service's effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three (4.3%; 95% CL 3.2% to 5.6%) of the 1229 new remands required transfer to hospital; all were accepted. The transfer group contained a higher proportion of black men (51%) than all other remands (30%) (difference 21%; 95% CL 8% to 35%, P = 0.002). Transfer times were lower than those reported for a neighbouring prison.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Belmarsh Scheme secured in-patient psychiatric care rapidly for all those identified as needing it.
authors.affiliation: UMDS (Guy's Campus) Division of Psychiatry & HMP Belmarsh.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Neill-Byrne
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Exworthy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parrott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D003284:Contract Services; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013222:State Medicine; D016896:Treatment Outcome