title: Physical restraint and the protection of the human rights of immigration detainees in hospitals.
abstract: Immigration detainees, like prisoners, are entitled to the same standard of healthcare as non-detained patients. When hospital attendance or admission is required, the priority for custodial staff (who for purposes of this article we refer to as 'escorts') is to prevent absconding. For that reason, they may wish to use physical restraints, such as handcuffs, and remain with the detainee at all times. This can be degrading for the patient and breach their human rights. Clinicians have professional obligations to all their patients and must object to any restraint methods that risk damaging the patient's right to confidentiality, treatment, health or the therapeutic relationship itself. The starting presumption is that restraints ought not to be used during treatment and only in the most exceptional cases ought escorts to be present during clinical examination or treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hillingdon, UK hilary.pickles@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pickles
authors.affiliation: Liberty, London, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.affiliation: Medical Justice, London, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ginn
authors.affiliation: Medical Justice, London, UK.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schleicher
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004739:England; D006761:Hospitals; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D028701:Patient Rights; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D014852:Wales
keywords: Restraint; confidentiality; human rights; immigration detainee