BULLINGDON prison has been told to improve the care of prisoners with long-term health problems following an inspection.

The Care Quality Commission found action was needed at the Arncott prison for care of welfare of users.

Yet it met the five other standards it was inspected on, working with other providers, medicines, staffing, assessing services and complaints.

The service – including a 21-bed unit – is run by Virgin Care Services and contracted from NHS England.

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The CQC report – following a two-day inspection in August – said: “We found that arrangements to meet the needs of patients living with long-term medical conditions, such as epilepsy and asthma, were at an early stage.”

For example, 109 had asthma but none had had their condition reviewed in the previous year.

It said registers of people with long-term conditions were being drawn up and two nurses had been appointed as “champions” for those patients.

The inspectors also said records showed that “not enough staff were trained in responding to emergencies and helping move those with limited mobility.”

It also said 19 GPs – not provided by Virgin – “did not deliver consistency in prescribing, or continuity of treatment and advice to patients”.

Yet the CQC report said most said they were happy with their care and there was good co-operation between health and prison staff. NHS England spokeswoman Alia Carter said the organisation had visited the prison in September and seen improvements.

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