Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mental health support is available to former prisoners after their release; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of that support.

The RECONNECT programme was launched in 2019 to improve the continuity of care for vulnerable people leaving prison. These services support prison leavers pre- and post-release to engage with community based health services, including mental health services, to ensure their health is maintained and improved, reduce inequalities and address health-related causes of offending behaviours.

NHS England is also piloting the enhanced RECONNECT service, supporting high-risk offenders with complex health needs to engage with appropriate treatment from community-based mental health, substance misuse and other services for up to a year after release.