Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training is provided to prison officers to support inmates who (a) are elderly and frail and (b) suffer from dementia.

Elderly and frail prisoners receive support from NHS clinical services and local authority social care, as well as from prison officers. All staff are trained to appropriate professional standards for their contribution to care. Supporting elderly prisoners is covered in entry-level prison officer training. Prison officers are provided with guidance on dementia and also receive advice and guidance from occupational therapists and social workers at a local level. We are working closely with clinical leaders and social care services to improve our understanding of the impacts of dementia across prisons.