Evolution of secure services for women in England
Abstract
Patients detained at high and medium security reveal significant gender differences in the presentation of psychopathology, mental disorder and social and offending profiles. However, secure mental health services in England, like prisons, generally fail to recognise the core importance of the differing biopsychosocial development in women and the impact of life experiences on women's subsequent biopsychosocial functioning. As a consequence, women are often inadequately provided for in services dictated by the identified needs, risks and responsiveness of men. The lack of clinically appropriate facilities for women may account for the increased frequency with which women are readmitted to medium security and for their longer admissions to both high and medium secure care. New tertiary services are developing as a result of the lessons learnt while providing gender-blind care. However, further development is required to ensure that women receive services of the same quality, range and nature of those received by men.
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Date
2011
Type
Article
Subject
High security facilities, Medium security facilities, Women's health services
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Citation
Sarkar, J. & Di Lustro, M. (2011). Evolution of secure services for women in England. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 17 (5), pp.323-331.