This study of health care in Central
European penal systems was
commissioned by HEUNI and took place
during January and February, 2001. The
three countries included in the research
were the Czech Republic, Hungary and
Poland. These countries were selected to
complement the work already done by
Roy Walmsley (1996) and his current
follow-up study of the prison systems as
a whole in Central and Eastern European
countries. The link with Roy Walmsley’s
research was important as a means of
securing access to appropriate key
personnel in each of the countries and as
a means of securing general information
about the prison systems.
This study also complements the work
already carried out in Italy and England
and Wales about the structure and key
issues facing the two prison systems in
the areas of health policy and more
specifically on HIV and drugs policy
(MacDonald, 1999).
The purpose of the visits to the Czech
Republic, Hungary and Poland was to
prepare a report that provides descriptive
data about the current health policies in
prisons in the countries visited.
Interviews were to be carried out with
key officials in each of the countries to
discover the extent to which international
standards are currently adhered to in the
implementation of health policy; the
reasons for any lack of adherence; the
concerns expressed, and the state of
progress.
It is the intention to return to each of
these countries to undertake a more indepth
follow-up study in the area of
implementation of health policy in the
form of audits in a sample of prisons,
which will also include interviews with
prisoners.
Although this report is primarily
concerned with the provision of health
care services in each of the three
countries’ prison services it is also
recognised that there are other factors
that make a significant contribution to the
health of prisoners. Therefore, a variety of
issues (overcrowding, budget constraints,
drugs and sex in prison and so on) have
been included in the report in so far as
they impact on prisoner health.
Three days were spent in each country.
Interviews were carried out with a range
of key officials in the prison service
administration. At least one prison was
visited in each country and further
interviews were undertaken with the
prison governor and medical staff
working in the prison hospital/
department.
