Media Statement - Friday, 3 September 2021 - In response to 'Prisoners being denied vaccinations'
Please attribute the following response to a Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (the Network) spokesperson:
“Since March 2021, all inmates and detainees in NSW publicly run correctional and youth detention settings have had access to a COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccines have been, and continue to be, offered in line with Commonwealth and NSW Health advice.
As vaccination is voluntary, all inmates and detainees had to give their informed consent before receiving the vaccine. Before receiving a vaccination, inmates and detainees were given the same information as the public including the latest ATAGI guidelines in order to help them make an informed decision. This was also made available in other languages, as well as easy to read formats. Health care professionals are also available at all correctional and youth justice sites should an adult or young person have concerns about a vaccination, and can discuss this with them.
Unvaccinated inmates and detainees currently in custody will have another opportunity to get vaccinated with a targeted vaccination program over the next two weeks, and we will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination wherever possible.
The privately managed prisons such as Parklea Correctional Centre are responsible for managing their own COVID-19 vaccination roll out, but are provided with vaccine doses and information about administering them from the Network.
When adult inmates are identified as COVID-19 positive in NSW public prisons, it is Network protocol to move them to a central location at the Silverwater Correctional Complex, where they can be kept separate from the rest of the prison population, their care can be properly managed and they can be near a tertiary hospital in case it is needed. Private prisons such as Parklea are required to manage their COVID-19 positive inmates at their centre.”
Media Statement - Tuesday, 31 August 2021 - COVID-19 Positive cases in custody
Please attribute the following response to a Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (the Network) spokesperson:
"The Network is working closely with Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) and Youth Justice NSW (YJNSW) to manage positive COVID-19 cases across NSW custodial settings.
The Network, CSNSW and YJNSW are testing for COVID-19, isolating cases and contact tracing to detect and isolate close contacts to prevent further transmission.
We are also working together to roll out rapid antigen testing (RAT) across NSW prisons, youth justice centres and police cells to give us a fast and effective way of identifying potential cases.
The Network’s protocol is to move positive adult COVID-19 cases to a central location at the Silverwater Correctional Complex, where they can be kept separate from the rest of the prison population, their care can be properly managed and they can be near a tertiary hospital in case it is needed.
The privately managed prisons, such as Parklea Correctional Centre, are responsible for managing their COVID-19 patients locally with assistance from the Network as appropriate. Healthcare at Parklea is provided by St Vincent’s Correctional Health.
The Network has been vaccinating staff and patients since March 2021 in line with Commonwealth and NSW public health advice. To protect our staff and patients, we are ramping up our vaccination program over the coming weeks.
The number of cases at any given centre will fluctuate, because of the movement of prisoners coming into custody, and the policy to move all positive cases from other NSW Corrective Services prisons to Silverwater.
The Network takes the health and wellbeing of prisoners extremely seriously and over the last 18 months has prepared so that prisoners and staff are protected in the event of an outbreak.
We quarantine all new arrivals into CSNSW facilities from the general prison population for 14 days, use comprehensive PPE, and conduct regular symptom screening and testing."