To ask Her Majesty's Government what training is given to prison officers regarding mental illness amongst inmates.

The Government is committed to ensuring that Prison Officers receive the appropriate training to support prisoners with mental health needs. The Prison Officer Entry Level Training (POELT) course, delivered to new Prison Officers, includes modules on mental health and personality disorders.

The ‘Introduction to Mental Health’ module covers the most prevalent mental health issues in prison including anxiety states, depression, bi-polar disorder, psychosis and schizophrenia, and personality disorders. The session also covers how an officer can support prisoners with different disorders.

The mental health awareness module forms part of the revised “Introduction to Suicide and Self-Harm (SaSH) Prevention” training package. This training is being delivered to all new and existing Prison Officers, as well as HMPPS and non-HMPPS staff who are in contact with prisoners. Between April 2017 and January 2018 more than 14,300 staff have been trained in at least one of the six SaSH modules, and over 6,800 staff have completed the training in full. With specific reference to the mental health training module, internal figures show that over 7,000 new and existing staff have completed the module.

Alongside this, a Suicide Prevention Learning Tool has been developed in partnership with Samaritans. This tool communicates important messages to identify and support prisoners at risk. Some prisons continue to deliver locally devised mental health training packages, often in conjunction with the local healthcare provider.