Paramedics working in a prison-based healthcare setting: an exploratory mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Emergency medicine
• Correctional healthcare
• Paramedic practice

Background:

• Rising medical emergencies in prisons due to aging populations and novel psychoactive substance misuse.
• Limited research on the role of paramedics in correctional settings.
• Need to understand the integration of paramedics from non-paramedic perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the strengths and limitations of employing paramedics in prison healthcare.
• To gather insights from non-paramedic colleagues regarding paramedic roles.
• To assess the impact of paramedics on prison healthcare delivery.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory mixed methods study conducted in a UK category B remand prison.
• Data collected via paper questionnaires (n=32) and semi-structured interviews (n=2) with healthcare and custodial staff.
• Focus on opinions and observations of non-paramedic personnel.

Main Results:

• Seven global themes emerged, including medical response management, specialist role impact, and professionalism.
• 31 out of 32 participants reported a positive overall effect of paramedics on healthcare provision.
• Staff highlighted various reasons contributing to the positive impact of paramedics.

Conclusions:

• Paramedics possess skills and training beneficial for prison healthcare.
• Paramedic integration appears to positively influence healthcare delivery in prisons.
• Further research is recommended to fully delineate the scope of paramedic contributions in correctional settings.