Safety recommendation
HSSIB recommends that HM Prison and Probation Service ensures that the development of the Digital Prison Services system includes interoperability with healthcare IT systems. This will ensure that information which does not impinge on the confidentiality requirements of either system, relevant to the safety and wellbeing of staff, patients and other prisoners, is available at the point of need.
Response:
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is grateful for this feedback on the Healthcare provision in prisons: data sharing and IT report.
Thank you for the recommendation regarding the integration of healthcare information systems with the Digital Prison Services system. We fully recognise the importance of ensuring that relevant information, where appropriate and lawful, is available at the point of need to support the safety and wellbeing of those in custody.
HMPPS has already developed and deployed the External Integration Application Programming Interface (API), a strategic digital service that enables secure, real-time data sharing with third parties to access prison data. This aligns with our standard practice of de-coupled integration, where each organisation retains responsibility for its own systems and data flows. The ongoing development of this platform is being designed with interoperability in mind and could, in future, support two-way data exchange, subject to appropriate governance and safeguards. A bid for funding in the current spending review to continue development of the API was made. However, allocation decisions are yet to be confirmed.
To fully realise the benefits of integration with NHS systems, NHSE will need to develop and maintain the necessary infrastructure to support integration. Further development of the HMPPS API may also be required to support specific integration needs, which would be subject to SR funding allocations. This approach ensures that both partners contribute to a sustainable and secure integration model.
We are committed to working with NHSE to deliver digital interoperability. While the technical, governance and financial implications of interoperability are being explored we are working with NHSE and their providers to maximise the benefits of the DPS system roll out, for example we are supporting establishments to exploit the functionality for healthcare appointment booking and attendance monitoring to drive improvements in prisoner attendance at healthcare activities.
We remain committed to improving interoperability and welcome continued collaboration to ensure shared goals around safety and wellbeing are met.
Actions planned to carry out safety recommendation:
- Facilitate initial engagement with health partners, by Q4 2025. Resources in place: Limited internal capacity. Other dependencies identified: Dependent on funding and delivery capacity. Additional comments: HMPPS is committed to ongoing discussions with NHSE to explore integration possibilities and mutual capabilities.
- Initiate discovery work for two-way data sharing, by Q1 2026. Resources in place: Limited internal capacity. Other dependencies identified: Early scoping only; dependent on funding and delivery capacity. Additional comments: Explore technical and governance requirements to allow data exchange between the systems (NHSE and HMPPS).
- Explore alternative approaches to data sharing, Q2 2026. Resources in place: Limited internal capacity. Other dependencies identified: Dependent on HMPPS delivery capacity and NHSE integration Infrastructure. Additional comments: Enable access to relevant existing data to support safety and wellbeing, within legal and governance frameworks.
Response received on 22 October 2025.