Inside track on health information for male offenders

The Men's Health Forum is working with two prisons to create tailored men's health information relevant to life inside.

Through funding from the Big Lottery Fund, the MHF is working with HMP Risley and HMYOI Thorn Cross, both in Warrington, to produce offender focused health resources. The resources will be specifically designed to be relevant to offenders whilst in custody with a focus on key messages around mental health, physical activity and diet.

The resources will be developed in a format felt most appropriate by the offenders themselves.

Stephen Sibbald, the MHF's director of operations, said 'Although there are plenty of health information materials out there, there are very few which take into account the context-specificity of being in prison.  General health advice such as taking you dog for a walk or trying something new in your diet are simply irrelevant in an enviornment where you lack control.  That is why we are working with two groups of offenders themselves in each prison to help them produce this health material for themselves'.