MORE than £500,000 is thought to have been spent closely watching just four inmates at risk of suicide at a prison near Huddersfield.
The claims centre on New Hall Women’s Prison at Flockton, but prison bosses have refused to confirm whether £600,000 has been spent on the four female prisoners.
An insider at the prison says the women had been under constant surveillance for the past six months after they had been identified as suicide risks in April.
They have since been watched round-the-clock by prison officers paid £17 an hour.
A Prison Service spokeswomen said: “Prisoners are entitled to the same standard of health care that is available in the community.
“Prisons contain large numbers of very vulnerable people and caring for them is challenging and important work.”
She added that NHS Kirklees, rather than the Prison Service, would pick up the tab, which is reported to be £587,520. The bill is paid by the NHS as the women would normally need specialist hospital treatment.
The spokeswoman said: “Primary care trusts are responsible for the cost of constant watches initiated as a result of a clinical need following clinical assessment.”
Prison Officers’ Association spokesman Joe Simpson said the spending was absolutely ridiculous. He added: “Members are being ordered, not asked, to cover. Officers get no mental health training and should not be dealing with these women.”
