Living (and dying) as an older person in prison: Understanding the biggest health care challenges for an ageing prisoner population

By Miranda Davies, Rachel Hutchings, Eilís Keeble and Laura Schlepper

The number of older people in prison in England and Wales is increasing, but prisons are not well set up to meet health care needs associated with ageing. Between 2010 and 2022, the number of prisoners aged 50 or older increased by 67% (from 8,263 to 13,835),2 and is predicted to increase to 14,800 by July 2025.3* Prisoners tend to be in poorer health than the general population, and this is particularly the case for older prisoners, who are considered to be ‘older’ from the age of 50 in recognition of their additional health care needs. Tough conditions in prison – regime constraints, poor living conditions and the threat of violence – disproportionately affect older prisoners, but these are not new problems. The extent to which the needs of older people in poor health can be met effectively in a prison setting is questionable, given the multiple competing priorities. For this work we used routinely collected hospital data to look at the health care needs of older people in prison in England. A summary of the key findings and considerations for policy-makers are provided below. We found significant health care needs associated with frailty among our older prisoner population. We consider the implications for the prison service of managing increasing numbers of older prisoners as the population continues to age.

London: Nuffield Trust, 2023. 51p.