PRISONERS with care needs could be looked after by younger or fitter inmates who should earn qualifications to help them find work outside jail, according to MSPs.

The proposal comes as a new report lays bare the growing crisis in Scotland’s prisons caused by increasing numbers of elderly and disabled prisoners.

According to the report, the Scottish Prison Service is paying at least £250,000 a year to provide basic care to prisoners but the growing numbers in custody needing care suggest a budget of nearer £1 million is realistic.

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The details emerged from the health and sport committee’s inquiry into healthcare in prisons.

It found that 236 prisoners have “high” care needs, such as mobility problems, dementia, incontinence and difficulty feeding themselves.

While the SPS must adhere to national care standards, it does not have a budget for social care and – unlike in England and Wales where councils have a legal obligation – it is not clear who is responsible for providing such care.

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One response in Scotland has been to hand basic tasks to other prisoners, the committee noted in its report: “In some places, for example HMP Dumfries and Glenochil, [social care] was delivered by other prisoners. Assistance provided includes help with mobility, feeding, cleaning and laundry.”

The report also notes that in England and Wales such prisoners have received training to work as “disability helpers” and have even achieved college diplomas in health and social care.

It says: “We recommend the SPS consider the extent to which this offers an opportunity that could be introduced across all prisons.”

Clare Haughey MSP, deputy convener of the health and sport committee, said: “Our report highlights the increasing numbers of older prisoners in the prison population and the pressures on the provision of social care. Work is needed to improve the availability and quality of the social care available to the prison population.”

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She said the examples where prisoners had been trained to provide limited care while gaining qualifications should not be seen as a substitute for professional care.

“We’re not suggesting prisoners should be the primary source of social care – that remains the responsibility of the SPS – but the availability of training for individuals to help care for their fellow prisoners is an opportunity that could be made more widely available.” The SPS said prisoners might be involved in pushing wheelchair users, helping fellow prisoners to dress or acting as “buddies”.

Increasing prosecution of people for historic sex offences has seen some prisoners entering the system for the first time in their seventies and eighties.

A spokesman said: “People come in with acute social care needs including dressing, toileting, washing and feeding themselves. For those who already have care packages, what they have in place ends when they enter the gates. It is placing additional demands on the prison service.”