Development of healthcare facility standards for Thai female inmates

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-07-2017-0032
• Published date: 10 September 2018
• Pages: 163-174
• Date: 10 September 2018
• Author: Nantaga Sawasdipanich,Supa Puektes,Supaporn Wannasuntad,Ankana Sriyaporn,Chulepon Chawmathagit,Jirapa Sintunava,Gamjad Paungsawad
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice

Development of healthcare facility

standards for Thai female inmates

Nantaga Sawasdipanich, Supa Puektes, Supaporn Wannasuntad, Ankana Sriyaporn,

Chulepon Chawmathagit, Jirapa Sintunava and Gamjad Paungsawad

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate the Standards of Healthcare Facility for Thai

Female Inmates (SHF-TFI) through healthcare service improvement.

Design/methodology/approach –This research and quality improvement project was comprised of three

phases. Surveying healthcare facilities and in-depth interviews with female inmates as well as prison nurses

were employed in Phase I. Expert reviews and public hearing meetings were used for developing the SHF-TFI

in Phase II. Satisfaction questionnaires, focus group interviews of the female inmates, and in-depth interviews

with nurses and prison wardens were utilized to evaluate feasibility and effectiveness of SHF-TFI

implementation in Phase III.

Findings –The SHF-TFI was elaborated in order to be more specific to the context of the correctional

institutes and correspond with healthcare as to the needs of female inmates. It was divided into three main

aspects: administrative standards, health service standards and outcome standards. After implementation,

nurses reflected on the feasibility and benefits of the SHF-TFI on the organizations, inmates and nurses.

The female inmates perceived remarkable improvement in the healthcare services including physical

activity promotion and screening programs for non-communicable diseases, the physical environment

and sufficiency of medical equipment. Moreover, the pregnant inmates and incarcerated mothers with

children shared their views on better antenatal and child developmental care, as well as availability of

baby supplies.

Originality/value –The findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of the SHF-TFI for quality care

improvement and applicability of the Bangkok Rules in women’s correctional institutes.

Keywords Healthcare services, Female inmates, Healthcare facility standards, Incarcerated mothers,

Pregnant inmates, Women’s correctional institutes

Paper type Research paper

The Thai Government provides healthcare services for every citizen in correspondence with the

principle of basic hu man rights of the Cons titution for medical c are (National Healt h Security

Act, 2002). The Thai penal system, which includes prisons that house both male and female

prisoners in designated wings and women’s correctional ins titutes, purpose ly built to detain

incarcerated women only, must also provide healthcare services which are the equal of

the primary care provided for individuals in the general community. The Ministerial Regulation of

the Ministry of the Interior (1936) issued under Section 58 of the Penitentiary Act B.E. 2479

states that “each prison shall provide a healthcare centre for rendering treatment to ill inmates

and arrange for officers having sufficient knowledge to assume duties at such healthcare

centres.”Since the inmates are not allowed to freely access external healthcare services, the

correctional institutes should manage the provision of proper care for inmates in order to

minimize serious health consequences.

Correctional institutes typically have strict detaining policies and limited personnel, space,

budgets, medications and medical supplies, thus hindering the proper management required for

a large number of inmates (Kannasut, 2014). Healthcare services provided in the correctional

institutes have therefore been different from those provided in the community. The increasing

number of Thai female inmates each year has exceeded the capacity of correctional institutes to

Received 7 July 2017

Revised 18 October 2017

Accepted 19 October 2017

This study funded by the Ministry

of Justice, Thailand.

Nantaga Sawasdipanich and

Supa Puektes are both based

at the Srisavarindhira Thai Red

Cross Institute of Nursing,

Bangkok, Thailand.

Supaporn Wannasuntad is

based at the Boromarajonani

College of Nursing, Bangkok,

Bangkok, Thailand.

Ankana Sriyaporn and

Chulepon Chawmathagit are

both based at the Thailand

Nursing and Midwifery Council,

Bangkok, Thailand.

Jirapa Sintunava and

Gamjad Paungsawad are both

based at the Office of the Affairs

under the Royal Initiatives of

HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha,

Ministry of Justice,

Bangkok, Thailand.

DOI 10.1108/IJPH-07-2017-0032 VOL. 14 NO. 3 2018, pp. 163-174, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200

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