I’ve been reading the recent thematic review from HM Inspectorate of Prisons about delays in transferring acutely mentally unwell prisoners to psychiatric hospitals. Some people are reportedly waiting far beyond the recommended time limits for secure hospital beds.

It’s hard to imagine experiencing psychosis in a prison environment — sometimes for months — while waiting for treatment.

The Prison Reform Trust has also highlighted how overcrowding is affecting safety and wellbeing, especially for those with serious mental health needs.

For those who’ve worked in prisons (officers, healthcare staff, probation, mental health teams) — or who’ve been inside:

Do you see this mainly as a policy failure?

A funding / bed-capacity issue?

Bureaucratic delays?

Or something more structural?

And when someone commits an offence while severely mentally unwell — what should the priority realistically be: containment, care, or both? How does that actually play out in practice?

This question stayed with me while I was writing Mad Man: Can You Hear My Cries — which explores similar themes from a human perspective. Not posting to promote, just to add context to why I’m asking. If anyone’s interested, the link’s in my bio.

Genuinely interested in hearing real-world experiences and perspectives.

Why are severely mentally ill prisoners still waiting months for hospital transfers in 2026?