NFPC staff (2003) Photo: Courtesy of Dave Gordon

Inmate health services

Health care for inmates in provincial
correctional centres became increasingly
standardized in the late 1990s. Procedures for
health care services were prescribed by
protocols for:

« Emergencies (e.g. shock, trauma, allergy,
arrest, drug overdose);

» Standardized emergency medical equipment
and mandatory verification;

» Drug and alcohol withdrawal;
» Medication substitution;
» Methadone administration;

a Standardized health care records and charting;

» Standardized mandatory patient monitoring;
and

= Dental care.

These protocols ensured minimum standards of
practitioner knowledge and uniform care,
especially in complicated life-threatening
situations that required specialized training.

Throughout this period, the drug
formulary—developed by the Branch in
1993—_was regularly updated by the Pharmacy
and Therapeutics Committee (P&TC). This
formulary establishes consistent use of
medication among correctional centres and
restricts use of non-generic, higher-cost drugs
ot preparations of unproven benefit. The
P&TC was also mandated to oversee the

The Era of Directing Change (1997-2001)

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