Prison psychiatry report rejected

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has rejected a provincial citizens' representative report which says the justice department has failed to give jail inmates the same psychiatric treatment that is available to the general public.

"We rejected the citizens' representatives report for very obvious reasons … Mr. Fleming, in our estimation, does not have the expertise or the jurisdiction to comment on the prescription practices of a physician. For that reason, we have rejected the recommendation," said Justice Minister Felix Collins Monday.

Citizens' Representative Barry Fleming said his office has received numerous complaints about psychiatric services in the province's jails over a number of years, and recommended changes.

Fleming recommends the government should issue a public tender for psychiatric services provided to correctional facilities, "including the prescription of psychiatric drugs, with the goal of providing these services in the same manner as that available to the general public."

Fleming said inmates aren't getting the same services as members of the general public.

"While the psychiatrist retained by the department has provided many years of dedicated service, that service is not consistent with the psychiatric options available to members of the general public with respect to prescription practices," said Fleming in a report released publicly on Monday.

Fleming said the government should have acted on the issue more quickly.

"The department has been aware of the conservative nature of these psychiatric prescription practices for some time. By continuing to retain those services, it has failed to meet the reasonable expectations of inmates and has breached the fairness principles contained in the Citizens’ Representative Act," said Fleming's news release.

Fleming said the psychiatrist has taken inmates off psychiatric drugs that were prescribed legally before they were sent to jail.

Prison inmates are treated by psychiatrist David Craig.

CBC News has published complaints about Dr. Craig's prescribing habits for prison inmates in the past.

Fleming said his office is not permitted to investigate or make recommendations regarding the psychiatrist himself.