Renewed call to replace HMP psychiatrist

The ombudsman is renewing a call for a change in psychiatrists at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's.

Citizens' Representative Barry Fleming said Wednesday the justice department needs to immediately replace Dr. David Craig, a psychiatrist at HMP who has been criticized by mental health advocates for his prescribing practices.

"Our work is done on this topic, but we still get complaints from inmates and their families," Fleming told CBC News.

In March 2011, Fleming issued a report that found inmates at HMP, some of whom had complained about being taken off prescribed medicine, do not receive the level of psychiatric care that they would receive outside.

Fleming reiterated Wednesday that Craig's approach is too conservative and he would like to see the prison have a psychiatrist whose approach is more in line with how psychiatrists handle patients in the general public.

"I've met with Dr. Craig and he has strongly held views on his prescription practices. He comes to them honestly and with a well-founded belief in their propriety," said Fleming. 

"We just feel that that practise of being conservative with respect to prescription drugs at HMP does a disservice to the inmates down there."

Justice Minister Felix Collins dismissed the report in March and said the citizens' representative does not have the expertise or jurisdiction to review the work of a psychiatrist.  He said he would order a review of Craig's work by another psychiatrist.

Collins said Wednesday that because Craig's work is still under review, he will not step in or comment.

"The review is ongoing and it will be thorough and precise and however long the reviewer takes to do the review that's in his or her hands and when the review is done, it will be done when it's done," Collins told CBC News.