A passion for community services

Our staff are passionate about providing community services. Andrea is a nursing sister at HMP Leeds and tell us about her career to date...

Andrea Copeland 

"I qualified as a nurse in 1995 and started my carer in offender health six months later. I have worked in a variety of prison settings high secure, YOI female and currently local category B.

I remember seeing an advert in the Nursing Times for nurses working in a prison in London. I had never thought of nursing in a prison, my morbid curiosity led me to apply. When considering my career path I always considered police, probation or social work so it's no surprise I ended up working in the arena of offender health

My friends and family were quite shocked when I told them I wanted to work in prison healthcare, particularly the male side of my family. Of course, their impression of prison was influenced by what they'd seen on the TV or read in the news, and they were worried about my safety and the possibility of prisoners behaving inappropriately towards me. In fact, I'd say you're safer in prison than you are on the streets. Sometimes you get prisoners making gestures or being suggestive, but I'm a female in a male prison and you get the same on hospital wards.

Our role here means we can not only make a difference to individual’s lives but the extended family and even society itself by hopefully assisting in the reduction of offending. We have close partnership working with the prison and play a key role in the resettlement and rehabilitation agenda. Assisting changes to someone’s health plays a key part in enabling offenders to leave prison having addressed their health needs and enter society in a stable and less chaotic state. We ensure systems and support are in place.

We have the difficult task of looking after some of the most damaged and vulnerable people in society. People for whom trust is difficult to do as, they have often been let down by the people that should matter the most in their lives. Engaging our clients takes excellent communication skills, patience and empathy.

I have worked for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust for three years; it is currently a very exciting time to be part of the trust. Our offender health pathway is expanding, we currently care for prisoners at HMP Leeds ,HMP Wealstun and HMYOI Wetherby. And we have recently secured the contract for police custody in West and South Yorkshire. There are a number of challenges in my role. One of the biggest is finding a way to provide our services in an environment driven by security and discipline. We have to abide by prison timetables and we can't always see a patient we might want to have access to immediately

If asked to describe a typical day I couldn't as no day is the same! I have stayed in this arena of nursing for 19 years so it can’t be that bad! Everyday is different, within the routine of clinics, screening, triage, chronic health conditions and health promotion is the unpredictability that working in this environment brings. We are required to attend emergency situations such as serious assaults, injuries, self harm and sadly major life threatening conditions which we have to manage until emergency services can enter the prison

The skill set required in this environment is important however as it so generic you cannot possibly know everything, this is where our close teamwork comes into play. Sharing knowledge and skills is vital and teamwork and supporting each other underpins. Despite the challenges, the work is so rewarding and I really like my job. Prison healthcare staff are sometimes perceived as being inferior to those who work in hospitals or clinics, but this couldn't be further from the truth. I actively chose a career in prison healthcare and my professional experience has grown substantially since I've been working here. You need resilience, patience, a sense of humour, stamina and the ability to be team player is fundamental."