News Births backlog
THOUSANDS of new-born ba- bies are still awaiting registration because of the coronavirus pan- demic. A backlog of 3,500 has built up
in Kent, according to Kent County Council, which runs the service. County Hall’s resources have
been diverted to tackling the pan- demic, including carrying out a growing number of death regis- trations. A KCC spokesman said the au-
thority plans to deal with the backlog by the end of August or early September. Face-to-face registrations re- sumed on June 17.
Beds freed up
THE number of patients dis- charged early to prevent hospital bed-blocking has increased by 22% thanks to a local housing team. The council “Helping You
Home” scheme has helped 618 local people in the past year. By making adjustments to their
homes, they were able to return or avoid going to hospital in the first place.
downsmail.co.uk
Prisoners ‘struggle during lockdown’
PRISON inspectors found in- mates at Maidstone jail not cop- ing well with restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. A report published earlier this
month into three scrutiny visits to category C facilities found frustra- tions over how lockdown designed to prevent the spread of the virus affected criminals. Inspectors went to Maidstone
and two other prisons, in Rugby and Wolverhampton, to assess conditions almost three months into the crisis. Their report also highlighted a
“self-inflicted death” since restric- tions were brought in. On June 16, they found:
inconsistent social-distancing; no systematic welfare checks; foreign prisoners worried about their immigration status; self-harm among inmates. Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspec- tor of Prisons, said: “Social dis-
tancing measures were still in place, although inconsistently practised
at...Maidstone.” He added: “Staff and prisoners
were becoming concerned about the impact that such a prolonged restricted regime was having on prisoners’ well-being. Levels of self-harm varied across the prisons. “We were concerned that there
were no systematic welfare checks in place
at...Maidstone to identify any decline in prisoners’ mood. At Maidstone, some prisoners had had no recorded contact at all since lockdown began.”
The report noted: “At all three
sites, some 12 weeks into very re- strictive measures, prisoners were desperate to hear about restrictions being eased but governors were un- able to provide reassurance.” Maidstone borough councillor
Eddie Powell said: “If you end up in prison, you are there because you committed crimes and have been removed from society. So, I have lit- tle sympathy for their plight. There are exceptions in every case and that is rightly why we have the in- spectorate. But prison is prison, not a holiday camp.”
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