Study 2026-52 (HSR) Evaluation framework for specialist medical and somatic prison healthcare: application to the Medical Centre at Haren Prison

Ongoing study - Prisoners are a vulnerable group from both a social and a medical perspective. Compared to the general population, they are more likely to experience a high burden of disease, mental health problems, substance use and infectious diseases. Belgian figures show that their state of health is considerably worse and that their healthcare needs are greater (see KCE Reports 293). At the same time, the current organisation of healthcare in Belgian prisons does not always adequately meet these needs. Differences between prisons, limited healthcare capacity, inadequate psychiatric support, poor continuity of care and insufficient data recording hinder the provision of high-quality care. As a result, existing health inequalities risk increasing further and health problems may worsen, with consequences for both the individuals concerned and society.

Against this backdrop, a new medical centre is due to open in December 2027 at Haren Prison. It will serve as a pilot project for the organisation of specialised somatic care within the Belgian prison healthcare system. In order to assess the quality, accessibility, efficiency and continuity of care, it will be necessary to develop quality indicators and evaluation methods that must be usable not only for the Haren medical centre, but also for future medical centres in other Belgian prisons. KCE was commissioned to develop these indicators and evaluation methods.