Prison healthcare in Australia

Healthcare is a major issue for people in custody in Australia. People in prison have substantially more complex physical and mental health care needs than the general population, and have significantly higher rates of both diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions. Despite their higher health needs, people in prison have significantly less access to healthcare in custody compared to the general Australian population.

There are no national standards for healthcare in Australian prisons. Prisoners in all jurisdictions, however, are prevented from accessing the Medicare universal health care system or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which contributes to the lack of healthcare in custody as many prisons are unable to afford certain services and medications without Medicare or PBS rebates. Other issues inhibiting healthcare provision in custody include limited access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, no access to needle and syringe programs, being reliant on prison officers to make medical appointments, and issues with record keeping.