Equivalency of Care
Definition
The principle that prisoners are entitled to healthcare equivalent in quality to that available in the general community. Recognised in the Nelson Mandela Rules, WHO guidelines on prison health, and the European Prison Rules.
- Recognised in
- Nelson Mandela Rules, WHO prison health guidance, European Prison Rules
- Principle
- Custodial healthcare equal to community standard
- Field
- Correctional and custodial nursing
Common questions
What does equivalency of care mean in practice for a correctional nurse?+
It means a person in custody should receive the same standard of assessment, treatment and follow-up they would be able to access outside custody, not a reduced or delayed version of it because of their detention status.
Why is equivalency of care relevant to forensic and correctional documentation?+
Healthcare records generated under this standard can become evidence in litigation or death-in-custody investigations, so consistent, timely documentation is needed to show the standard was actually met.
Related terms
- Clinical Independence
- The principle that healthcare decisions in custodial settings are made on clinical grounds alone, without interference from custody staff. The UN Nelson...
- Dual Loyalty
- The conflict between a health professional's clinical obligation to the patient and their employment obligations to an institution : particularly acute in...
- Hunger Strike
- A refusal of food by a person with decision-making capacity, typically as a form of protest. The correctional nurse's ethical obligation is...
- Reception Health Screening
- The health assessment conducted when a person enters custody, typically within 24 hours of arrival. Covers physical health, mental health, substance withdrawal...
- UN Nelson Mandela Rules
- The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (revised 2015, named for Nelson Mandela), establishing baseline standards for prison...