Mental health in prisons in Northern Ireland

This ADR Northern Ireland project aims to develop a new linked dataset containing information on mental health and addiction among people in prisons in Northern Ireland, as well as their mortality risk following release. 

People in prison tend to have higher rates of mental and physical health conditions. Studies have shown that substance use disorders are common within the prison population, and individuals face an increased risk of drug-related death after release. 

Further research specific to Northern Ireland is needed to improve our understanding about the health challenges faced by people in prison and following their release.

Aims and key questions

The aim of this project is to develop a new linked dataset to enable a systematic, empirical examination of mental health and substance addiction among people in prison in Northern Ireland and the risk of mortality following their release into the community. Initially, the project will:

1. examine mental health issues among people in prison,
2. describe the causes of death for people following release from prison, and
3. characterise who is most at risk of death after release and which factors affect this risk (e.g. mental health).

About the data

Healthcare data for all adults in prison in Northern Ireland (2012-2021) was extracted from the Healthcare in Prison Electronic Patient Recording System by South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust staff. This data was then transferred to the Honest Broker Service (HBS), the trusted research environment for Health and Social Care services in Northern Ireland, for de-identification.

Approved researchers from the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland at QUB will use this de-identified prison healthcare data linked to other datasets in the HBS to examine a range of outcomes. These datasets include:

• a healthcare population spine
• prescriptions data (primary care)
• hospital admissions data (mental health)
• income deprivation data
• mortality data.

Potential

This novel dataset contains information about the health of people in prison. We will use population-level data linkage to other datasets to examine mental health and substance addiction among people in prison in Northern Ireland and their risk of mortality following release. The findings will improve understanding about the health challenges faced by this population, inform evidence-based policymaking, and improve service planning and provision.

Publications

Preparatory scoping reviews of studies using linked data have been published, including:

• primary healthcare access following release from prison (see the review and study protocol)
• drug-related deaths after prison release (see the review and study protocol).

Furthermore, summaries of the development of the new linked prison healthcare dataset in Northern Ireland were presented in conference proceedings in 2023 and 2024.

Project details

Research team:

Based at Queen's University Belfast, Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) (ADR Northern Ireland):

• Dr. Janine Cooper: Project Lead
• Prof Michael Donnelly: Principal Investigatorq

Healthcare in Prison Team, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust:

• Dr. Richard Kirk
• Ms. Trish Kelly
• Mr. Stephen McGarrigle
• Dr. Ruth Gray.

Duration: Due for completion by March 2026

Contact: ADRC NI office, ni@adruk.org.

Funding: This project is funded by ADR Northern Ireland via its core grant from the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) as an ADR UK partner. 

This research programme about the health of people with experience of prison was initiated and co-developed by Professor Dermot O’Reilly. Dermot died in October 2023. He was a dear friend and colleague, and the first Director of ADRC NI. Dermot’s work on the use of administrative data to improve population health and public services and reduce health inequalities will continue in his memory.