Offer all prisoners regular supplements of vitamin D, in accordance with UK Public Health advice, to help keep them healthier and so reduce the burden on the NHS.
Why is this important?
As Covid cases rise so does the pressure on our hospitals, just when annual winter pressures are also growing. If people stay fitter, NHS staff can be there for those who need their help most. Prisoners have fewer options than most of us to keep healthy, but still use the resources of the same NHS.
Vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health, it helps in infection control and plays a part in a range of other vital body functions.
Most people get their vitamin D by it being made by the action of sunshine on their skin. It is widely recognised that many people in the UK have low levels of vitamin D.
Those who don't have easy access to sunshine - including prisoners - are more likely to be deficient - unless they take supplements. Most people are now recommended by the Government to take supplements all year round.
While prisoners are in the care of the Government, Government should offer them supplements to meet their own advice.
Vitamin D is cheap and readily available (to those with access to shops or the internet). Some hospitals are now offering supplements to their staff and long term patients. This would be good practice for all hospitals and all employers - and all institutions where people have little exposure to the sun, like prisons.
Please help all of us, by supporting this campaign to keep prisoners fitter. Thank you.
For more information see (for example):
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-publishes-new-advice-on-vitamin-d#:~:text=PHE%20is%20advising%20that%2010,healthy%20bones%2C%20teeth%20and%20muscles.&text=To%20protect%20bone%20and%20muscle,(Thursday%2021%20July%202016).
