North Devon town in national pilot to give people on probation better healthcare

Ilfracombe has been chosen as the only town in the South West for a new NHS pilot project to help people on probation get better health care and reduce the risk of reoffending.

The initiative is part of a national NHS and Ministry of Justice trial scheme taking place in only four areas - Ilfracombe, Cambridge, Middlesbrough and Hammersmith.

Locally, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, working with the South West Probation Service and One Northern Devon, is delivering the pilot in Ilfracombe.

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Parts of the town are ranked as among the most deprived in England, with lower life expectancy and poorer health outcomes.

The aim is to remove the health inequalities people on probation may often experience and bring practical physical and mental healthcare support directly to them via the contacts they have with the probation service.

Those running the scheme say people in contact with the criminal justice system face significant health inequalities.

They are far more likely to have poor physical or mental health or addiction issues, which increases the likelihood of reoffending.

They can also face additional barriers to healthcare, such as registering with a GP, keeping on top of long-term conditions, or accessing mental health and substance use support.

The project is funded by NHS England and the pilot will initially focus on a small number of people currently on probation in Ilfracombe, before exploring a wider roll-out.

Support will be tailored more to individual needs with a ‘team around the person’ approach, featuring staff from multiple agencies who can look at the whole picture of a person’s situation and their wider needs as they work towards rehabilitation.

This could include poor quality housing, substance use, mental health issues or other pressures that can increase the risk of crisis and reoffending.

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Chris Tidman, deputy chief executive at the Royal Devon trust, said: “People on probation can face multiple barriers to getting the right help at the right time. This pilot is about meeting people where they are, using probation contact points as an opportunity to spot issues earlier, connect people to services faster, and coordinate support around the whole person.

“It’s also going to be an invaluable test of community-based integrated working that will inform development of our Neighbourhood Health Service.”

Louise Arscott, head of probation delivery unit at South West Probation Service, added: “Probation appointments are a key touchpoint, but too often health needs sit in the background until they become a crisis.

“By working side-by-side with NHS colleagues, we can help remove barriers, improve engagement, and support people to stabilise their health and wellbeing - an important part of rehabilitation and building safer communities.”

The pilot will aim to deliver its services in Ilfracombe rather than requiring people to travel to Barnstaple and will include structured health checks, such as blood pressure and BMI, alongside support to improve continuity of medication and vaccination status, with prompt referral to relevant services where needed.

It is hoped the trial project will help to improve health knowledge among people on probation and test ways of working that could be applied to future neighbourhood health initiatives.