THE “systemic failure of health provision” is at the root of the drugs crisis facing Scotland’s prisons, according to Holyrood’s criminal justice committee.

Almost a year after launching an inquiry into the crisis, the cross-party committee has published its report, painting a stark picture of the scale of the challenges faced by workers and prisoners alike in a system beset with short-staffing and overcrowding, leading to inconsistent health treatment and limited purposeful activity for inmates.

Noting that all those challenges sit before an “evolving supply chain involving synthetic drugs, mail contamination, and drones,” the report warned: “The impact is felt across the whole prison environment — on people in custody, staff safety, families, and recovery outcomes.

“The committee considers the situation a systemic failure of health provision manifesting inside prisons, requiring a whole-system response across justice, health and community services.”

Committee convener and former police officer Audrey Nicoll said: “Our inquiry illustrates clearly that substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons is not simply a justice issue, it is a public health one and can only be tackled effectively by being treated as such.”

Prison Officers Association (POA) assistant secretary Phil Fairlie said: “Report confirms what POA members have been saying for years,” adding: “It is prison officers who are left trying to pick up the pieces of a system that is failing prisoners, staff and wider society. 

“The committee has recognised systemic failure. We now need the government and Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to recognise this, invest the necessary money and work with the POA to implement real and effective change.”

A spokesman for the SPS said it was “determined to do everything we can to support people in their recovery journey,” but added: “We also recognise the population pressures we continue to face restrict the amount of time our staff can spend supporting people in recovery, improving their life chances, reducing the risk of reoffending, and creating safer communities for all.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are working with the SPS and health boards on implementing treatment standards and on developing alcohol and drug recovery pathways including the Prison to Rehab initiative.

“We recognise the serious challenges facing the prison system, which is why the Justice Secretary announced emergency proposals to tackle prison overcrowding, with stringent safeguards to protect public safety.”