Security crackdown planned for special hospitals

Patients are to be banned from receiving food or tobacco sent from outside Ashworth, Broadmoor and Rampton special hospitals as part of a security and safety crackdown announced last week by health minster John Hutton. He also announced that patients are to be routinely tested for illicit substances and there are to be tighter controls on prescribed drugs, improved security intelligence - including checking patients' and some staff post - and recording of some patients' telephone calls. The moves follow the report into security and safety at special hospitals by Sir Richard Tilt, former director of prisons.