The health centre at Milburn's prison has joined other primary health care practices in the country in meeting the standards set for New Zealand general practice.
Otago Corrections Facility nurses and management staff from the prison and the Department of Corrections gathered last week to celebrate the centre's accreditation from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP).
Nurses were presented with certificates acknowledging their part in the Cornerstone programme, with the health centre also given a Cornerstone General Practice Accreditation certificate for meeting Aiming for Excellence, the RNZCGP standards for New Zealand general practice.
Acting prison manager Colin Ropiha congratulated the nurses for the job they did in "trying, and often dangerous circumstances" at the Milburn facility.
Prison nurse Jan Horne said the recognition put the health centre and staff on par with other medical centres around the country.
"Prison health gets a bit of a ribbing, but we try to offer care as good as is available outside [prison]. We do our best, and this is recognition of that."
The Cornerstone programme reviews practices against the standard and accredits practices on the recommendation of Health and Disability Auditing New Zealand, the designated audit agency that works in partnership with the college.
