Thirty staff members of the Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) improved their knowledge and practical understanding of the finalized prison health procedures during a 2-day cascade training on the Prison Health Department (PHD) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), organised on 21 and 22 April. The training was delivered by two local PHD trainers who had previously completed a Training of Trainers (ToT) on the same topic with the support of the Council of Europe.
The training strengthened the capacity of KCS staff to apply the updated PHD SOPs in their daily work and to better support health-related safeguards in prison settings. Participants worked through key procedures related to admission and first medical visits, communicable diseases, persons with mental disorders, refusal of food and medication, management of self-harm and suicide risks, continuity of therapy, medical confidentiality, ethical standards, and occupational therapy. The programme also addressed the documentation and reporting of injuries in line with the Istanbul Protocol, helping reinforce understanding of professional responsibilities and inter-institutional cooperation in situations involving possible ill-treatment.
Through scenario-based discussions, case studies and group exercises, participants translated the SOP framework into practical responses to situations encountered in prisons. In doing so, the training further supported the more consistent application of health-related procedures by correctional staff and contributed to better coordinated cooperation between the KCS and the PHD.
The cascade format also reinforced the sustainability of the Council of Europe’s support in this area. By enabling trained local professionals to transfer knowledge further within the prison system, the activity helped embed project achievements more firmly into institutional practice. At the same time, it allowed the two PHD trainers to refresh and consolidate the expertise previously acquired through the ToT process, strengthening local ownership and the longer-term capacity of institutions to continue delivering trainings independently.
By improving the knowledge of KCS staff, reinforcing the role of local trainers, and further strengthening cooperation between correctional and healthcare professionals, the training contributed to ongoing efforts to ensure a more effective, coordinated and human rights compliant approach to prison healthcare in line with Council of Europe standards.