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Last month the authors described the role of the nurse in the prison service, the need for clinical supervision, and the parameters for a project to implement a clinical supervision model in five prisons in England ( Freshwater et al 2001 ). Here, they examine some of the findings from the project, particularly in relation to practice, education and barriers to implementation.

CLINICAL SUPERVISION has been high on the nursing practice agenda in recent years ( UKCC 1996 ). While implementation in some specialist areas is more advanced, there is growing evidence to suggest that clinical supervision is now well established in many areas of nursing practice ( Bishop and Freshwater 2000, Butterworth et al 1998, Farrington 1995 ). Much of the success of the strategy The New NHS: Modern, Dependable ( DoH 1997 ), and the supporting strategies described in the documents A First Class Service ( DoH 1998a ) and Working Together ( DoH 1998b ), depends upon the ability of key players, and identified clinical leaders, to take forward the clinical supervision agenda.