This letter is from a former Durham Jail detainee about his time there

This topic is long over-due; so is replacing CCS contract over-seeing the health care and daily needs, such as dieting, exercising, mental, and scheduling medical and dental care here in Durham County Jail.  I myself have been keeping up with their methods, response time, med cart, their all around services to the detainees here in DCJ.

I myself am disgusted with their service and excuses and in many ways shocked as to how people keep allowing this third party medical service to keep providing sorry to none health services in which each year around the end of June, re-appy for the medical contract.  If people here in Durham don’t stop this malpractice.

Or; its up to us and keep dying off or paying $120 and get a form to sue this city.  Know if us detainees in this jail had money like this to sue, we would have a medical card for a doctor on the outside which they would prefer anyway!  I left with waiting two and a half months for acute dental needs, and like many here I left without being seen by the dentist, just to have medical tell me I was on the list and they aren’t the one’s who choose who’s next!

I myself talked to the dentist and where they even agreed with my concerns stating that there was an average of 75 people each week here in Durham County Jail with severe acute dental needs and that they offered to come more than 4 hours a week on Monday nights and no holidays, never the less their request was turned down.

The only thing that’s positive toward medical staff and not dental care is you get 120 days straight with motrin without too much hassle.  Even though having been diagnosed with severe liver damage by an outside doctor, doesn’t hold any weight with all these meds I’m taking for a seat in the dental chair!

Even though I’ve tried so hard to let those who care on the outside know what really happens with our health needs in Durham County Jail.  My attempts no matter even coming from an outside dentist who is very good, has been distorted by excuses laying all blame on others.

-S. N.