Christopher Siegersma will be the first Commissioner for Welfare and Development of Prisoners the government announced on Saturday. 

The prisoner welfare position was introduced following the conclusion of an inquiry that looked into the way Corradino Correctional Facility is being run. 

The inquiry, published on Friday, came on the back of a string of prisoner suicides and led to the replacement of controversial prisons director Alex Dalli. 

In a statement on Saturday, the Home Affairs Ministry said that Siegersma, 38, has had years of experience in the medical and social field. 

Prior to taking on this new post, he worked in the mental health sector, leading multidisciplinary teams of professionals including those responsible for crisis intervention, home treatment teams and young patients. 

Siegersma is a nurse by profession and holds a Masters degree from the University of Malta in mental health. 

Currently, he is reading for a PhD at the Queen Margaret University of Edinburgh. 

He specialises in psychological trauma related to criminal acts.

As commissioner, Siegersma will be overseeing the implementation of a series of recommendations made by the prison inquiry.  

The inquiry report calls for a major overhaul at Corradino Correctional Facility including the building of new facilities. 

It also calls for efforts to reduce overcrowding, increase attentiveness to inmates' suicidal thoughts and mental health, a focus on rehabilitation and a crackdown on excessive punishment.