Healthcare staff guidance and training on use of force incidents
The Home Office must ensure that guidance is issued to healthcare staff in immigration removal centres clarifying their role in use of force incidents. It must liaise as necessary with NHS England and any relevant medical regulators. The Home Office must ensure that mandatory training is introduced for healthcare staff, and those responsible for managing them, on their roles and responsibilities in relation to planned and unplanned use of force (liaising with NHS England and any other relevant parties). The training must be subject to an assessment.
- Notwithstanding the March 2024 rejection, DSO 11/2025 (Use of Force for Adults in Detention), published in December 2025, requires a healthcare professional to be in attendance at all use of force incidents in immigration removal centres (Detention Services Order 11/2025, Home Office, December 2025).
- No published guidance from NHS England or the CQC specifically addressed to healthcare staff roles in IRC use of force incidents has been identified to March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Not Accepted
Response
Not AcceptedThe government does not accept this recommendation. The government stated that NHS England commissions healthcare services and it is their responsibility, alongside the Care Quality Commission, to assure the quality of health service provision within the detention estate.
Progress Timeline
Angela Eagle, Written PQ 23170 (15 January 2025): '30 out of the 33 recommendations have been accepted or partially accepted. Following full consideration three recommendations (recommendations 7, 19 and 30) have been rejected.'
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Engagement with charities described as "very limited". 10 people released homeless in past year including 3 assessed as adults at risk.
View detailed findings
Based on Independent Review of Progress visit in August 2025, following up 13 concerns from August 2024 inspection. Brook House run by Serco held 192 detainees at time of visit.
Inquiry Chair Kate Eves described government response as "inadequate" and called for a "reset" with the new government. Warned abuse "becomes a question of when, not if" it happens again.
View detailed findings
In September 2024, Kate Eves told Channel 4 News she was "disappointed with what I see as an inadequate response by the former government to an important report." She noted the inquiry cost about £20 million over four years. Home Office lawyers had argued her "recommendations are not binding."