Prison
Cat B, local, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Bristol
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 11 December 2025
HMP Bristol has seen sustained improvements in safety, with significant reductions in self-harm and violent incidents, and fewer deaths in custody. However, the daily regime remains inconsistent due to staffing levels, and key concerns persist around the lack of in-cell sanitation on B wing, prolonged waits for mental health transfers, and challenges with prisoner property and medication access. Staffing recruitment and retention are also a continuous concern for the Board.
Positive Findings
The experience for prisoners at HMP Bristol has improved over the last two years, with initial improvements sustained in most areas. There has been a significant reduction in self-harm incidents, violent incidents, and deaths in custody. The Board commends the professional handling of use of force incidents and observes improved food provision, with HMP Bristol recognized for providing homemade food. Good support is provided for neurodiverse prisoners, and there's an increase in purposeful activity and education attendance.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There is still a lack of in-cell sanitation on B wing (99 prisoners) with no concrete, funded plan to resolve this.
Segregation
The average number of prisoners in segregation has increased.
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisoners waiting specialist mental health units are nearly always held in segregation prior to transfer and waits are often still longer than the national guidance.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The daily regime for prisoners is still inconsistent due to variable staffing levels and additional demands such as constant supervisions and bed watches, limiting key working sessions to only the most vulnerable prisoners.
Healthcare
Repeated
Healthcare issues, particularly access to physical healthcare, mental health support, and medication issues, remain the highest category of applications to the IMB.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Approximately 20% of prisoners released from HMP Bristol do not have housing on their first night of release, and short-stay prisoners do not always get sufficient resettlement support.
Staffing
Repeated
The Home Office’s proposed changes to the visa system are likely to adversely affect the recruitment and retention of new prison officers, impacting the prison's ability to deliver a full regime.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
There is no agreed funding or implementation date for Launchpad, a digital system that would improve prisoner communications and free up staff time.
Other
Repeated
Lost and missing property within the prison has increased, typically after cell transfers, and remains the second highest issue raised with the IMB.
Mental Health
Access to ADHD medication is an issue for newly diagnosed prisoners and those with prescription breaks due to supply issues or consultation waits, with no alternatives provided.
Healthcare
Social care for prisoners with personal care needs relies on goodwill between prisoners (buddies) due to under-resourcing of the specialist contractor.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
Illicit drugs, notably psychoactive substances and cannabis, remain readily available in HMP Bristol, contributing to prisoners being under the influence, and the number of positive mandatory drug tests is higher than target.
Staffing
The prison is struggling to recruit to the role of Custodial Manager on a substantive basis and has had to fill current vacancies through temporary promotion.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The staffing situation remains fragile despite the headcount being in line with the official benchmark, often leading to reduced regimes and less key working. A high percentage of staff (43%) have fewer than two years' service, posing challenges, and temporary promotions further reduce available staff. The Board is concerned that proposed Home Office visa changes could adversely affect recruitment and retention of staff. The prison is also struggling to recruit substantive Custodial Managers.
Healthcare
Healthcare concerns, including access to physical healthcare, mental health, and medication, remain the highest category of IMB applications. While waits for specialist mental health units have improved, they are still often longer than national guidance, and there is a lack of specialist support for general mental health issues. Access to ADHD medication is a problem for some prisoners, and the first-floor healthcare department limits access for disabled prisoners.
Regime & Daily Life
The daily regime is inconsistent due to variable staffing levels and additional demands, leading to reduced activities and longer cell time on some days. While there was only one full day of cancelled regime, parts of it were often reduced. Purposeful activity has increased, with improved education attendance. However, some prisoners on the 'stable' G wing report impacts to their regime due to staff reallocations.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Discrimination | 9 | 9 | — |
| Facilities (e.g. laundry, showers, visits) | 5 | 8 | |
| Food | 6 | 7 | |
| Health related | 81 | 71 | |
| Legal | 10 | 11 | |
| Money / Canteen | 4 | 5 | |
| Other | 18 | 12 | |
| Property | 65 | 54 | |
| Safety (e.g. bullying, threats, ACCT) | 4 | 7 | |
| Sentence calculation / release | 31 | 28 | |
| Staff (attitude/behaviour) | 6 | 10 | |
| Work, education, training | 12 | 15 |
Recommendations (9)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 3
8 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What actions are being taken to reduce the number of prisoners on remand and the time that a prisoner is on remand?
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What are the plans to ensure probation services are sufficiently resourced to successfully reintegrate prisoners back into the community, and to reduce reoffending rates?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What action is the Minister taking to mitigate the impact of the Home Office’s proposed changes to the visa system that is likely to adversely affect the recruitment of new prison officers?
Ministry of Justice
Staffing
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the timescale to deliver a fully funded programme for the agreed improvements to create in-cell sanitation on B wing.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will Launchpad (a digital programme designed to enhance communications by providing prisoners with access to in-cell laptops and a range of digital services) be installed in HMP Bristol, as the IMB believes this will significantly reduce prisoner frustration and free up staff time to deliver an effective regime?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 6
Are there plans to review the lengths of contract given to prison food providers that would allow for more flexibility in securing best value and quality, and thereby better use of the public purse?
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Please can you ensure that the IMB will consistently receive regular information reports and updates to support our monitoring duties?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What are the plans and timeframes to ensure all relevant prisoners are supported through regular key working sessions to develop and progress their plans to rehabilitate and plan for their future whilst in HMP Bristol?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the plan to reduce the ongoing incidences of lost and missing property within the prison?
Governor / Director
Other
Other IMB Reports for Bristol
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
26 Jul 2023
Urgent Notification
10 Jul 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 1
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 2
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.