Prison
Cat local/resettlement Category B
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Bullingdon
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 26 November 2025
HMP Bullingdon continues to grapple with significant challenges including chronic overcrowding, high levels of violence, and critical staff shortages impacting the regime and rehabilitation efforts. Healthcare provision has deteriorated with long waiting times, while positive initiatives like the Launchpad system and a new departure lounge have improved certain aspects of prisoner experience. The IMB raises several recommendations to the Minister, Prison Service, and Governor to address these fundamental issues, many of which were repeated from the previous year.
Positive Findings
The prison introduced a new reception and induction process that has improved the prisoner experience on arrival. The Launchpad laptop project has significantly enhanced prisoner access to essential services and communication, including menu choices and visit planning. Decency teams for cell repairs and the refurbishment of the prison gym have been welcomed. Additionally, the Here to Help (H2H) scheme provides valuable peer support to prisoners, and the departure lounge offers practical assistance to those being released. Bullingdon also performed well in its comparator group for employment rates post-release.
Key Concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
the high turnover of prisoners, with large numbers on remand, makes it difficult for staff to work towards the rehabilitation and progression of prisoners rather than simply detaining them.
Overcrowding
Repeated
the overcrowding of the prison, with a significant number of prisoners sharing cells designed for single occupancy
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
men at risk of being homeless upon their release from Bullingdon
Staffing
Repeated
the ongoing shortage and high turnover of staff, which has an impact on almost every aspect of the prison
Safety
Repeated
the prison continues to be a violent and unsafe environment for prisoners and staff (for example, there are some significant areas of the prison which remain uncovered by CCTV systems, and the use of illegal drone activity is increasing)
Healthcare
the continuing issues in healthcare services, such as staff shortages, waiting times for appointments and medication delivery
Education/Purposeful Activity
Low attendance at education classes presents a continuing challenge.
Equality/Diversity
recording the language needs of foreign national prisoners is inconsistent and the level of interpreting/translation support is uneven.
Estate/Conditions
much of the prison shows signs of dilapidation, including the main accommodation blocks.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
how will the levels of key working be improved to meet the targets set?
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Bullingdon continues to face significant challenges with staff shortages and a high proportion of inexperienced officers, with only 173 available officers against a target of 216. At the end of the reporting year, 69 Band 3 officers were within their first year of probation, making it difficult for senior staff to provide mentorship. These staffing issues severely impact various aspects of the prison regime, including the delivery of key worker sessions and access to activities. Despite these pressures, staff generally demonstrate a caring and supportive approach to prisoners.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision has deteriorated, marked by longer wait times for GP and mental health appointments and late medication delivery. Staffing shortages are persistent, with only 66% of registered nurses and healthcare assistants in post, leading to a reliance on agency staff and interrupted continuity of care. Healthcare applications to the IMB were the largest source of prisoner complaints, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction. The inpatient unit also remains untidy and dirty, with little sign of improvement throughout the year.
Regime & Daily Life
The daily regime is significantly constrained by staff availability, frequently restricting access to gym facilities and meaningful activities in workshops. Prisoners not engaged in work or education typically spend only about three hours out of their cells per day. While key worker sessions are allocated, staffing issues severely impact their completion, with less than half of allocated sessions being delivered. The refurbishment of the prison gym has been positively received, offering an improved facility when accessible.
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 laundry, clothing, ablutions | 34 | 42 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 10 | 22 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 2 | 18 | |
| Equality | 6 | 8 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 10 | 13 | |
| Food and kitchens | 24 | 51 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 92 | 103 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 52 | 52 | — |
| Miscellaneous | 97 | 79 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 13 | 37 | |
| Property within the establishment | 63 | 49 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 15 | 28 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 31 | 33 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 38 | 80 | |
| Transfers | 6 | 18 |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
how will the Minister address this issue to ensure prisoners are properly rehabilitated?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
By reducing time standards from 50% to 40%. A 10-year prison capacity strategy to provide more spaces. Launch of an independent sentencing review
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
how will the Minister address the overcrowding of the prison, with a significant number of prisoners sharing cells designed for single occupancy?
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Response
By reducing time standards from 50% to 40%. A 10-year prison capacity strategy to provide more spaces. Launch of an independent sentencing review
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
how will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless upon their release from Bullingdon?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
Implementation of strategic housing specialist bodies.
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
how does the Prison Service plan to address these staffing issues?
HMPPS
Staffing
Response
HMPPS and Ministry of Justice resourcing have put in place a number of initiatives. Prison officers have been recruited through two national schemes.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What more can the Prison Service do to address this issue to ensure every prisoner is safe?
HMPPS
Safety
Response
Range of physical security measure to reduce harm including the smuggling of contraband. HMPPS is committed to removing wet shave razors which can be used as weapons.
Recommendation 6
How will the Prison Service resolve these matters with the outsourced providers?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 7
how will the levels of prisoner attendance at education be increased?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 8
how will the levels of key working be improved to meet the targets set?
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Bullingdon
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.