Prison
Cat IRC
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Derwentside
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 18 July 2025
The IMB report for Derwentside IRC highlights a generally safe environment and positive staff interactions despite significant staff churn and the planned re-roling of the centre. However, key concerns persist regarding the centre's remote location and poor communications infrastructure, contributing to inhumane treatment via long, disruptive journeys for detainees. While healthcare provision is praised, unacceptably long waits for Rule 35(3) assessments and reduced activity provision for wellbeing remain critical issues, alongside ongoing dissatisfaction with food and the lack of a detention time limit.
Positive Findings
Derwentside provided a generally safe environment in 2024, with welcoming reception staff and well-managed suicide and self-harm prevention processes. Interactions between staff and detained women were often positive and empathetic, with many women valuing the support received. Healthcare, provided by Practice Plus Group, was generally good and woman-focused, with fully staffed mental healthcare teams. The opening of a cultural kitchen in December 2024 was positively welcomed, and the IMB notes a culture of professionalism and respect among staff despite challenges.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Derwentside is a controversial establishment, partly because it detains women in a remote location, far from the largest UK cities and its principal airports, and partly because of the history of the previous establishment on the site.
Mental Health
Repeated
A high proportion of the detained women are considered to be ‘adults at risk’, with mental health illnesses a common occurrence. Some extremely vulnerable women remain in detention for long periods, even after their release has been authorised, while arrangements are made for post-release accommodation and/or support.
Healthcare
Repeated
There have also been many instances of detention being maintained after a Rule 35 (3) report, in which a medical practitioner has attested to concerns that the woman may have been the victim of torture.
Safety
Repeated
In 2024, we continued to observe that women were subjected to long and frequent journeys, often at night, and generally with a disruptive overnight stop at Manchester Residential Short-Term Holding Facility (RSTHF) on the way.
Food/Catering
Repeated
the quality of the food was a source of frequent dissatisfaction and comment among the women.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board, again, highlights deficiencies in the availability and use of translation services, which can help relieve feelings of isolation for women whose first language is not English.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
We do not consider it is either fair or humane to detain people for indefinite periods of time.
Healthcare
We consider the waiting times for R35(3) assessments with a GP, where there were indications that the detained woman may have been a victim of torture, became unacceptably long towards the end of the year.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The provision of activities that can help to support health and wellbeing, such as arts and crafts and gardening, has reduced. We regard this as insufficient provision, particularly for those women with anxiety and mental health issues.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There has been no progress on improving the mobile phone reception or providing Wi-Fi calling (which allows phone calls to be made and text messages to be sent over wireless internet networks rather than via a mobile signal), which was referred to in the Home Office’s action plan in response to our 2022 report as ‘a priority piece of work’. Difficulties for visiting families are largely due to the centre’s location.
Staffing
The staff group at Derwentside has experienced considerable churn over the year. A number of factors have contributed to this, including organisational changes, negotiations regarding pay and conditions and the uncertain future created by the announcement that the centre would become a facility for detained men.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
Disappointingly, we have rarely seen the use of tablets with translation software. We regularly ask to use the tablets, but they have often not been able to be located or are not charged. At the time of writing, Serco have recently increased the number of tablets available across the centre, with eleven devices for staff to use. We see this as a positive development to improve inclusion, although there will need to be a cultural shift to ensure they are used by staff for routine interactions.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The staff group at Derwentside experienced considerable churn during the year, influenced by organisational changes, pay negotiations, and the uncertain future of the centre's re-roling for men. Despite these challenges, the Board generally observed a culture of professionalism and respect, with many instances of staff going beyond expectations in showing kindness and support to women. However, a few instances of staff conduct falling below expected standards were reported to management.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Practice Plus Group, were generally good and woman-focused in 2024, with integrated physical and mental healthcare teams offering a seven-day service. Detained women consistently provided positive feedback about the care received. A significant concern emerged with waiting times for Rule 35(3) assessments for potential torture victims, which rose to an unacceptably long 21 days by year-end, attributed to increased demand without a proportional increase in GP sessions. The mental healthcare team is fully staffed, dedicated, and empathetic, and a new liaison role was created to advocate for post-release support.
Regime & Daily Life
The accommodation remains in good condition, clean, and with good access to natural light and outdoor space. However, the quality of food was a frequent source of dissatisfaction regarding variety, consistency, and portion sizes, although a new catering manager and cultural kitchen opened in December offer potential improvements. The provision of health and wellbeing activities, such as arts and crafts and gardening, has reduced, which the Board regards as insufficient, especially for women with anxiety and mental health issues. Women have free access to most parts of the site during the day, with popular activities including the library, knitting, bingo, and evening gym use.
Recommendations (12)
Other: 2
Home Office: 6
Governor / Director: 3
NHS / Healthcare Provider: 1
10 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
In the light of the issues and inequalities we have highlighted in this report, to reconsider the suitability of Derwentside as an IRC
Other
(minister)
Estate
Response
Not accepted. Recommendation repeated for 2024.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To introduce a time limit for immigration detention
Other
(minister)
Regime
Response
Not accepted. Recommendation repeated for 2024.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To the detention gatekeeper: not to detain women with current, or a history of, serious mental health issues
Home Office
Mental Health
Response
Not accepted. Recommendation repeated for 2024.
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To continue to improve pathways with local authorities and other external agencies, including probation, to enable prompt access to housing, social support and other services, which are required to be put in place before vulnerable women leave detention.
Home Office
Resettlement
Response
Partially accepted. Delays in securing release accommodation still being experienced by vulnerable women.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To improve the communications infrastructure for Derwentside
Home Office
Estate
Response
Accepted. No progress.
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To increase the hourly rate for paid work for detained women
Home Office
Purposeful Activity
Response
Not accepted. Recommendation repeated for 2024.
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To continue to work with the escorting contractor to further reduce the incidence of night-time moves in and out of Derwentside, including the provision of a vehicle base.
Home Office
Safety
Response
Partially accepted. We have seen some reduction in night-time moves in 2024, but work has not begun on the promised vehicle base.
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To reduce the number of moves experienced by detained women around the detention estate and to ensure that all women understand where they are being moved to, and why.
Home Office
Safety
Response
Partially accepted. We continue to observe many women arriving at Derwentside dazed and disoriented, often after a series of moves around the country.
Recommendation 9
To increase the range of activities for women, with a view to better supporting those with anxiety or mental health issues.
Governor / Director
Purposeful Activity
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To increase the use of translation computer tablets for routine interactions with women whose first language is not English.
Governor / Director
Equality
Response
Accepted. The introduction of multi-lingual kiosks is a positive, if limited, step forward. Concerns remain around the use of translation tablets.
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To ensure that the processes of identifying and catering for food allergies are completely failsafe.
Governor / Director
Food
Response
Accepted. Concerns remain, due to the food allergens on the multi-lingual kiosks being only in English.
Recommendation 12
To take steps to reduce waiting times for R35(3) assessments.
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare