Prison
Cat B, local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Bullingdon
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 9 January 2025
HMP Bullingdon, a local Category B prison, faces persistent challenges including chronic overcrowding, high prisoner turnover, and significant staff shortages impacting safety and regime delivery. Violence and self-harm remain high, and a substantial number of prisoners are released homeless. While healthcare provision is generally good and peer support schemes are positive, dilapidated facilities, food quality issues, and reduced key working sessions are ongoing concerns for the Board.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomes the growth of the Here to Help (H2H) peer support pilot scheme, which is now a very useful service respected by both prisoners and staff. The creation of two 'decency teams' to repair minor cell problems is also a positive development. Healthcare provision is generally good, and the patient liaison team was introduced this year to support prisoners. Bullingdon performed well in employment post-release, ranking third in its comparator group.
Key Concerns
Overcrowding
Repeated
Chronic overcrowding and a high turnover of prisoners make it difficult for staff to work towards the rehabilitation and progression of offenders, rather than simply detaining them.
Resettlement/Release
How will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless on their release from Bullingdon?
Staffing
Repeated
The Board is seriously concerned about the continuing shortage and high turnover of staff, which has a negative impact on almost every aspect of the prison.
Safety
Repeated
The prison continues to be a violent and unsafe environment for both prisoners and staff.
Staffing
The high proportion of inexperienced staff and the complex challenges that they face make it difficult for them to work towards the rehabilitation and progression of offenders, rather than simply detaining them.
Overcrowding
Many cells designed for single occupancy are occupied by two prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Much of the prison shows signs of dilapidation, including the main accommodation blocks.
Food/Catering
There have been issues with the quality and quantity of food during the year.
Other
A great deal of property belonging to prisoners continues to go missing, both during transfers between establishments and within the prison.
Resettlement/Release
A large number of prisoners are released homeless and are recalled to prison within a short period of time.
Safety
Levels of self-harm remain high.
Substance Misuse
The number of Illicit items (including drugs and mobile phones) entering the prison remains high.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
What steps will the Governor take to address the significant decrease in key working?
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Bullingdon continues to face chronic staff shortages and a high turnover of personnel, particularly with a significant proportion of inexperienced officers. As of June 2024, 130 out of 217 officers were in their probationary year, making it difficult for experienced staff to mentor junior colleagues and impacting the daily regime and prisoner support. Many staff are working under significant pressure, and key working sessions have been severely affected by these shortages.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are generally good but are strained by staff shortages within the healthcare team and among operational staff, which can impede escorts to appointments. Elderly prisoners requiring social care are often housed in the inpatient unit due to a lack of accessible facilities in the main residential wings. The patient liaison team was introduced to visit wings weekly and signpost prisoners to appropriate help.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison's regime is often limited, especially in the healthcare inpatient unit, leading to long periods of cell confinement. Dilapidation is evident across the prison, with many cells designed for single occupancy housing two prisoners. Issues persist with the quality and quantity of food, though management is addressing this. Purposeful activity is challenging to access, with significant delays in filling work and education spaces, and short-stay prisoners often unable to progress in jobs or complete qualifications.
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 and ablutions | 42 | 29 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 22 | 20 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 18 | 5 | |
| Equality | 8 | 14 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 13 | 22 | |
| Food and kitchens | 51 | 24 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 103 | 129 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 52 | 80 | |
| Miscellaneous | 79 | 49 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 37 | 29 | |
| Property within the establishment | 49 | 52 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 28 | 8 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation | 33 | 69 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 80 | 105 | |
| Transfers | 18 | 19 |
Recommendations (7)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Chronic overcrowding and a high turnover of prisoners make it difficult for staff to work towards the rehabilitation and progression of offenders, rather than simply detaining them. How will the Minister address this fundamental challenge?
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Response
In the short term, we are responding to overcrowding by seeking to make use of all available space across the prison estate. In the long term, we are building more prison spaces.
Recommendation 2
How will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless on their release from Bullingdon?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board is seriously concerned about the continuing shortage and high turnover of staff, which has a negative impact on almost every aspect of the prison. How does the Prison Service plan to improve the retention of experienced staff and support and mentoring for new and recent recruits?
HMPPS
Staffing
Response
A national training toolkit is available for use at local level. Training and staff development is being provided locally.
Recommendation 4
The prison continues to be a violent and unsafe environment for both prisoners and staff. What more can the Prison Service do to address this issue?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 5
The high proportion of inexperienced staff and the complex challenges that they face make it difficult for them to work towards the rehabilitation and progression of offenders, rather than simply detaining them. How will the Prison Service help its staff to address this fundamental challenge?
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 6
When will defective equipment in the prison kitchen and on serveries be replaced or repaired?
Governor / Director
Food
Recommendation 7
What steps will the Governor take to address the significant decrease in key working?
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Bullingdon
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.