IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
HMP/YOI Bedford, a Category B reception and resettlement prison, continues to face challenges with overcrowding, high levels of violence, and pervasive illicit item use. While some improvements have been made in reception and living conditions, the healthcare service is under significant strain, evidenced by a CQC warning notice. The Board also highlights concerns regarding staff retention (due to visa issues), a limited education curriculum, and an antiquated paper-based system for property and complaints.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding: The prison remains overcrowded with, in the majority of instances, two men sharing a small cell and toilet, which could be considered inhumane.
- Violence: HMP Bedford is still the third worst among reception prisons for prisoner-on-prisoner violence, and the second highest for assaults on staff.
- Illicit Items: All evidence indicates drugs and other illicit items are commonplace, with 36% of MDTs positive and over 100 unsecure windows facilitating drone incidents and throwovers.
- Healthcare Provision: The healthcare service is questioned as not fit for purpose due to ongoing failures in safe care, treatment delays, staff shortages, and poor record-keeping, as highlighted by a CQC warning notice and high prisoner complaints.
- Purposeful Activity & Education: Only around 40% of prisoners are engaged in purposeful activity, which is below average, and the limited education curriculum (basic English/maths) discourages further engagement.
- Staffing Stability: The Board is concerned that many officers on overseas work visas could be lost due to changes in rules, significantly impacting the regime and stability of the prison.
- Prisoner Property & Applications: An antiquated paper-based system for prisoner property causes significant frustration and missing items, especially during transfers, and the high number of prisoner complaints suggests issues are not dealt with at first contact.
- D-4 Wing Management: Prisoners on D-4 (PCoSOs) face disadvantages including limited access to education and the library, and the wing appears less well managed with a lack of application forms.
- Segregation Unit Design: The glass in the observation panels in the new Care and Segregation Unit (CSU) is breakable, resulting in small shards that can be used as items for self-harm or weapons, and a more appropriate, un-breakable material has not yet been found.
- Violence: HMP Bedford is still the third worst among reception prisons for prisoner-on-prisoner violence, and the second highest for assaults on staff.
- Illicit Items: All evidence indicates drugs and other illicit items are commonplace, with 36% of MDTs positive and over 100 unsecure windows facilitating drone incidents and throwovers.
- Healthcare Provision: The healthcare service is questioned as not fit for purpose due to ongoing failures in safe care, treatment delays, staff shortages, and poor record-keeping, as highlighted by a CQC warning notice and high prisoner complaints.
- Purposeful Activity & Education: Only around 40% of prisoners are engaged in purposeful activity, which is below average, and the limited education curriculum (basic English/maths) discourages further engagement.
- Staffing Stability: The Board is concerned that many officers on overseas work visas could be lost due to changes in rules, significantly impacting the regime and stability of the prison.
- Prisoner Property & Applications: An antiquated paper-based system for prisoner property causes significant frustration and missing items, especially during transfers, and the high number of prisoner complaints suggests issues are not dealt with at first contact.
- D-4 Wing Management: Prisoners on D-4 (PCoSOs) face disadvantages including limited access to education and the library, and the wing appears less well managed with a lack of application forms.
- Segregation Unit Design: The glass in the observation panels in the new Care and Segregation Unit (CSU) is breakable, resulting in small shards that can be used as items for self-harm or weapons, and a more appropriate, un-breakable material has not yet been found.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 484
HMP Bedford, a Category B YOI, continues to face significant challenges including persistent overcrowding and an inconsistent induction process, despite some improvements in wing cleanliness and key worker implementation. The report highlights serious concerns regarding healthcare, characterized by poor communication and a decline in drug rehabilitation services. Security remains an issue with illicit items readily entering the prison, and high levels of assaults on staff, although recent improvements are noted. The Board also raises concerns about the unaddressed needs of its large remand population, the lack of digital infrastructure, and disproportionate adjudications.
Key concerns identified
- The induction process remains inconsistent and limited in its effectiveness, with 38% of prisoners reporting no induction and 35% finding it poor.
- The prison remains overcrowded, with two men sharing small cells and toilet, which the Board considers inhumane, and cells are often in poor condition and not properly cleaned.
- There is a lack of effective communication from healthcare to prisoners, leading to frustration, missed appointments, and a perception by 75% of prisoners that the service is poor and slow.
- Group and individual drug rehabilitation work is no longer carried out, leading to a deterioration in this service.
- It appears easy for drugs and other illicit items to enter the prison, with at least one find reported every day on average.
- Prisoners still spend too much time locked in their cells, with around half spending over 20 hours per day in their cell.
- The relocation of the segregation unit (CSU) was significantly delayed (18 months) and beset by design and construction flaws.
- There is a disproportionate representation of Black, Asian, other ethnic minority prisoners, and those from the Traveller community in adjudications.
- There has been no progress in the provision of digital kiosks, and the paper-based property system remains unfit for purpose.
- HMP Bedford’s strategy for remand prisoners has not been implemented, despite its positive elements.
- Violence towards staff has been very high for most of the reporting year, although it has improved in recent months.
- The education curriculum is contracting, with an insistence on providing maths and English at the expense of music and art, which may not suit the elective nature of a remand prison.
- Only three of the five workshops are able to provide activities, limiting vocational training and work opportunities.
- There is a concerning lack of access for the IMB to healthcare managers.
- The prison remains overcrowded, with two men sharing small cells and toilet, which the Board considers inhumane, and cells are often in poor condition and not properly cleaned.
- There is a lack of effective communication from healthcare to prisoners, leading to frustration, missed appointments, and a perception by 75% of prisoners that the service is poor and slow.
- Group and individual drug rehabilitation work is no longer carried out, leading to a deterioration in this service.
- It appears easy for drugs and other illicit items to enter the prison, with at least one find reported every day on average.
- Prisoners still spend too much time locked in their cells, with around half spending over 20 hours per day in their cell.
- The relocation of the segregation unit (CSU) was significantly delayed (18 months) and beset by design and construction flaws.
- There is a disproportionate representation of Black, Asian, other ethnic minority prisoners, and those from the Traveller community in adjudications.
- There has been no progress in the provision of digital kiosks, and the paper-based property system remains unfit for purpose.
- HMP Bedford’s strategy for remand prisoners has not been implemented, despite its positive elements.
- Violence towards staff has been very high for most of the reporting year, although it has improved in recent months.
- The education curriculum is contracting, with an insistence on providing maths and English at the expense of music and art, which may not suit the elective nature of a remand prison.
- Only three of the five workshops are able to provide activities, limiting vocational training and work opportunities.
- There is a concerning lack of access for the IMB to healthcare managers.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Bedford, a Category B reception and resettlement prison, continues to face significant challenges, particularly high levels of violence and self-harm, overcrowding, and an inconsistent regime with prisoners spending excessive time locked in cells. While education and family visits have seen improvements, the mental health team remains under-resourced, and staffing issues impede purposeful activity and the full implementation of the key worker scheme. The IMB raises concerns about the dilapidated infrastructure, poor property management, and calls for HMPPS and the Governor to address these long-standing issues.
Key concerns identified
- Persistently high levels of self-harm and violence, particularly assaults on staff and incidents involving young adults.
- Severe overcrowding, with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one, coupled with ancient, dilapidated infrastructure, vermin infestations, and frequent plumbing failures.
- Prisoners spend excessive amounts of time locked in their cells (over 20 hours daily), detrimentally affecting mental health, and contributing to violence and self-harm.
- The mental health team operates with very limited resources, group activities are absent, and a vital mental health steering group has become inactive, leading to poor prisoner satisfaction.
- The key worker scheme has not been fully reintroduced, and the induction process for new prisoners remains inconsistent.
- Significant ongoing problems with inter-prison property transfers, stemming from a lack of clear protocols and an unfit card-based system.
- Limited provision of purposeful activity, with workshops often inoperative and the gym frequently closed due to staffing shortages.
- Severe overcrowding, with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one, coupled with ancient, dilapidated infrastructure, vermin infestations, and frequent plumbing failures.
- Prisoners spend excessive amounts of time locked in their cells (over 20 hours daily), detrimentally affecting mental health, and contributing to violence and self-harm.
- The mental health team operates with very limited resources, group activities are absent, and a vital mental health steering group has become inactive, leading to poor prisoner satisfaction.
- The key worker scheme has not been fully reintroduced, and the induction process for new prisoners remains inconsistent.
- Significant ongoing problems with inter-prison property transfers, stemming from a lack of clear protocols and an unfit card-based system.
- Limited provision of purposeful activity, with workshops often inoperative and the gym frequently closed due to staffing shortages.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 367
Assaults: 146
Staff assaults: 184
HMP/YOI Bedford faced significant challenges during the reporting year, operating under "restrict" regimes due to COVID-19 and staff shortages, leading to widespread cell confinement. While positive steps were made in safety initiatives, particularly with a new young adults' wing and improved ACCT processes, the prison continues to struggle with high levels of self-harm and violence. Mental health services are critically under-resourced and inadequate, further exacerbated by persistent overcrowding and delays in relocating the inhumane segregation unit.
Key concerns identified
- Poor and under-resourced mental health services, particularly for severe cases requiring transfer.
- Lack of evaluation and fundamental flaws in the ACCT process.
- Persistent overcrowding and inadequate facilities for disabled prisoners.
- High levels of violence and difficulties in managing violent prisoners, especially remandees.
- The inhumane conditions and delayed relocation of the underground segregation unit, coupled with instances of improper segregation procedures.
- Limited regime, poor staff-prisoner relationships, and a failing complaints system due to staff shortages and lack of key worker scheme implementation.
- Lack of evaluation and fundamental flaws in the ACCT process.
- Persistent overcrowding and inadequate facilities for disabled prisoners.
- High levels of violence and difficulties in managing violent prisoners, especially remandees.
- The inhumane conditions and delayed relocation of the underground segregation unit, coupled with instances of improper segregation procedures.
- Limited regime, poor staff-prisoner relationships, and a failing complaints system due to staff shortages and lack of key worker scheme implementation.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 138
HMP Bedford operated under severe Covid-19 restrictions, largely maintaining safety against the virus. However, the prison continues to face significant challenges with unacceptably high violence levels, exacerbated by overcrowding and prolonged cell confinement. While healthcare provision was generally good, mental health services remained a concern, and resettlement planning was ineffective. Staffing issues, including an inexperienced workforce, also impacted overall performance during this challenging period.
Key concerns identified
- Unacceptably high levels of violence (prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults) and repeated failures in ACCT processes linked to deaths in custody.
- Severe overcrowding and prolonged periods of cell confinement (up to 23.5 hours/day) exacerbated by an antiquated infrastructure, leading to dehumanising conditions.
- Persistent concerns about the effectiveness of mental health services and issues with medication dispensing and missed healthcare appointments.
- Significant staffing challenges, including high turnover, a predominantly inexperienced workforce, and the non-operational key worker scheme.
- Ineffective resettlement planning due to lack of face-to-face work and problems with property management and new accommodation contracts.
- The deeply unsatisfactory conditions of the subterranean Care and Separation Unit (CSU) and its delayed relocation.
- Severe overcrowding and prolonged periods of cell confinement (up to 23.5 hours/day) exacerbated by an antiquated infrastructure, leading to dehumanising conditions.
- Persistent concerns about the effectiveness of mental health services and issues with medication dispensing and missed healthcare appointments.
- Significant staffing challenges, including high turnover, a predominantly inexperienced workforce, and the non-operational key worker scheme.
- Ineffective resettlement planning due to lack of face-to-face work and problems with property management and new accommodation contracts.
- The deeply unsatisfactory conditions of the subterranean Care and Separation Unit (CSU) and its delayed relocation.
Bedford
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 198
Staff assaults: 184
Conditions at HMP/YOI Bedford generally improved over the reporting year, with commendations for the Governor's leadership, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. While prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and self-harm incidents reduced, staff assaults and use of force remained worryingly high. Significant concerns persist regarding the ACCT process, the physical state of the segregation unit, and the high number of prisoners released without stable accommodation. Healthcare was satisfactory, but the mental health team's working practices require review, and issues with the Victorian estate infrastructure and the perceived unfairness of the IEP scheme need addressing.
Key concerns identified
- High prisoner-on-staff assaults and use of force incidents remain a problem.
- The ACCT process is conceptually flawed, procedurally weak, and not considered 'fit for purpose'.
- Persistent issue of prisoners being released with no fixed accommodation.
- The mental health team's focus on assessments over wider group work and collaboration.
- Unfit physical conditions and limited activity opportunities for prisoners in the Segregation Unit.
- Slow and inconsistent repairs to the Victorian estate infrastructure, indicating a lack of corporate commitment to maintenance.
- Inconsistent application and perceived unfairness of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme.
- The ACCT process is conceptually flawed, procedurally weak, and not considered 'fit for purpose'.
- Persistent issue of prisoners being released with no fixed accommodation.
- The mental health team's focus on assessments over wider group work and collaboration.
- Unfit physical conditions and limited activity opportunities for prisoners in the Segregation Unit.
- Slow and inconsistent repairs to the Victorian estate infrastructure, indicating a lack of corporate commitment to maintenance.
- Inconsistent application and perceived unfairness of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme.