IMB Annual Reports

- The centre is less safe than previous years, with increasing fights, assaults on staff, frequent lockdowns, and a rise in throwovers, illicit drugs, vapes, and phones.
- People who are mentally unfit for detention are still assessed and approved for detention, exacerbated by Operation Safeguard bringing more Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) who contribute to increased violence.
- Failings of the Detention Engagement Team (DET) to engage effectively contribute to frustration and powerlessness, potentially leading to self-harm incidents.
- The dilapidated infrastructure, frequent loss of services (power, gas, water, communications), and lack of significant investment severely test the fairness and humanity of treatment.
- Concerns about the variety, quantity, and quality of food on offer, impacting physical and mental well-being, as well as safety and security.
- The Care and Separation Unit (CSU) is being misused, including for facilitating removal directions days in advance of cancelled flights, housing individuals who refuse to share rooms, and for mentally ill detained people, contrary to Detention Centre Rules.
- Complaints regarding contracted services are not believed to be properly investigated, leading to a lack of trust in the system, with 77% of complaints unsubstantiated.
- Staff shortages and lack of escorts result in cancelled hospital appointments and worse health outcomes for detainees.
- Too many detained people are held for unacceptably long periods without the prospect of imminent removal, including those held for over 200 days.
- Delays in finding suitable accommodation for those granted bail, particularly for time-served foreign national offenders (TSFNOs), due to inconsistent communication between Home Office, Probation, and local authorities.
- Significant increase in throwovers (44 in 2023 vs zero in 2022) containing drugs and contraband, indicating a breach in security.
- Lack of progress on crucial investment in infrastructure, especially heating and ventilation systems, despite previous recommendations and a delayed new contract.
- Rule 35 reports are not responded to within the mandated two working days, causing Adults at Risk to remain detained when they should be released.
- Prolonged detention of mentally ill individuals in the CSU, contrary to rules, exacerbates anxiety and poor mental health, with no appropriate alternative mental health pathway.

- The arrival and management of South Coast Arrivals in the Short-Term Holding Facility area severely compromised safety due to overcrowding and truncated health assessments.
- People who are mentally unfit for detention continue to be assessed and approved by the Home Office Gate Keeper for detention, with failings of the Detention Engagement Team contributing to self-harm incidents.
- The dilapidated infrastructure frequently experienced loss of services (power, gas, water, communications), culminating in a 42-hour power and water outage and site evacuation.
- Concerns persist regarding the variety, quantity, and quality of food, impacting detainee wellbeing and Centre safety.
- The Care and Separation Unit was inappropriately used for removal directions and for detainees refusing to share rooms.
- The lack of effective Detention Engagement Team (DET) engagement with residents throughout the year led to frustration and incidents of indiscipline.
- There is significant distrust in the official complaints process, with 85% of Contractor-related complaints being ruled unsubstantiated.
- Too many detainees are held for unacceptably long periods without a prospect of imminent removal, with the longest stayer held for 1,177 days.
- Persistent delays in finding suitable bail accommodation, particularly for time-served foreign national offenders (TSFNOs), combined with poor communication about bail status.

- The arrival and management of South Coast Arrivals (SCAs) in the Short-term Holding Facility (STHF) areas severely compromised safety, leading to overcrowding, truncated health assessments, and the inhumane use of the domestic visits hall as a makeshift dormitory.
- Detainees with severe mental health issues continue to be held in the IRC, which is deemed an inappropriate environment for their needs. Failings of the Detention Engagement Team (DET) to engage effectively with detainees contributed to frustration and self-harm incidents.
- A significant number of detainees, including those on the Adults at Risk (AAR) register (level 3) and Time Served Foreign National Offenders (TSFNOs), are held for unacceptably prolonged periods without an imminent prospect of removal or suitable bail accommodation being secured.
- The ongoing lack of face-to-face contact and systematic tracking of engagement by DET officers is unfair and a major concern.
- The repeated use of the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) to manage vulnerable detainees with mental health issues for prolonged periods is inappropriate and unfair.
- Persistent issues with the heating, ventilation, and the reliability of the core lift in Harmondsworth site require major capital investment from the Home Office.
- Complaints about the range, quality, and presentation (lack of photos) of food, particularly from the Albanian population, remain a concern, indicating difficulty in catering to diverse dietary preferences.

- The detention of people with severe mental health illnesses, and the impact that being in a custodial environment has on them.
- Illegal substances are present in the Centre.
- Delays in Police response to incidents within the Centre lead to unnecessarily long periods of isolation and can lead to further anxiety and disruptive behaviour.
- The removal of face to face engagement by the Detainee Engagement Team (DET) necessitates the sharing of sensitive and difficult information over the telephone, leading to distress and anxiety.
- Shortcomings with the detention gatekeeping process, leading to detainees with serious mental health issues still arriving in the Centre.
- Ongoing heating and ventilation failures on both sites impact negatively on detainees’ overall wellbeing.
- Too many detainees are held for unacceptably long periods with no prospect of removal.
- Limited availability of formal guidance or information for detainees prior to removal, particularly where they are being sent to another country.
- The challenge of finding appropriate accommodation for certain ex-detainees has sometimes resulted in bail lapsing and lengthened detention.