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.
North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1
Assaults: 0
Staff assaults: 1
The IMB report for North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHFs highlights generally positive staff-detainee interactions and a relaxed atmosphere at Swinderby RSTHF, but raises significant concerns across the wider STHF estate. Key issues include inadequate risk identification processes, the inhumane policy of confiscating medication, and the unsuitability of several holding facilities. The Board's ability to monitor effectively is severely hampered by restricted access to records and persistent unresponsiveness from the Home Office regarding critical concerns, including medical confidentiality breaches and emergency response failures.
Key concerns identified
- Inadequate reception interviews for risk identification and lack of privacy at Swinderby RSTHF.
- Ongoing concerns regarding Home Office policy preventing detainees from taking their own medication for pre-existing conditions.
- Unsuitable physical conditions and routine use of handcuffing at some port and reporting centre STHFs (e.g., Leeds Bradford, Hull, Sheffield Vulcan House).
- Significant restrictions on the IMB's access to STHF records, compromising effective and independent monitoring.
- A serious breach of medical confidentiality and shortcomings in emergency healthcare response following an attempted suicide at Swinderby.
- The Home Office's consistent failure to respond promptly and adequately to IMB concerns and escalations.
- Ongoing concerns regarding Home Office policy preventing detainees from taking their own medication for pre-existing conditions.
- Unsuitable physical conditions and routine use of handcuffing at some port and reporting centre STHFs (e.g., Leeds Bradford, Hull, Sheffield Vulcan House).
- Significant restrictions on the IMB's access to STHF records, compromising effective and independent monitoring.
- A serious breach of medical confidentiality and shortcomings in emergency healthcare response following an attempted suicide at Swinderby.
- The Home Office's consistent failure to respond promptly and adequately to IMB concerns and escalations.
Leeds
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Leeds, a local reception prison with an operational capacity of 1110, reported 8 deaths in custody during 2024, six of which were self-inflicted. Overcrowding, persistent staff shortages leading to regime curtailments, and significant delays in transferring prisoners with severe mental health issues were key concerns. Despite these challenges, the Board highlighted positive staff-prisoner relationships, efforts in drug rehabilitation, purposeful activity, and initiatives to maintain family contact.
Key concerns identified
- The large number of self-inflicted deaths in custody continues to be a critical concern.
- ACCT document checks on prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide may not have been accurately logged.
- Prisoners continue to share cramped cells, often with recurrent toilet defects, and experience extreme temperatures.
- Lack of clarity and progress for IPP prisoners remains a concern despite a fall in numbers.
- The large number of prisoners with severe mental health issues are not prioritised for transfer to appropriate facilities.
- The presence of illicit substances is a major concern, exacerbated by failed drug testing equipment and resulting regime curtailments due to staff shortages.
- Overcrowding creates pressure across all prison areas, impacting accommodation and resettlement outcomes for released prisoners.
- ACCT document checks on prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide may not have been accurately logged.
- Prisoners continue to share cramped cells, often with recurrent toilet defects, and experience extreme temperatures.
- Lack of clarity and progress for IPP prisoners remains a concern despite a fall in numbers.
- The large number of prisoners with severe mental health issues are not prioritised for transfer to appropriate facilities.
- The presence of illicit substances is a major concern, exacerbated by failed drug testing equipment and resulting regime curtailments due to staff shortages.
- Overcrowding creates pressure across all prison areas, impacting accommodation and resettlement outcomes for released prisoners.
Leeds
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Leeds, a Category B local prison, faced significant challenges in 2023, particularly regarding overcrowding, which impacted shared cell conditions, and a concerning number of deaths in custody. The Board highlighted persistent issues with mental health provision, including transfer delays and a lack of secure beds, alongside ongoing concerns for IPP prisoners' progress and wellbeing. Staffing shortages and inexperience also posed challenges, affecting prisoner reception and key worker continuity, although efforts to improve training and staff-prisoner relationships in specific units were noted.
Key concerns identified
- The high number of deaths in custody, designating HMP Leeds a ‘cluster’ site.
- Persistent overcrowding, leading to undignified shared cells with inadequate ventilation, temperature control, and privacy, a concern highlighted for many years.
- Lack of clarity and progress for IPP prisoners, resulting in feelings of hopelessness and negative impacts on their mental health, a repeated concern.
- Significant delays and insufficient suitable places for mental health transfers, with the gatekeeping process often exceeding 14 days.
- Illicit drugs continue to be a concern within the prison.
- Staffing issues, including new staff lacking experience, some using inappropriate language, and the OMU being under-complement, affect prisoner support and management.
- Persistent overcrowding, leading to undignified shared cells with inadequate ventilation, temperature control, and privacy, a concern highlighted for many years.
- Lack of clarity and progress for IPP prisoners, resulting in feelings of hopelessness and negative impacts on their mental health, a repeated concern.
- Significant delays and insufficient suitable places for mental health transfers, with the gatekeeping process often exceeding 14 days.
- Illicit drugs continue to be a concern within the prison.
- Staffing issues, including new staff lacking experience, some using inappropriate language, and the OMU being under-complement, affect prisoner support and management.
North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 0
Assaults: 1
Staff assaults: 0
The IMB report for North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHFs highlights varied conditions across the region's facilities, with particular focus on Swinderby RSTHF. While Swinderby benefits from positive staff-detainee relations and improved facilities, significant concerns persist regarding physical safety during building works, inadequate risk identification processes, and non-compliance with safer detention guidelines. Across all STHFs, the Board criticizes the policy on detainee medication, the unsuitability of some holding rooms, and restricted IMB access to essential documentation.
Key concerns identified
- Significant concerns about physical safety and fire risks at Swinderby RSTHF, exacerbated by the decision to keep the centre open during extensive floor works and the associated suspension of critical safety measures and internet access.
- Inadequate reception interview processes at Swinderby RSTHF, which compromise the identification of vulnerable detainees, including those at risk of self-harm, torture, modern slavery, or sexual abuse.
- Systemic failure to implement Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork (ACDT) requirements locally at Swinderby, potentially leading to under-identification of individuals at risk of suicide or self-harm.
- The inhumane and dangerous Home Office policy preventing detainees from accessing their prescribed medication across STHFs.
- Persistent unsuitability of certain holding rooms (e.g., Leeds Bradford Airport, Port of Hull) for immigration detention, leading to concerns about extended detentions and the lack of hot food provision.
- Restrictions on the IMB's access to full port case files, preventing adequate discharge of monitoring duties and compromising oversight of detainee welfare.
- Inadequate reception interview processes at Swinderby RSTHF, which compromise the identification of vulnerable detainees, including those at risk of self-harm, torture, modern slavery, or sexual abuse.
- Systemic failure to implement Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork (ACDT) requirements locally at Swinderby, potentially leading to under-identification of individuals at risk of suicide or self-harm.
- The inhumane and dangerous Home Office policy preventing detainees from accessing their prescribed medication across STHFs.
- Persistent unsuitability of certain holding rooms (e.g., Leeds Bradford Airport, Port of Hull) for immigration detention, leading to concerns about extended detentions and the lack of hot food provision.
- Restrictions on the IMB's access to full port case files, preventing adequate discharge of monitoring duties and compromising oversight of detainee welfare.
Leeds
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 547
Assaults: 177
Staff assaults: 101
The IMB report for HMP Leeds covering 2021-2022 found the prison to be generally safe, although expressing concern over 24 deaths in custody and incidents of unsecured doors. While staff-prisoner relationships were mostly satisfactory, issues with staff conduct and an inability to deliver key worker sessions due to shortages were noted. Accommodation remains unsatisfactory, particularly due to cell sharing, and the lack of external mental health places means many prisoners with severe needs are held inappropriately. Positive aspects included healthcare provision, commended catering staff, and successful prisoner engagement in projects like the Lock-In cafe and bird of prey care.
Key concerns identified
- Significant number of self-inflicted deaths in custody over the reporting period.
- Uncommonly high number of incidents where doors and gates were left unsecured by staff, posing a security risk.
- Inappropriate accommodation with prisoners sharing small, single-occupancy cells with limited fresh air and dignity, a concern raised "yet again" by the IMB.
- Increasing number of prisoners with severe mental health issues who remain in prison due to insufficient community mental health placements.
- Lack of progression opportunities for IPP prisoners, affecting their chances of release and mental well-being.
- Ongoing issues with prisoner property, including losses during transfer and within the establishment, leading to a dramatic increase in applications.
- Uncommonly high number of incidents where doors and gates were left unsecured by staff, posing a security risk.
- Inappropriate accommodation with prisoners sharing small, single-occupancy cells with limited fresh air and dignity, a concern raised "yet again" by the IMB.
- Increasing number of prisoners with severe mental health issues who remain in prison due to insufficient community mental health placements.
- Lack of progression opportunities for IPP prisoners, affecting their chances of release and mental well-being.
- Ongoing issues with prisoner property, including losses during transfer and within the establishment, leading to a dramatic increase in applications.
Leeds
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 675
Assaults: 170
Staff assaults: 95
HMP Leeds operated under a severely curtailed regime in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to prisoners spending 23 hours a day in cells. While this contributed to a reduction in violence and self-harm incidents, it exacerbated concerns regarding humane treatment in shared, small cells with integral toilets. Key challenges included a lack of mental health hospital places, inconsistent staff use of Body Worn Video Cameras, and staffing pressures in reception, alongside broader concerns about short sentences and the welfare of immigration detainees. The Board commended staff for their dedication in these trying circumstances.
Key concerns identified
- Prisoners with significant mental health needs are held in prison, often in segregation, due to a lack of secure hospital beds and effective liaison and diversion schemes.
- The degrading and unhygienic practice of prisoners sharing small cells designed for single occupancy, including eating next to integral toilet facilities.
- Staff inconsistently use Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) at the start of incidents involving use of force.
- Disruptions and management problems caused by short, seven-day sentences, particularly for induction, healthcare, and resettlement.
- Insufficient nursing resources in reception to manage the workload of processing new arrivals.
- The plight of immigration detainees held in prison after completing their sentences, awaiting deportation decisions.
- The degrading and unhygienic practice of prisoners sharing small cells designed for single occupancy, including eating next to integral toilet facilities.
- Staff inconsistently use Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) at the start of incidents involving use of force.
- Disruptions and management problems caused by short, seven-day sentences, particularly for induction, healthcare, and resettlement.
- Insufficient nursing resources in reception to manage the workload of processing new arrivals.
- The plight of immigration detainees held in prison after completing their sentences, awaiting deportation decisions.