HM Prison Probation Service
Central Government
Action Planned
HMPPS has initiated discussions with BT to explore the feasibility of monitoring call volumes as a potential indicator of heightened suicide/self-harm risk as part of an ongoing development project. They emphasize that any technical solution would be an additional tool to their existing holistic approach, including ACCT and the Listener scheme. (AI summary)
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Dear Mr Taheri,
REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS: MR MARTIN COLLINS Thank you for your Regulation 28 report of 17 September 2025 following the inquest into the death of Martin Collins at HMP Highpoint, addressed to the Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending. I am responding on behalf of HMPPS as the Interim Director General of Operations.
I know that you will share a copy of this response with Mr Collins’ family, and I would first like to express my condolences for their loss. Every death in custody is a tragedy and the safety of those in our care is my absolute priority.
You have raised concerns that the current telephone system does not have the functionality to monitor call volumes, which you believe could serve as a potential indicator of heightened risk of suicide and self-harm.
I can confirm that initial discussions have taken place between HMPPS and BT, our telephony contractor, to explore whether technically feasible options available are viable given the additional considerations of introducing additional monitoring layers. This work will be included as part of an ongoing development project.
While I am happy to explore the opportunities here, any technical solution will be necessarily blunt, as a high volume of calls made by a prisoner will not in itself mean the individual is at risk. Any change will be an additional tool to the holistic approach already taken as part of the range of policies and practices in place to help individuals in crisis and prevent self-harm and suicide.
Prisoners can call the Samaritans helpline free of charge to access support, as well as access to the peer-support Listener scheme which provides 24-hour confidential emotional support. Listeners are selected for the role by Samaritans volunteers and receive intensive training that is based on the same training undertaken by Samaritans volunteers.
Those identified as being at risk of suicide or self-harm are supported by staff through the Assessment Care in Custody Teamwork (ACCT) process, designed to support a prisoner through a period of crisis by setting achievable actions to reduce risk and ensuring that the prisoner has a level of recorded interactions with prison staff to further reduce the risk of self- harm. All members of staff, including those employed by outside agencies, receive training in ACCT which covers its purpose and procedure with Supervising Officers and above receiving a higher level of training.
Additionally, key workers support prisoners through one-to-one sessions that build constructive relationships and encourage prisoners to make appropriate choices and take responsibility for their own development. These sessions are recorded and accessible to all staff. Key workers can also support the prisoner to maintain family ties, which can positively influence suicide and self-harm prevention.
The prison’s safety team supports staff in managing self-harm, self-inflicted deaths, and violence. Their responsibilities include developing and delivering the local safety strategy, assuring the quality of case management, analysing safety data, overseeing safety training provision and coordinating multi-disciplinary meetings, such as safety intervention meetings. They also collaborate with local healthcare providers and voluntary sector partners like Samaritans and oversee actions on safety from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Coroners and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons.
Thank you again for bringing your concerns to my attention. I trust that this response provides assurance that action is being taken to address the issues identified.
REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS: MR MARTIN COLLINS Thank you for your Regulation 28 report of 17 September 2025 following the inquest into the death of Martin Collins at HMP Highpoint, addressed to the Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending. I am responding on behalf of HMPPS as the Interim Director General of Operations.
I know that you will share a copy of this response with Mr Collins’ family, and I would first like to express my condolences for their loss. Every death in custody is a tragedy and the safety of those in our care is my absolute priority.
You have raised concerns that the current telephone system does not have the functionality to monitor call volumes, which you believe could serve as a potential indicator of heightened risk of suicide and self-harm.
I can confirm that initial discussions have taken place between HMPPS and BT, our telephony contractor, to explore whether technically feasible options available are viable given the additional considerations of introducing additional monitoring layers. This work will be included as part of an ongoing development project.
While I am happy to explore the opportunities here, any technical solution will be necessarily blunt, as a high volume of calls made by a prisoner will not in itself mean the individual is at risk. Any change will be an additional tool to the holistic approach already taken as part of the range of policies and practices in place to help individuals in crisis and prevent self-harm and suicide.
Prisoners can call the Samaritans helpline free of charge to access support, as well as access to the peer-support Listener scheme which provides 24-hour confidential emotional support. Listeners are selected for the role by Samaritans volunteers and receive intensive training that is based on the same training undertaken by Samaritans volunteers.
Those identified as being at risk of suicide or self-harm are supported by staff through the Assessment Care in Custody Teamwork (ACCT) process, designed to support a prisoner through a period of crisis by setting achievable actions to reduce risk and ensuring that the prisoner has a level of recorded interactions with prison staff to further reduce the risk of self- harm. All members of staff, including those employed by outside agencies, receive training in ACCT which covers its purpose and procedure with Supervising Officers and above receiving a higher level of training.
Additionally, key workers support prisoners through one-to-one sessions that build constructive relationships and encourage prisoners to make appropriate choices and take responsibility for their own development. These sessions are recorded and accessible to all staff. Key workers can also support the prisoner to maintain family ties, which can positively influence suicide and self-harm prevention.
The prison’s safety team supports staff in managing self-harm, self-inflicted deaths, and violence. Their responsibilities include developing and delivering the local safety strategy, assuring the quality of case management, analysing safety data, overseeing safety training provision and coordinating multi-disciplinary meetings, such as safety intervention meetings. They also collaborate with local healthcare providers and voluntary sector partners like Samaritans and oversee actions on safety from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Coroners and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons.
Thank you again for bringing your concerns to my attention. I trust that this response provides assurance that action is being taken to address the issues identified.