HM Prison and Probation Service
Central Government
Action Taken
A new national video on medical emergency procedures, including entering cells and using emergency codes, was launched in January 2024 and made available to all HMPPS staff. The Governor of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall has been showing the video to existing staff as part of Safety Critical training with the goal of completion by March 2025. (AI summary)
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Dear Ms Dixon,
Thank you for your Regulation 28 report of 16 May 2024, addressed to the Ministry of Justice, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), and the Governor of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall. I am responding on behalf of HMPPS as Director General of Operations.
I know that you will share a copy of this response with Mr Pearce’s 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 expressed concerns concerning the timeliness of training and guidance provided to staff with regards to medical emergency procedures, including the entering of cells and the appropriate use of medical emergency codes.
During the inquest, evidence was heard concerning the new national video that was launched in January 2024. The video includes a demonstration on how staff should respond to an emergency situation, which includes instructions on when to enter a cell in an emergency and the appropriate use of Code Blue and Code Red communications. This video has been made available to all HMPPS staff, including Officer Support Grades (OSGs) and staff completing night duties who may need to respond to a medical emergency. Since January 2024, the video has been delivered to all new officers via foundation training and has been shared locally with Governing Governors.
I have received assurance from the Governor of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall that the emergency response training video is being shown to all existing members of staff as part of their Safety Critical training, with the view for this to be achieved by March 2025. Going forward, HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall will also ensure that the video is shown annually to all staff.
Additionally, Custodial Managers have been instructed to brief all staff at the beginning of night duty about the use of Code Blue and Code Red and entering cells in a medical emergency, which will be subject to quality assurance checks by both the Safety and Security departments. As part
of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall’s local training programme, staff will be trained to understand when it is appropriate and necessary to enter a cell during patrol state and guidance on emergency response procedures will be issued to staff every 6 months.
Thank you again for bringing your concerns to my attention. I trust that this response provides assurance that action is being taken to address this matter.
Thank you for your Regulation 28 report of 16 May 2024, addressed to the Ministry of Justice, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), and the Governor of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall. I am responding on behalf of HMPPS as Director General of Operations.
I know that you will share a copy of this response with Mr Pearce’s 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 expressed concerns concerning the timeliness of training and guidance provided to staff with regards to medical emergency procedures, including the entering of cells and the appropriate use of medical emergency codes.
During the inquest, evidence was heard concerning the new national video that was launched in January 2024. The video includes a demonstration on how staff should respond to an emergency situation, which includes instructions on when to enter a cell in an emergency and the appropriate use of Code Blue and Code Red communications. This video has been made available to all HMPPS staff, including Officer Support Grades (OSGs) and staff completing night duties who may need to respond to a medical emergency. Since January 2024, the video has been delivered to all new officers via foundation training and has been shared locally with Governing Governors.
I have received assurance from the Governor of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall that the emergency response training video is being shown to all existing members of staff as part of their Safety Critical training, with the view for this to be achieved by March 2025. Going forward, HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall will also ensure that the video is shown annually to all staff.
Additionally, Custodial Managers have been instructed to brief all staff at the beginning of night duty about the use of Code Blue and Code Red and entering cells in a medical emergency, which will be subject to quality assurance checks by both the Safety and Security departments. As part
of HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall’s local training programme, staff will be trained to understand when it is appropriate and necessary to enter a cell during patrol state and guidance on emergency response procedures will be issued to staff every 6 months.
Thank you again for bringing your concerns to my attention. I trust that this response provides assurance that action is being taken to address this matter.