Source · IMB Annual Report
Bedford
Year: 2023
Published: 12 Dec 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B, YOI, reception, resettlement
Recommendations: 18
Key concerns
Positive findings
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.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
Positive findings
The reception process operates effectively, and the prison has made commendable progress in areas such as drug treatment services and the education department, particularly in English and mathematics teaching, which has been cited as best practice. Education attendance rates have shown sustained improvement due to strong leadership. Improvements in family visit arrangements and the move of the main meal to the evening are also positive. The chaplaincy team provides a much-valued service, and the diversity and inclusion manager is highly effective. Additionally, the development of a remand prisoners’ strategy is welcomed.
Key concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The induction process is not consistent and there is no process for assessing quality.
Safety
Self-harm and violence levels are too high, with HMP Bedford having proportionally the highest number of assaults on staff among reception prisons.
Safety
Young adults are involved in more than half the violent incidents, and funding for specially trained staff on the young adults’ wing has been reduced or removed.
Overcrowding
Repeated
The prison remains overcrowded, with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one.
Estate/Conditions
The prison's infrastructure is ancient, vermin abound, and the plumbing regularly breaks down, with ongoing issues reported such as pigeon droppings, cockroaches, and broken showers/tumble dryers.
Food/Catering
The kitchen has continued to struggle with basic facilities and a lack of workers.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The segregation unit remains in its dire underground location.
Staffing
Repeated
The key worker scheme has not been reintroduced in its entirety and is not fully implemented.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The system for managing prisoners’ property is not fit for purpose, particularly regarding inter-prison property transfers, due to a lack of protocols, standards, and measurement systems.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Most prisoners spend far too long locked in their cells, impacting their mental health, failing to reduce violence and self-harm, and is not a humane way to treat individuals.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The gym has not been open for much of the reporting period.
Mental Health
Repeated
The mental health team struggles with very limited resources to provide an effective service, and the mental health steering group has not met for some months and appears to have fallen into abeyance.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Most of the skills workshops have not been available for much of the year, leading to limited provision of purposeful activity.
Healthcare
Repeated
There is a lack of a suitable computer in the healthcare rooms in reception, preventing healthcare staff from accessing personal escort records.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The provision of applications and other forms on the wings is inconsistent.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not measure time out of cell (or time locked in cell) or appear to give any importance to it, especially when purposeful activities are unavailable.
Resettlement/Release
The early identification of release areas by the probation service is needed for remand prisoners with short times before release, requiring better coordination.
Safety
There needs to be a strong and continued focus on making the young adults wing a success.
Mental Health
The prison should take note of the IMB's mental health survey findings and implement improvements.
Mental Health
The availability and distribution of written material about mental health issues and problems is an easy win for improvement.
Resettlement/Release
Prisoners need to attend the pre-release board, and the prison should facilitate this.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | It is disappointing that funding to support staffing in the young adults’ unit has been removed. | HMPPS | |
| 2 | The system for managing prisoners’ property is not fit for purpose and, in particular, there are no protocols or standards for inter-prison property issues. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 3 | It is disappointing that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not measure time out of cell (or perhaps time locked in cell) or appear to give any importance to it, when purposeful activities are not available. | HMPPS | |
| 4 | The early identification of release areas by the probation service would be helpful where prisoners, because of the length of time served on remand, have only a week or so before release – better coordination in this area would be really useful. | HMPPS | |
| 5 | The induction process is not consistent and there is no process for assessing quality. | Governor / Director | |
| 6 |
The lack of a suitable computer in the healthcare rooms in reception means that healthcare staff cannot access the personal escort records.
Repeated
Response
Healthcare providers can access PERs. |
Governor / Director | |
| 7 | We hope that there will be a strong and continued focus on making the young adults wing a success. | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | Prisoners have regularly reported issues about pigeon droppings, cockroaches, showers not working and broken tumble dryers. | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | The provision of applications and other forms on the wings is inconsistent. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | We look forward to the segregation unit being relocated early in 2024. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 11 | We hope that the ‘key worker’ scheme can soon be fully implemented. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 12 | We are pleased that the prison has developed a remand prisoners’ strategy. and hope that it will put a strong focus on implementing its recommendations. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 13 | Prisoners spend far too long locked in their cells. | Governor / Director | |
| 14 | We are disappointed that the mental health steering group, which seemed to offer the promise of an effective and integrated approach, has not met for some months and appears to have fallen into abeyance. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 15 | We hope that the prison will take note of the findings of our mental health survey and see what improvements can be made. | Governor / Director | |
| 16 | The availability and distribution of written material about mental health issues and problems would appear to be an easy win. | Governor / Director | |
| 17 | We hope that the prison will be able to offer a much fuller provision of skills workshops. | Governor / Director | |
| 18 | Prisoners need to attend the pre-release board and we hope that the prison can facilitate this. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Discrimination | 2 | 2 |
| Education, training and work | 3 | 6 |
| Food | 5 | 7 |
| Healthcare (including dental) | 10 | 16 |
| Other | 43 | 40 |
| Property (in prison) | 20 | 22 |
| Remand issues | 5 | 4 |
| Segregation | 3 | 5 |
| Staff conduct | 6 | 12 |
Related inspections & investigations
30 Oct 2023
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 1
· Respect 1
· Activity 1
· Release 2
Other reports for Bedford
Report details
- Establishment
- Bedford
- Type
- Prison · Cat B, YOI, reception, resettlement
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 12 December 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Bedford
- Recommendations
- 18
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 1 — Serious concern
Population
| Operational capacity | 400 |
| CNA (designed for) | 310 |
| Time out of cell | 1.5h/day |