Source · IMB Annual Report
Bristol
Year: 2023
Published: 23 Nov 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B, local, resettlement
Population: 550
Recommendations: 7
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Bristol faced significant challenges in the reporting year, marked by an increase in deaths in custody (9), self-harm, and violence, alongside persistent overcrowding at over 50% capacity in single cells. Staffing shortages severely impacted regime delivery, leading to increased time in cell and reduced access to purposeful activity. The Board expressed concern that the HMIP Urgent Notification Action Plan did not adequately address systemic issues such as occupancy levels or substantive staff numbers, hindering effective prisoner care and safety improvements.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 9 | — |
Positive findings
The new reception area improved privacy for interviews, and the first night centre is well run, ensuring over 95% of prisoners are seen by healthcare. The Board observed good support for prisoners and staff after distressing incidents. Cleanliness and decency on wings were maintained, with prisoners actively participating in painting, showing pride in their work. Food quality improved, with prisoners now making much of the food. Segregation staff were noted as helpful, knowledgeable, and interacting well with complex prisoners, and GOoD reviews and adjudications were well conducted. The Board observed good prisoner and staff interactions, and prisoner forums, especially the Prisoner Council, were well-run and offered solutions. Equality and diversity monitoring is active, with prisoner representatives included in meetings. The multifaith team provides good support, and initiatives like the Harmony garden and beekeeping training have been productive. A new Head of Education introduced several positive initiatives, and workshops were impressive, with prisoners working towards NVQs. Efforts to support family contacts, including additional social visits and a refurbished visits hall, were noted. The PACT centre continues to provide a good range of support for prisoners on release.
Key concerns
Safety
Repeated
Increase in deaths in custody, self-harm and violent incidents.
Safety
More prisoners were on assessment, care in custody teamwork (ACCTs) plans and constant supervision than last year.
Substance Misuse
More frequent incidents of prisoners under the influence due to availability of drugs and illicit prisoner made alcohol.
Overcrowding
Repeated
High levels of overcrowding (over 50% all year) with two prisoners in cells built in Victorian times for one person.
Staffing
Repeated
Staffing levels are below the required levels, often below minimum, affecting consistent regime delivery, leading to more time in cells, cancelled activities, and un-re-established key working.
Mental Health
Repeated
Long waits for prisoners requiring specialist mental health units, with over 50% waiting longer than 28 days and often held in segregation.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
Prisoners with physical disabilities cannot access healthcare clinics and some workshops.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Low numbers of prisoners access education and workshop activities due to shortages of prison staff.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Insufficient support for the increasing percentage of remand prisoners in terms of release planning.
Resettlement/Release
Recall prisoners often report a lack of support, housing, and medication problems as key factors in their return to prison.
Safety
Significant delays in answering cell bells, with over 1,000 cell bells taking over 30 minutes to be responded to in June 2023.
Safety
The vulnerable prisoners wing is always full with a waiting list.
Segregation
The segregation unit is often full, with some prisoners spending very long periods (e.g., 130 days) awaiting transfer to specialist mental health units.
Other
Repeated
Persistent property issues both within the prison and during transfers, remaining one of the highest reasons for complaints and IMB applications.
Other
Concerns that the Action Plan following the HMIP Urgent Notification does not address systemic problems, lacks mention of lowering prison occupancy, or increasing substantive staff numbers.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Minister should reduce the current overcrowding at Bristol prison. | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | The Minister should ensure that Bristol prison has sufficient resources to staff and maintain the prison properly. | Ministry of Justice | |
| 3 | The Minister should increase access to sufficient and appropriate mental healthcare within the prison system. | Ministry of Justice | |
| 4 | The Prison Service should reduce the prison roll at Bristol to enable the prison to effectively address the increases in self-harm, violence and deaths in custody. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 5 | The Prison Service should provide support or increased staffing to enable a full regime at Bristol to be run, thereby giving prisoners access to education, work, activities, sufficient time out of cell and key working. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 6 | The Governor should provide the Board with relevant and timely reports and data to inform monitoring. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | The Governor should ensure improved access to healthcare, in terms of physical disability access, improved attendance at clinics and medication delivery. Repeated | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 5 | 9 |
| Canteen facility list, catalogues | 10 | 8 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 4 | 9 |
| Equality | 4 | 5 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 9 | 21 |
| Food and kitchens | 11 | 9 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 60 | 36 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 11 | 15 |
| Miscellaneous | 10 | 10 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 25 | 30 |
| Property within the establishment | 26 | 24 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 7 | 10 |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 24 | 28 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 42 | 32 |
| Transfers | 3 | 0 |
Related inspections & investigations
26 Jul 2023
HMIP · Urgent Notification
10 Jul 2023
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 1
· Respect 2
· Activity 1
· Release 2
7 Jun 2017
PFD
Callum Smith · Community health care and emergency services related deaths; Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths; Suicide (from 2015)
Other reports for Bristol
Report details
- Establishment
- Bristol
- Type
- Prison · Cat B, local, resettlement
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 23 November 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Bristol
- Recommendations
- 7
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Population | 550 |
| Operational capacity | 580 |
Service providers
Education
Weston College
Healthcare – dentistry
Time For Teeth
Healthcare – general practice
DrPA Secure
Healthcare – optician
The Prisons Optician Trust
Healthcare – pharmacy, medicines management
Oxleas Pharmacy Services Ltd
Healthcare – physiotherapy, podiatry
Total Planned Care
Healthcare – primary care, substance misuse, mental health and administration
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Healthcare - psychological substance misuse
Change Grow Live
Maintenance
Government Facilities Services Limited
Resettlement support
The Probation Service (CRS)
Social Care
Agincare