Source · IMB Annual Report
Bullingdon
Year: 2022
Published: 2 Dec 2022
Type: Prison · Cat local
Population: 1,062
Recommendations: 10
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Bullingdon faced chronic overcrowding and significant staff shortages, which impacted safety, regime delivery, and staff-prisoner relationships throughout the reporting year. While healthcare provision was generally good and improvements were seen in some areas like equality data analysis and IT systems, challenges such as high violence, drug availability, and prisoner churn hindering progression persisted. The Board highlighted a continuing high number of self-harm incidents, though a recent decline was noted.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 6 | 7 |
| Self-harm incidents | 889 | 979 |
| Drug finds | 495 | — |
Positive findings
The Board welcomed the continued success of the body and airport scanners in curbing drug entry and improvements in equality and diversity data collection. Healthcare provision was noted as generally good, improving, and well-managed, with proactive staff recruitment. Benefits from the Reducing Reoffending Accelerator (RRA) project were felt, improving guidance for prisoners and bringing in employers. A reduction in mental health cases unsuited for prison care and a decrease in self-harm incidents were observed, attributed to effective safety intervention meetings, expanded key work, and enhanced mental health services. The prison's IT systems have been upgraded, and a new initiative for regular cell checks by governors was introduced to improve decency. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation services maintained a good level despite staffing pressures.
Key concerns
Overcrowding
Repeated
The prison continues to be chronically overcrowded, despite repeated representations by the Board that the overcrowding is unacceptable. There are 521 cells designed for single occupancy, most of which are occupied by two prisoners. Overcrowding also puts great pressure on communal spaces and facilities. It is incompatible with the fair and decent treatment of prisoners.
Staffing
There is an increasing shortage of staff in the prison and the number of resignations is up on the previous year.
Staffing
The proportion of staff with limited experience has increased compared with the previous reporting year.
Substance Misuse
There continues to be a problem with the availability and use of drugs. This is despite the strenuous efforts which were made in the reporting year on the part of the prison.
Resettlement/Release
The increasing churn of prisoners has meant that in many cases prisoners are not able to progress from unskilled work to skilled work, or if they do, to finish any training courses that they undertake as part of that skilled work. Similarly, in a number of cases prisoners have been unable to complete education courses owing to transfer or release.
Safety
Repeated
High levels of violence continue in the prison.
Safety
Repeated
The number of cases of self-harm continues to be high in the prison.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The prison continues to be chronically overcrowded, despite repeated representations by the Board that the overcrowding is unacceptable. There are 521 cells designed for single occupancy, most of which are occupied by two prisoners. Overcrowding also puts great pressure on communal spaces and facilities. It is incompatible with the fair and decent treatment of prisoners. Does the minister consider this to be acceptable? Repeated | Ministry of Justice | |
| 1 | The proportion of staff with limited experience has increased compared with the previous reporting year. What steps can the Prison Service take to ensure that the numbers of experienced staff are maintained at adequate levels? | HMPPS | |
| 1 | There is an increasing shortage of staff in the prison. Some of the shortage can be attributed to absences of staff who have resigned in the course of the reporting year. What steps can the Governor take to address this problem? | Governor / Director | |
| 2 | There is an increasing shortage of staff in the prison and the number of resignations is up on the previous year. What steps will the minister be taking to address the staff shortage problem? | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | There continues to be a problem with the availability and use of drugs. This is despite the strenuous efforts which were made in the reporting year on the part of the prison. What further steps can the Prison Service take to address the availability and use of drugs in the prison? | HMPPS | |
| 2 | There continues to be a high proportion of staff with limited experience. In some instances, these staff have no experience of the prison regime before Covid. How will the Governor ensure that these staff receive further appropriate training so that they can carry out their duties effectively? | Governor / Director | |
| 3 | The increasing churn of prisoners has meant that in many cases prisoners are not able to progress from unskilled work to skilled work, or if they do, to finish any training courses that they undertake as part of that skilled work. Similarly, in a number of cases prisoners have been unable to complete education courses owing to transfer or release. What steps can the Prison Service take to address this problem? | HMPPS | |
| 3 | There continues to be a problem with the availability and use of drugs. This is despite the strenuous efforts which were made in the reporting year on the part of the prison. What further steps can the Governor take to address the availability and use of drugs in the prison? | Governor / Director | |
| 4 | What plans does the Governor have to address the continuing high levels of violence in the prison? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 5 | What plans does the Governor have to address the continuing high number of cases of self-harm in the prison? Repeated | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including laundry; clothing and ablutions) | 37 | 35 |
| Adjudications | 5 | 8 |
| Canteen, Facility List, Catalogues | 43 | 22 |
| Education, Employment and Training (including IEP) | 19 | 11 |
| Equality and diversity | 4 | 9 |
| Family, Visits, Mail and Phone | 87 | 38 |
| Finance and Pay | 16 | 11 |
| Food and Kitchens | 21 | 16 |
| Health | 110 | 114 |
| Misc. including Complaints System and Regime | 52 | 45 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 29 | 36 |
| Property within the establishment | 58 | 45 |
| Sentence mgt. including HDC ROTL, parole release date, categorization | 62 | 54 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns including bullying | 81 | 90 |
| Transfers | 20 | 9 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Bullingdon
Report details
- Establishment
- Bullingdon
- Type
- Prison · Cat local
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 2 December 2022
- Responsible body
- HMP Bullingdon
- Recommendations
- 10
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Population | 1,062 |
| Operational capacity | 1,112 |
| CNA (designed for) | 869 122% |
| Time out of cell | 1.0h/day |
Service providers
Dentistry
Time for Teeth
Education Framework (PEF)
Milton Keynes College (MKC)
GPs
Cotswold Medicare Ltd
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
Forward Trust
Offending Behaviour Programmes
South Central Psychology Services
Physical Healthcare
Practice Plus Group
Secondary Mental Health Services
Inclusion (part of Midlands Partnership Foundation NHS Trust)
Social Care
Oxfordshire County Council
Ultrasound/X-ray
Global Technology