Source · IMB Annual Report
Bedford
Year: 2024
Published: 27 Nov 2024
Type: Prison · Cat B, YOI
Population: 370
Recommendations: 17
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Bedford, a Category B YOI, continues to face significant challenges including persistent overcrowding and an inconsistent induction process, despite some improvements in wing cleanliness and key worker implementation. The report highlights serious concerns regarding healthcare, characterized by poor communication and a decline in drug rehabilitation services. Security remains an issue with illicit items readily entering the prison, and high levels of assaults on staff, although recent improvements are noted. The Board also raises concerns about the unaddressed needs of its large remand population, the lack of digital infrastructure, and disproportionate adjudications.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 3 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 484 | — |
| Drug finds | 37 | — |
Positive findings
The Board notes some success in addressing high self-harm rates and significant progress in implementing the key worker scheme. Improvements in wing cleanliness, gym availability, and the relocation of the CSU are welcomed. Reception processes are praised for professionalism, and the chaplaincy team provides much-needed support and compassion. Positive trends in complaints reduction and property management are also noted, alongside improved time out of cell and prisoners' reported hope for the future. The Board also found positive aspects around the provision of education and the well-managed library.
Key concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The induction process is haphazard and limited in its effectiveness. In our prisoners’ voice survey, 38% said that they had not received an induction and 35% of those who had received one said that it was of a poor quality.
Overcrowding
Repeated
The prison remains overcrowded with, in the majority of instances, two men sharing a small cell and toilet, which the Board considers inhumane. The condition of some cells is shocking, with no curtains or, sometimes, bits of plastic or old blankets at the windows. Also, the cells are often not properly cleaned in between occupants. Ongoing problems with the water and heating systems and the ever-present issue of rodents, cockroaches and pigeon droppings persist.
Healthcare
Repeated
There is a lack of effective communication between healthcare and prisoners, leading to frustration and missed appointments; 75% of prisoners we asked felt that the healthcare service was poor and slow.
Substance Misuse
Group and individual work to support drug rehabilitation is no longer carried out and, in our view, the service is worse that it has been in previous years.
Substance Misuse
It does not appear difficult for drugs and other illicit items to get into the prison: on average, there is at least one find every day.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Although, in the Board’s view, prisoners still spend too much time locked in their cells, with around half spending over 20 hours per day in their cell.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The project to relocate the segregation unit was beset by design and construction issues and was delivered some 18 months late. The design decisions seem bizarre, with issues like shelves for kettles located on the opposite wall from the only socket, observation lights without outside switches, and the dirty protest cell next to the kitchen servery, suggesting basic flaws in understanding how prisons work and a lack of consultation.
Equality/Diversity
The number of black, Asian, other ethnic minority prisoners and those from the Traveller community are significantly over-represented in adjudications, raising concerns about potential conscious or unconscious discrimination.
Estate/Conditions
There has been no progress in the provision of digital kiosks.
Other
Repeated
The paper-based system for managing property remains unfit for purpose and the inconsistent approach between the prisoner escort contractors in respect of the number of bags carried causes problems for the prison and prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
HMP Bedford’s remand prisoners’ strategy, which contained many positive elements to address the needs of a population that is almost 90% remand, has not been implemented.
Safety
HMP Bedford continues to have high levels of assaults on staff; between July 2023 and March 2024, it had the highest number among 29 reception prisons, though recent months show improvement.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The curriculum is contracting, with an insistence on providing additional maths and English places at the expense of well-established and popular music and art courses, which does not recognise the elective nature of a prison where most inmates are on remand.
Other
It remains disappointing that only three of the five workshops are able to provide activities, leading to limited vocational training and work opportunities.
Healthcare
There is a concerning lack of access to healthcare managers, preventing the IMB from raising and discussing significant issues about healthcare provision.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Delays in giving prisoners access to phone numbers are evident due to the current paper-based arrangement, which could be improved by a simple computer system.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The long delay and design issues associated with the relocation of the CSU suggest some basic flaws in understanding how prisons work and a lack of consultation with local managers. When will the Prison Service address this issue?
Repeated
Response
The CASU has now been relocated which the Board reflects on in the report. We recognise the importance of learning lessons from the project and issues of concern, raised with the present Governor and Deputy Governor, have all been addressed or are being addressed as part of the build. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 2 |
The insistence on providing additional maths and English places, at the expense of art and music, does not appear to recognise the elective nature of a prison where most inmates are on remand or the relationship between drug use and more attractive alternative activities. How will the Prison Service resolve this issue?
Response
To address prisoner needs, the increase of English and Maths was necessary for this business year, and unfortunately to do this required reduced delivery in other areas. A new needs analysis and a curriculum review will be carried out to ensure the needs of prisoners are met. HMP/YOI Bedford is currently exploring enrichment activities through local organisations and charities to reintroduce some courses to vary the offer alongside the core educational delivery. In the recent Independent Review of Progress carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons it was recognised that HMP/YOI Bedford had made reasonable progress against this key concern. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 3 |
The paper-based system for managing property remains unfit for purpose and the inconsistent approach between the prisoner escort contractors in respect of the number of bags carried causes problems for the prison and prisoners. What steps will the Prison Service take to improve this system?
Repeated
Response
HMPPS notes the Board’s continuing concerns about the handling of prisoners’ property. This is an area to which HMPPS is currently giving further attention. Careful consideration will be given to the findings in the recent IMB national thematic report on how property loss impacts on prisoners, as well as those due to be received from Independent Prisoner Complaint Investigations in the coming months following a thematic review of the property complaints they have received in the last five years. As the Board identifies, a common area for problems is when excess prisoner property is forwarded on when a prisoner transfers. It is therefore key that prisoners comply with volumetric control limits, since anything within those limits will transfer with them. HMPPS is focusing on what more can be done to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Framework. HMPPS also note the Board’s concerns about the lack of digital improvements on property handling. While it is recognised this will be disappointing, other pressures around digital changes mean that it is not anticipated that an electronic property card will be in place in the immediate future. At a local level, there is an ongoing discussion with Prisoner Escort Custody Services to collaboratively address property issues. The issue raised by the Board directly correlates to HMP/YOI Bedford’s highest level of complaints and therefore the establishment has commissioned a piece of work locally to address this as a matter of urgency. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 4 |
The induction process remains inconsistent in terms of quality and delivery – 38% of prisoners we asked said that they had not received an induction.
Repeated
Response
I am pleased to read that there are again common observations of progress between your report and the most recent Independent Review of Progress at HMP/YOI Bedford. This includes reductions in self-harm (although this still remains too high), improvements to the reception process and the positive impacts of the relocation of the Care and Separation Unit. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 5 | Violence towards staff has been, for most of the reporting year, highest of all reception prisons and although this has improved in recent months there are still issues to be addressed. | Governor / Director | |
| 6 | We hope that, with the relocation of young adults to F-wing, the opportunity is taken to reinvigorate the STRIDE programme and regain the initial impetus of a dedicated youth wing. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | It does not appear difficult for drugs and other illicit items to get into the prison: on average, there is at least one find every day. | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | Whilst there have been improvements in overall cleanliness, many of the cells remain in a very poor condition. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | There has been no progress in the provision of digital kiosks. | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | We would like to see the key worker scheme fully operational in the not-too-distant future. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 11 | We are concerned that the number of black, Asian, other ethnic minority prisoners and those from the Traveller community are significantly over-represented in adjudications. | Governor / Director | |
| 12 | We feel that HMP Bedford’s strategy for remand prisoners had many positive elements, and we would like to see more progress on its implementation. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 13 | We are concerned about the large rise in applications we have received about healthcare, the general negative view of prisoners and the lack of access to healthcare managers. | Governor / Director | |
| 14 | We are concerned that group and individual drug rehabilitation work is no longer carried out. | Governor / Director | |
| 15 |
Whilst we understand the national context, we feel strongly that education needs to offer a suitable range of courses to attract the (elective) remand prisoners and provide attractive diversion activities.
Response
To address prisoner needs, the increase of English and Maths was necessary for this business year, and unfortunately to do this required reduced delivery in other areas. A new needs analysis and a curriculum review will be carried out to ensure the needs of prisoners are met. HMP/YOI Bedford is currently exploring enrichment activities through local organisations and charities to reintroduce some courses to vary the offer alongside the core educational delivery. In the recent Independent Review of Progress carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons it was recognised that HMP/YOI Bedford had made reasonable progress against this key concern. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 16 | It remains disappointing that, of the five workshops, there are only three able to provide activities. | Governor / Director | |
| 17 | We would like to see if the delays in giving prisoners access to phone numbers could be reduced by a simple computer system replacing the current arrangement of bits of paper being carried around. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Discipline | 9 | 7 |
| Food | 5 | 4 |
| General (e.g. general conditions) | 4 | 2 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 10 |
| Legal | 15 | 13 |
| Other | 0 | 1 |
| Property | 37 | 22 |
| Regime (other) | 5 | 2 |
| Release | 19 | 18 |
| Staff | 23 | 25 |
| Total | 209 | 144 |
| Violence/safety | 2 | 2 |
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
- Report year
- 2024
- Published
- 27 November 2024
- Responsible body
- HMP Bedford
- Recommendations
- 17
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 1 — Serious concern
Population
| Population | 370 |
| Operational capacity | 389 |
| CNA (designed for) | 310 119% |