Source · IMB Annual Report

North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF

Year: 2024 Published: 13 Aug 2024 Type: Prison · Cat IRC Short-Term Holding Facility Recommendations: 17 Key concerns Positive findings

The IMB report for North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHFs highlights varied conditions across the region's facilities, with particular focus on Swinderby RSTHF. While Swinderby benefits from positive staff-detainee relations and improved facilities, significant concerns persist regarding physical safety during building works, inadequate risk identification processes, and non-compliance with safer detention guidelines. Across all STHFs, the Board criticizes the policy on detainee medication, the unsuitability of some holding rooms, and restricted IMB access to essential documentation.

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year

Indicator	This year	Previous
Self-harm incidents	0	—
ACCT cases opened	5	6
Prisoner assaults	1	—
Assaults on staff	0	—
Use of force	0	—
Drug finds	0	—

Positive findings

The Board observes good staff/detainee relations and a relaxed atmosphere at Swinderby RSTHF, with detainees reporting fair and decent treatment. Healthcare provision at Swinderby is without concern. Facilities have improved with better furnishings and leisure provisions, including an expanded dining area which was a previous recommendation. There has been better, though inconsistent, evidencing of care and welfare checks in other STHFs, and a reduction in night moves and transfers to police stations.

Key concerns

7 items

Safety Significant concerns about the physical safety of the facility, including the deteriorating floor (which caused an accident) and fire risks. The Board questioned the decision to keep the centre open during the ten-week period of floor works, noting potential compromises to safety.

Safety Repeated Reception interview arrangements are inadequate for identifying risk and vulnerabilities, particularly for sensitive issues like PTSD, sexual abuse, modern slavery, or other exploitation. These interviews are conducted in an open area, lacking privacy and confidentiality, which compromises their effectiveness.

Mental Health Many requirements of the Detention Services Order covering ACDT (Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork) are not in place within Swinderby RSTHF, including a local strategy for prevention of self-harm, a formal Safer Detention team, and monthly multi-disciplinary meetings. This raises concerns about a lack of vigilance in identifying detainees at risk of self-harm or suicide.

Healthcare Repeated The Home Office policy requiring any prescribed medicines to be confiscated from a detained person, and not allowing them to take regular doses, is viewed by the Board as inhumane, dangerous, and wrong.

Estate/Conditions Ongoing poor suitability of facilities at Leeds Bradford Airport and the Port of Hull for immigration detention. These facilities are limited to small interview rooms and are not considered fit for stays of up to 24 hours.

Food/Catering The inability to provide any form of hot food to people detained in Border Force-managed STHFs, sometimes for many hours, particularly for those who have undertaken long journeys.

Other Recent restrictions to the IMB's access to full port case files (e.g., minute sheets, IS81s) in port and airport STHFs hinder the Board's ability to adequately discharge its monitoring duties and confirm lawfulness of detention and welfare checks.

Recommendations

17 items · 5 repeated

#	Recommendation	Addressee
1	We repeat our recommendation that the policy be immediately revised to allow staff in STHFs to permit the person detained to take a required dose at intervals as per the prescription or pharmaceutical product recommendations. We judge that permitting single doses is important for preventing any risk of health deterioration and for being fair and humane, while minimising any adverse risk. Repeated Response The Home Office has now appointed a specialist supplier to carry out a national Health Needs Assessment (HNA) of all Non-Residential STHFs (Holding Rooms)… Once completed, further work will begin to evaluate these options to procure a service, or services that meet the requirements of the population and achieves value for money.	Home Office
2	The Board recommends the examination and review of the low number of Rule 32/35 risk to health and risk of suicide cases, in order to check that the low number of cases is not indicative of the process failing to be used as it should be to identify those facing a deterioration of their health in detention and those at risk of suicide.	Home Office
3	We recommend the STHF rules be amended to place a maximum limit of 12 hours at these and similar locations.	Home Office
4	We recommend that Border Force provide IMB access to port case files with immediate effect, which would restore our access to records and documents to the fully transparent arrangement that had existed for our Board prior to late 2023.	Home Office
5	We repeat our recommendation that use of police stations for immigration detention is kept to an absolute minimum. Greater efforts should be made to secure places in RSTHFs or elsewhere in the immigration detention estate to process cases where overnight or longer stays are necessary. Repeated	Home Office
6	We repeat our recommendation that Border Force staff at STHFs ensure that all ongoing care and welfare checks on detained people are fully and properly recorded on the annex A form in the port case file. Repeated	Home Office
7	We recommend that hot food and drink provision be reinstated at all STHFs as soon as possible.	Home Office
8	We recommend a clear timetable be established for the completion of the telecoms infrastructure serving the facility.	Home Office
9	We recommend the Home Office, in conjunction with the facility contractor, review the official capacities in line with standards such as the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on appropriate minimum workspace standards.	Home Office
10	We recommend that Swinderby RSTHF centre management and the Home Office contract compliance team review existing processes around staff culture, professional standards and whistle blowing to ensure they are sufficient, effective and robust.	Other
11	We recommend that Swinderby RSTHF urgently reviews the requirements of the Detention Services Order covering ACDT (DSO 01/2022 Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork/ACDT, October 2022) and implements the safer detention practices contained therein within the centre.	Other
12	We repeat the recommendation that all arrival interviews should be conducted in the purpose-built interview room in the facility, with privacy and with participants seated in comfort and speaking at eye level. For the reasons outlined in the evidence section (see section 4.1.1) we do not regard the ‘partial acceptance’ of this recommendation last year – namely by offering a choice of private interview room - as adequate. Repeated	Other
13	We recommend that these interviews be conducted in a confidential space with more time and care taken to build trust and thereby encourage full disclosure. Repeated	Other
14	We recommend that the Contractor and Compliance Officer at Swinderby RSTHF review fire safety arrangements in light of the Board’s concerns about possible risks that have arisen during the reporting period (see sections on floor works and unlocking of fire evacuation doors).	Other
15	We recommend that the Home Office and Contractor undertake a review of learning from the floor works project. The review should incorporate the many concerns identified in this report, including a breach of STHF rules, The content and results of that review should be shared with the Board.	Other
16	We recommend that monthly or quarterly data be provided to the Board by the Home Office Compliance Officer to evidence either the presence of interpreters in the charter flight escort teams attending at Swinderby RSTHF, or the use of Big Word in cases where an interpreter is not present.	Home Office
17	We ask for confirmation that the proposed actions on yellow hatching and pre-departure risk assessments have been implemented and are working satisfactorily (see section 4.2.1).	Other

Other reports for North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF

2025 Published 16 Sep 2025 · Self-harm 1 · Concerns

2023 Published 22 Aug 2023 · Self-harm 0 · Concerns

Report details

Establishment: North East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber STHF
Type: Prison · Cat IRC Short-Term Holding Facility
Report year: 2024
Published: 13 August 2024
Recommendations: 17

Population

Operational capacity

Service providers

Facility Operator

Mitie Care & Custody

Source links

IMB report page → imb.org.uk →