Safety
We have, though, significant concerns about the physical safety of the facility. During the reporting period, the deteriorating floor, which eventually was replaced, posed a safety risk. The Board questions the decision to keep the centre open during the ten week period of the floor works. We also have some fire risk concerns.
Safety
Repeated
Effectiveness of interviews in discovering cases of PTSD, sexual abuse, modern slavery or other exploitation We repeat and emphasise our concerns about the effectiveness of arrival interviews at Swinderby RSTHF and are disappointed at last year’s Home Office response that they are sufficient to discharge its duties to operate adequate processes for the discovery of such cases. The interviews are held in public, are brief and are a wholly ‘tick box’ exercise. From the Board’s observations, there is no genuine or meaningful attempt to identify if someone is suffering from PTSD or has been a victim of modern slavery or sexual violence as is the responsibility of the Home Office as a National Referral Mechanism ‘first responder organisation’.
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
Some people taken into detention have pre-existing medical conditions for which they are carrying their own prescribed medicines. Home Office policy requires any medicines to be confiscated from a detained person when they are detained and they are not allowed to take their medication should they fall unwell or require a regular dose at a specific time. In the Board’s 2022-2023 annual report, we stated that we viewed this situation as inhumane, dangerous and wrong and we remain of that view.
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
It is an example of how the IMB cannot discharge adequate and properly evidenced monitoring but, in this instance, had to take the Home Office/ Border Force’s word that all is well. It is the Board’s view that, in order to adequately discharge our monitoring duties, we needed to see the full port case file. In the past we have, generally, found, evidence elsewhere on the port case files (usually in a separate document known as the minute sheet) that there have been refreshment and welfare checks but the recent limitation of our access to these other parts of the file (including the minute sheet) mean that our ability to adequately monitor this aspect of care and welfare in detention is hindered. Similarly, we are now not permitted to see the IS81 authority to detain form and check this has been completed and issued properly.