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HMI Prisons
@hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
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Independent inspectorate reporting on conditions for and treatment of those in prisons, young offender institutions and immigration detention facilities.

Learn more at: https://hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/
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hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
HMP Guys Marsh: standards across the jail have improved, but illicit drugs remain a serious threat.

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/reports...
Report on an independent review of progress at HMP Guys Marsh by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons 3-5 November 2025
December 8, 2025 at 8:47 AM
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HMP & YOI Doncaster: Committed leadership and dedicated staff driving progress

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=hm...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=ne...

See the healthy prison scores:
Bar chart illustrating the healthy prison scores for HMP & YOI Doncaster when it was inspected in 2022 and 2025. All four scores have remained unchanged from the previous inspection; safety and respect are reasonably good, purposeful activity is not sufficiently good, and preparation for release is good.
December 8, 2025 at 8:43 AM
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At Risley, far more disabled than non-disabled prisoners reported feeling unsafe (30% compared to 13%) and in industries and work, disabled prisoners rarely received specialist help to fulfil their potential. More positively, at HMP Thorn Cross, gym staff escorted disabled prisoners on a walk along a beach while they were released on temporary licence. Prisoners who participated reported positive outcomes in their mobility and confidence.
December 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
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At HMP Long Lartin, inspectors found the needs of prisoners with disabilities were not consistently well met, with wing staff sometimes unaware of those who needed help in an emergency evacuation. Similarly, at HMP Risley, some night staff did not know which prisoners had a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP). While there was a peer worker buddy system in place for prisoners with disabilities at Risley, buddies did not receive suitable training or staff oversight. In contrast, HMP Wymott had particularly impressive peer workers within education, skills and work and the ‘Buddy’ scheme provided support and care to over 150 prisoners with disabilities.
December 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
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This year International Day of Persons with Disabilities is focusing on fostering disability-inclusive societies. We expect that prisoners with disabilities should have access to every aspect of prison life and the same opportunities to progress towards rehabilitation as non-disabled prisoners. Those who cannot attend learning or work activities because of a disability should have alternative, meaningful activities provided by the prison. However, in our surveys, disabled prisoners often report more negatively on their treatment and experiences in prison than their non-disabled peers.
December 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
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Today is #InternationalDayOfPersonswithDisabilities.

Disabled prisoners often report more negatively in our surveys than their non-disabled peers, but we do see good practice in some jails.

Find out more below ⬇️
International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December
December 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
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Our 2025 stakeholder survey is now live!

The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and closes on 06/01/26.

Complete the survey here: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/our-stakehol...
Every year we run a survey to find out what our stakeholders think of the work we have carried out in the last 12 months. All the information stakeholders provide is treated as anonymous and confidential. After the survey, the findings are analysed by our research team and shared with our Corporate Governance Board. They may also be used in our strategic business planning.
December 2, 2025 at 12:12 PM
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HMP Northumberland: Strong leadership and innovation driving positive outcomes

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=hm...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=ne...

See the healthy prison scores:
bar chart visualising the healthy prison scores for HMP Northumberland when it was inspected in 2022 and 2025. It shows that the scores for safety and respect had remained reasonably good, the score for purposeful activity had improved from not sufficiently good to reasonably good, and the score for preparation for release had improved from poor to reasonably good.
December 2, 2025 at 8:39 AM
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Our researchers are conducting a survey at HMP Swaleside at the start of an inspection. If you have information about the establishment, please email: [email protected]
If you have information about the establishment, please email: hmiprisons.enquiries@hmiprisons.gov.uk
December 1, 2025 at 11:22 AM
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Dungavel House IRC: Continuing to deliver good outcomes for detainees

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=hm...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=ne...

See the healthy establishment scores:
Bar chart visualising the healthy establishment scores for Dungaval House IRC when it was inspected in 2021 and 2025. The scores in all four categories had remained the same; good for safety, respect and preparation for removal and release, and reasonably good for activities.
December 1, 2025 at 8:55 AM
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HMP Feltham B: Drugs a problem, but culture of prison improving

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=hm...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk?post_type=ne...

See the healthy prison scores:
Bar chart visualising the healthy prison outcomes scores for Feltham B prison when it was inspected in 2023 and 2025. The chart shows that outcomes in all four categories have remained the same: safety as not sufficiently good, respect as reasonably good, purposeful activity as poor and preparation for release as not sufficiently good.
December 1, 2025 at 8:50 AM
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Almost 60% of women who offend have experienced domestic violence. We found some positive work in women’s prisons. In our report, ‘Time to care: what helps women cope in prison?’, one woman at HMP & YOI New Hall spoke about the charity ‘Together women’: “[They] are fantastic, they have over 400 women that email them constantly every day and they make you feel that you are number one on their list. They are a group of women that deal with street work, domestic violence… anything to do with women.” At HMP & YOI Drake Hall, we saw a dedicated domestic abuse support officer, who delivered one-to-one intervention to women and developed peer workers to support others. At HMP Send, prison staff had training sessions delivered by Brainkind, a national charity, about the impact of brain injury on behaviour, which affects a high proportion of women who had experienced physical abuse.
November 25, 2025 at 4:52 PM
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Today is White Ribbon Day, which highlights the issue of violence against women and girls.

Many women in prison have experienced abuse and need practical support to help them cope.

Find out more in our 'Time to Care' report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...
25 November is White Ribbon Day, a time to raise awareness about preventing gender-based violence. It also marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, which runs until Human Rights Day on 10 December.
November 25, 2025 at 4:52 PM
hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
HMP Ranby: drugs remained a concern, but committed leaders driving forward improvements.

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/report-...
Report on an independent review of progress at HMP Ranby by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons 20-22 October 2025.
November 24, 2025 at 9:07 AM
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HMP Usk: At Usk, some prisoners and their children benefited from parent-teacher meetings following risk assessment. Teachers were offered a tour and introduction to the prison, which informed them about the prison context and the visiting experience for the child, thereby helping them to provide better support. HMP Chelmsford: The prison held ‘Soccer tots’ family days, which gave an opportunity for fathers and their children to maintain a relationship through fun and interactive play via football.
November 20, 2025 at 9:21 AM
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HMYOI Werrington: Werrington had appointed two kinds of child peer mentors. Some greeted and offered support to newly arrived children in reception and on the first night centre, and took part in the induction programme. The others were equality and diversity peer representatives, who helped leaders to better understand children’s views by representing their peers and their opinions in the equalities meetings. HMYOI Feltham A: Support for children sentenced to life and long sentences was good. This included therapy, one-to-one support and group meetings for children to support each other.
November 20, 2025 at 9:21 AM
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Today is World Children's Day, the anniversary of the Declaration and Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Below is some of the positive practice found in establishments holding children and for children with parents in prison.
World Children’s Day, 20 November On the anniversary of the Declaration and Convention on the Rights of the Child, we want to highlight some of the positive practice found in establishments holding children and for children with parents in prison.
November 20, 2025 at 9:21 AM
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Our researchers are conducting a survey at HMP & YOI Isis at the start of an inspection. If you have information about the establishment, please email: [email protected]
Photograph of a prison visits hall with the HMI Prisons email address overlaid on top.
November 18, 2025 at 11:24 AM
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Our researchers are conducting a survey at HMP Exeter at the start of an inspection. If you have information about the establishment, please email: [email protected]
Photograph of a prison visiting hall, with the HMI Prisons email address overlaid on top.
November 18, 2025 at 10:33 AM
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Deerbolt: limited progress to stem supply and use of drugs despite commendable efforts.

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/reports...

See the healthy prison scores:
Report on an independent review of progress at HMP & YOI Deerbolt by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons 13-15 October 2025.
November 17, 2025 at 8:55 AM
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HMP Leicester: level of violence the highest of any similar reception prison.

Read the inspection report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

And the press notice: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/reports...

See the healthy prison scores:
Bar graph showing HMP Leicester healthy prison outcomes in 2023 and 2025, with safety dropping from reasonably good to not sufficiently good, respect and preparation for release remaining the same at reasonably good, and purposeful activity falling from not sufficiently good to poor.
November 17, 2025 at 8:51 AM
hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
Also at HMP Liverpool, a newly equipped urgent care room enabled acutely unwell or injured patients to be transferred to a clinical environment for observation, tests and treatment. And the new ‘Connecting Communities’ initiative provided up to 12 weeks of health-related aftercare and support to prisoners on release.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM
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All new prisoners at HMP Liverpool received a mental health assessment to identify anxiety or depression within 48 hours. This enabled the early identification of risks and prompt access to care. A triage phone line also provided a responsive health service accepting calls from patients in the morning between 8am and 9.30am.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM
hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social
Every November, Movember aims to change the face of men’s health, encouraging people to unite to take on mental health, suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. An establishment’s approach to mental and physical health is a focal point of any inspection. In our reports we often highlight the lack of mental health support and the under-resourced health care in men’s prisons, but at HMP Liverpool we saw excellent positive practice in these areas.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM
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It's Movember! Let's take a look back at the positive practice highlighted in the HMP Liverpool report earlier this week in men's health!

Read the report: hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM