Inspection report finds much work needs to be done at new IRC in in County Durham
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMI Prisons) on Tuesday released a new inspection report of Derwentside immigration removal centre (IRC) for women.
Image credit: WikipediaThe 56-page report can be downloaded here.
Derwentside near Consett in County Durham is a new IRC that was opened in November 2021. It held 25 detainees at the time of HMI Prisons' inspection in August. The IRC is run by the contractor Mitie Care and Custody.
Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, said in summing up the inspection's findings: "Overall the picture at Derwentside was very positive with some really impressive work being done. But this was undermined by gaps in crucial processes relating to safety that just aren't good enough given the vulnerable women detained there. There is also a real risk that, as the number of women held there rises, the fragilities that our inspection identified could lead to real harm. The centre's leadership, the central Mitie team and the Home Office must act on this."
Taylor noted there is much work to do at Derwentside to ensure that systems of governance are strengthened and staff are adequately trained to support the often highly vulnerable women in their care.
He added: "Much of the leadership team in the centre … lacked experience, both of immigration detention and of working at their current grade. As a result, we found that procedures for oversight and quality assurance were not good enough in a number of important areas, none more so than in the governance and practice of the use of force. Leaders had not properly overseen the use of force in order to make sure that it was reasonable, proportionate and safe. Inspectors found systems of collecting and storing video and paperwork were not properly organised, making it difficult to track incidents. There appeared to be no footage for some of these incidents."
HMI Prisons found in its inspection that vulnerable women detainees at risk of self-harm or suicide did not receive consistent and well-organised care. In addition, some vulnerable detainees were kept in detention despite evidence of a deleterious effect on their health and well-being.
The report explained: "Many highly vulnerable women were held in the centre, but the safeguarding policy was not focused on the specific needs and risks of women. At the outset of the inspection, 10 detainees were classed as being at risk of harm, including three at the highest level of risk. One of the three was released during the inspection, but the others stayed in detention for lack of suitable accommodation. There was good communication between the Home Office and Mitie Care and Custody about adults at risk. Multidisciplinary management of care for vulnerable detainees was good but record keeping was weak. Vulnerable adult care plans were used appropriately to monitor and support detainees, but some did not detail the care given, or the risks and triggers which staff should bear in mind. Staff sometimes entered women's rooms on their own at night without adequate justification or oversight."
In a survey of detainees, 45% of women said they had felt unsafe at some point during their time at Derwentside. 15% of women said that they currently felt unsafe.
Data and record-keeping relating to violent and antisocial behaviour were found to be poor, and structures and processes to make sure that victims were supported and protected were weak. Record keeping of the use of force by staff was poor, with no systematic process for collating all footage and paperwork after an incident.
Women spent an average of 40 days at Derwentside IRC, though one detainee had been held there for five months and had been in immigration detention for six months, which HMI Prisons said was far too long.
On access to legal advice at Derwentside, the report states: "The provision for legal visits was adequate, but because of the remote location of the centre, the number of in-person visits was limited. They could also take place over Skype, but the take-up was very low. All detainees were offered access to half an hour of free legal advice under the detained duty advice scheme. Until June 2022, these sessions had been happening remotely, but since then 47 in-person sessions had taken place. Another 120 women had been referred for sessions by Skype or telephone in the same period.
"The library contained some legal materials, although not all were up to date. However, detainees were able to email legal representatives and access websites containing legal information. The welfare office provided a range of materials and information about bail and removal from the UK, although they were not easily available in a range of languages."
The Home Office detention engagement team (DET) at Derwentside was found to be providing a much better and more effective service than normally seen at IRCs. DET workers met detainees regularly, and case progression in the time since the women had entered detention was found to be generally reasonably efficient.
HMI Prisons was also positive about living conditions at Derwentside, finding they were generally good and much better than at other IRCs. The provision of healthcare received very positive comments. In particular, the inspection found that health care staff made exceptional efforts to use interpreting services and provided translated information, including care plans, so that patients fully understood their treatment.
In response to the report, a Home Office was quoted by BBC News as saying: "Steps are already being taken to address the recommendations in the report, and we are working closely with partners and contractors to ensure the services provided, including safeguarding, are of the highest standard."
On Monday of this week, Derwentside was visited by MPs from the House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee as part of an inquiry into equality and the UK asylum process.
Committee member Kate Osborne MP said after the visit: "The appalling conditions I have seen today are a disgrace. Women who are locked up in Derwentside are being denied human rights, are isolated and unable to access face-to-face legal advice. The majority of those being detained here are innocent of any criminal activity and will be detained for unjust and unnecessary administrative purposes. Some of the women have been trafficked, one woman has been detained here for 200 days – isolated from loved ones. … For those women to then be detained in an IRC under prison-like conditions, is absolutely appalling and inhumane."
Osborne said it was shameful that women were being detained instead of being supported and given a place of sanctuary. The MP added that Derwentside should never have been opened and it should now be shut down.