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Our inspection
During the course of 2022, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) collaborated on a baseline review of the provision of healthcare services to police custody centres across Scotland. A report outlining our findings and recommendations was published in January 2023. We used learning from the review to develop a framework to inspect healthcare services within police custody, and to devise a methodology for the joint inspection of police custody centres.
On completion of the baseline review, the scrutiny partners agreed to undertake two initial custody inspections to further develop inspection methodology and to complete our inspection framework. We thereafter commenced a programme of joint custody inspections and, to date, have published six custody inspection reports. The findings from these can be found on our website. This report relates to our inspection of primary custody centres in Glasgow, including at London Road, Govan and Cathcart.
The inspection was carried out by HMICS and HIS, the aim of which was to assess the treatment of, and conditions for, individuals detained at the custody centres. This report provides an analysis of the quality of custody centre operations as well as the provision of healthcare services in the custody centres and consequently makes recommendations for both Police Scotland and the healthcare provider.
While recommendations outlined in this report have specific relevance for Glasgow custody centres, we recognise that some of these will be equally applicable to other custody centres across Scotland and should be considered in future improvement planning by Police Scotland’s Criminal Justice Services Division (CJSD). We consider recommendations 2, 3 and 4 from this report to have such relevance.
During this inspection, we found common themes that featured as recommendations in our previously published custody inspection reports. We have referenced these within the body of this report where relevant.
The onsite stage of the inspection took place in September 2024. As part of our inspection, we reviewed the Police Scotland National Custody System (NCS) and examined a representative sample of detainees processed at the custody centres during July 2024. We assessed the physical environment, including the quality of cells, and observed key processes and procedures relevant to police custody operations. We also spoke with people detained at the custody centres and interviewed custody staff and healthcare professionals during our visit.
This report, similar to recently published inspection reports, highlights our concerns regarding a lack of consistency in the recording of information on the NCS. While some aspects of custody centre operations were recorded well, such as legal rights, the recording of information relating to criminal justice decisions and care plans was found to be lacking. We have continued to find disparities, in some cases, between the risk assessments undertaken and the corresponding care plans put in place to mitigate risk. Similarly, we found a lack of quality assurance of operational practice taking place; an issue which we have raised previously and have made a recommendation for improvement.
We have highlighted the need for increased line management presence within custody centres to ensure the quality and consistency of custody centre operations. In addition, we have outlined the need for increased management oversight of children in custody to ensure they spend as little time as possible in custody and are released as soon as legally permissible.
We found the provision of healthcare within the custody centres to be good, and that it was being delivered within an established and well-managed model.
Police custody has been subject to considerable scrutiny by HMICS since Police Scotland was established. Police Scotland has made progress in implementing previous recommendations and improvement actions in respect of custody services and is actively working to address those that remain outstanding.
We wish to thank the officers and staff of the Criminal Justice Services Division of Police Scotland, as well as those from the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, which is responsible for healthcare at the centres inspected.
The custody inspection programme is overseen by Ray Jones, Lead Inspector at HIMCS, with support from HMICS Associate Inspectors and HIS Inspectors.
Craig Naylor
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary
March 2025