Barlinnie Prison ‘no longer fit for purpose’, inspectors have ruled
Scotland’s largest prison is “no longer fit for purpose” to deal with the number of inmates it houses, inspectors have said.
An inspection of Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow found holding cells in the reception area, which were “first condemned 25 years ago”, remain in use, with concerns they breach the human rights of prisoners.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland also highlighted the “outdated and antiquated building design”, with inspectors noting the “severe state of disrepair” of medical rooms.
Their report said while “strenuous efforts were being made to maintain hygiene and cleanliness” throughout the prison, “inspectors were concerned to see rats in the grounds”.
At the time of their visit, Barlinnie housed 1,489 prisoners – 45.8 per cent more than the maximum number it was designed for.
Scottish Prison Service (SPS) bosses have bought a 22 hectare site in north-east Glasgow, where it is hoped a new prison will be built. But SPS chief executive Colin Mcconnell has previously told MSPS he does not expect this to be ready until 2024 at the earliest.
In her report, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland Wendy Sinclair-gieben said that “given the length of time before a new HMP Glasgow will open, interim solutions must be sought”.
Inspectors have now made eight “key recommendations” for the SPS and the Scottish Government.
With inspectors having visited the prison before the coronavirus pandemic, the report said some of the actions taken by the SPS in response could have “exacerbated” some of the issues they raised.
The report said: “The Inspectorate had deep concerns about the adverse environmental conditions in the healthcare facility, compounded by the impact of the high population numbers on the delivery of care. The severe state of disrepair of the rooms used to deliver healthcare that were seen throughout the inspection, and the consequent risk posed to both patients and staff requires urgent attention.”
The damage in medical rooms prevented them from being cleaned “in line with infection prevention and control guidelines”, according to inspectors. The inspectors were also “concerned that over two thirds of prisoners were sharing cells designed for single occupancy”.
A government spokeswoman said while they were impressed with the positive attitudes of the staff, they took seriously the concerns of the inspector. She added: “A total of £68 million has been committed to improve the infrastructure of Scottish prisons this year and we remain committed to the development of a new fit for purpose replacement for HMP Barlinnie.”