No-Deportations - Residence Papers for All

Self-Harm in Immigration Detention January through December 2014

Suicide attempts reached an all time high, practically one everyday!

There was a sharp rise in the number of all incidents in the last quarter of 2014

Overall in 2014 there were 353 suicide attempts, 28 more than the previous year 2013.

2,335 detainees were put on suicide watch 44 less than in 2013.

The Verne is now fully operational, bringing the total of dedicated IRCs to 14.

Recorded deaths:

Christine Chase a national of Jamaica aged 40, died in Yarl's Wood on Sunday 30th March 2014. Sources said they heard Ms Case crying for help before suffering a heart attack. The death caused panic within the immigration removal centre. A spokesman for the NHS East of England ambulance service said: "We were called to Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre at 8:17 am after receiving reports that a woman was in cardiac arrest. We attended along with the air ambulance service. "She was immediately tended by medical staff from the Centre and by paramedics, but did not regain consciousness and sadly died soon after. Ms Chase had been living in the UK for the last fourteen years.

Rubel Ahmed : On 5th September 2014, Rubel Ahmed, a 26 year old immigration detainee from Bangladesh was pronounced dead at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre. Mr Ahmed was detained at Morton Hall IRC for approximately two months.

There was a significant delay in Mr Ahmed's family being informed of his death. His family report that they were given very little information from officials and that they were initially referred to the press office. The family had to make numerous enquiries before they were put in contact with a Family Liaison Officer from the Home Office to confirm Mr Ahmed's death. The family were reliant on reports from other detainees at Morton Hall IRC and were informed that Mr Ahmed was calling for medical assistance prior to his death. Mr Ahmed's family are still uncertain about the cause of his death.

Editors note: UKHO will not provide data on detainees, who die within 72 hours of release from detention. They are required to provide this information for those discharged from prison/police custody/Secure Mental Health facilities.

Statistics for the years 2007 through 2014 can be found here . . . .


'No-Deportations asked UKBA for figures on self-harm in immigration detention between January through December 2014 inclusive, under the following headings:

1. Number of individuals on formal self-harm at risk.

2. Number of Incidents of self-harm requiring medical treatment.

3. Number of deaths if any.

In Campsfield House, Brook House, Colnbrook, Dover, Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Haslar, Morton Hall, Tinsley House, Yarl's Wood IRCs, any Short Term Hold Centres and Cedars pre-departure accommodation and The Verne if operational.

UKBA replied: The data requested on self-harm in Immigration Removal Centres, Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) and Cedars pre-departure accommodation is detailed in the tables below; it is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.

The Verne became operational in September 2014

There has been one death at Yarl's Wood IRC during this period. The death will be the subject of a Coroner's Inquest

Number of Incidents of Self-Harm Requiring Medical Treatment January Through December - 2014
Total Jan Feb Mar   Apr May Jun   Jul Aug Sep   Oct Nov Dec
Quarter 1   Quarter 2   Quarter 3   Quarter 4
Brook House 64 5 9 6   9 7 2   4 1 0   9 6 6
     
Campsfield House 14 0 0 0   1 0 1   0 2 4   1 3 2
     
Colnbrook 26 1 1 0   0 0 0   5 4 2   5 7 1
     
Dover 24 1 1 0   5 2 2   0 0 2   7 2 2
     
Dungavel 6 0 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 0   2 0 2
     
Harmondsworth 68 1 3 6   2 4 7   8 13 7   5 5 7
     
Haslar 1 0 0 1   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0
     
Morton Hall 55 1 3 3   0 6 0   3 6 7   13 11 2
     
The Verne 9   0 0 0   0 0 0   3 5 1
     
Tinsley House 20 0 6 1   1 0 0   2 3 4   2 1 0
     
Yarl's Wood 61 2 5 3   6 2 3   5 8 6   6 14 1
     
Larne 4 0 0 2   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 1
     
Pennine House 0 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0
     
Cedars 1 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 0
     
Subtotal 353   25 21 15   28 37 32   53 55 25
    Q1  - 61   Q2 - 61   Q3 - 97   Q4 - 133

 

Individuals on Formal Self-Harm at Risk in Immigration Detention January Through December - 2014
                       
Total Jan Feb Mar   Apr May Jun   Jul Aug Sept   Oct Nov Dec
               
Brook House 342 33 38 31   22 38 16   34 25 26   29 14 36
     
Campsfield House 128 10 4 7   8 5 9   10 17 13   16 15 14
     
Colnbrook 261 22 28 21   26 24 28   18 15 17   23 22 17
     
Dover 120 9 11 13   4 9 11   3 9 20   9 14 8
     
Dungavel 110 12 9 9   11 9 6   9 13 10   11 9 2
     
Harmondsworth 390 38 30 30   25 37 21   40 30 31   32 41 35
     
Haslar 50 3 7 5   3 3 7   0 5 4   5 4 4
     
Morton Hall 285 17 14 20   14 21 21   13 25 36   41 31 32
     
The Verne 46 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0   11 15 20
       
Tinsley House 139 9 12 15   12 9 6   8 12 13   18 16 9
     
Yarl's Wood 427 40 37 35   49 26 23   30 39 39   39 44 26
     
Larne 11 1 0 2   0 0 1   0 1 2   0 2 2
     
Pennine House 19 3 1 0   0 1 2   2 2 2   0 4 2
     
Cedars Pre-departure 7 1 0 0   1 0 1   0 0 0   2 1 1
     
Subtotal   2,335 198 191 188   175 182 152   167 193 213   236 232 208
                     
Q1 - 577   Q2 - 509   Q3 - 573   Q3 - 676
                           

 

 

Last updated 13 March, 2015