Women's prison in South Gloucestershire has 'worst rate of violence against staff'

Women's prison in South Gloucestershire has 'worst rate of violence against staff' View Image

HMP Eastwood Park has the worst rate of violence against staff of any women's prison in the country, a new report has found. Officials visited the prison in South Gloucestershire for a surprise inspection in June and July, with attacks on staff raised as one area of concern.

The report from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) also found the rate of self-harm among prisoners was “extremely high”, and that women with severe mental health issues were being kept in prison rather than being sent to secure hospitals.

Nonetheless, the report said conditions in the Wotton-under-Edge prison had improved since a previous inspection in 2022. In particular, inspectors said the situation in h