Recurring concern
Unreliable recording of prisoner risk assessments and decisions
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Request correctionFirst reported 16 Jun 2014•Latest report 20 Apr 2020
What this concern includes
Includes failures to record, update or attribute prisoner risk assessments, placement or deselection decisions and associated risk-management discussions where the records are needed for later review, handover or protective action, including RSU decisions and prison healthcare or custody risk assessments.
Not included
- Excludes failures to perform or clinically assess prisoner risk where the recording process is not itself deficient.
- Excludes generic prison record-keeping failures unrelated to risk assessments or consequential risk-management decisions.
- Excludes failures to communicate or act on complete and accessible risk records where recording and attribution were reliable.
- Excludes broader prison information-sharing, ACCT or multidisciplinary-review failures unless the specific unsafe condition is missing, incomplete or unattributed recording of the risk assessment or decision.
- Reports
- 5
- Individual concerns
- 7
- Date range
- 2014–2020
- Stated actions
- 5
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised3
Failure to record RSU deselection discussions and risk assessments
Failure to record transfer decisions and pre-transfer checks
Delayed recording of post-closure risk interviews after substantial risk change
This report raised 17 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of written rationale for self-harm and suicide risk assessments
This report raised 20 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Complete changes to the redesigned ACCT form and guidance and roll them out across the prison estate.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Lack of process for recording transfer decisions, reasons and decision-maker identity
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Use a Patient Wing Movement Assessment requiring senior clinical review, documented fitness decisions and reasons, regular review meetings, and communication of outcomes before transfers.
Stated by Care UK
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Concerns raised1
Failure to prepare sufficiently full ACCT assessment notes
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Remind staff to make comprehensive records of ACCT assessment interviews.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service and Ministry of Justice and Ranby Prison -
Action
Monitor ACCT documents through Head of Safer Custody oversight and quality assurance checks.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service and Ministry of Justice and Ranby Prison -
Action
Issue notice requiring relevant information to be recorded in ACCT documents, wing observation books and P-NOMIS.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service and Ministry of Justice and Ranby Prison
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Healthcare concerns are assigned to NHS England and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which addressed them separately.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service and Ministry of Justice and Ranby Prison
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Position
The remaining seven concerns were matters for HM Prison Service and other parties, so the Trust could not respond to them.
Stated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to accurately record cell occupancy suitability
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026