Recurring concern
Unreliable recording and involvement of prisoners’ next of kin
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Request correctionFirst reported 31 May 2024•Latest report 10 Mar 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures in prison processes to obtain, verify, maintain or make accessible next-of-kin details, and failures to involve or communicate with next of kin about significant care, welfare, safety or other decisions where their involvement is appropriate, including the anchor’s missing process at HMP Guys Marsh and comparable failures involving inaccurate records, absent details, delayed communication or omitted involvement.
Not included
- Excludes generic family communication, complaint handling or care-planning failures where next-of-kin identification or involvement is not the material unsafe condition.
- Excludes failures involving patients’ or residents’ families outside a prison or custody context unless the assertion explicitly supports the same next-of-kin process.
- Excludes failures to provide treatment, supervision or care where next-of-kin information and involvement were reliable.
- Excludes ordinary confidentiality or consent restrictions where they appropriately prevent disclosure or involvement.
- Excludes the existing narrower concern concerning usable family contact details where the assertion is limited to obtaining or retaining contact details and does not support the broader next-of-kin recording-and-involvement condition.
- Reports
- 2
- Individual concerns
- 2
- Date range
- 2024–2026
- Stated actions
- 2
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 raised1
Failure to inform Next of Kin of a prisoner’s decision to refuse food or fluids
This report raised 7 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
Deliver awareness sessions to prison and healthcare staff on supporting prisoners who refuse food, including contact with next of kin.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The food and fluid refusal pathway is considered robust and fit for purpose regardless of the reason for refusal.
Stated by Practice Plus Group
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Concerns raised1
Lack of process for recording and involving prisoners’ next of kin
This report raised 16 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
Establish a process for recording next-of-kin details and submitting them on NOMIS.
Stated by Guys Marsh Prison
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Other report recipients are responsible for addressing prison healthcare guidance, ACCT operations and family engagement because these concern day-to-day prison operations.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Data last updated 7 September 2026