Recurring concern
Inadequate control of illicit substance use and supply in secure institutions
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Request correctionFirst reported 28 Oct 2015•Latest report 24 Mar 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures of controls specifically dedicated to preventing, detecting, investigating or responding to illicit substance entry, supply, distribution or use in secure hospitals, prisons and comparable secure institutional settings, including searches, testing, intelligence, supply-reduction strategies, risk investigation, warnings and safeguarding or clinical response where directly tied to the illicit-substance concern.
Not included
- Excludes ordinary medication-security, prescribing, dispensing or administration failures where illicit substances are not the material concern.
- Excludes generic staffing, communication, training or governance deficiencies unless they directly impair control of illicit substance entry, supply, distribution or use in a secure institution.
- Excludes substance-use treatment or withdrawal-management failures where the issue is not control of illicit substances entering, circulating or being used in the secure institution.
- Excludes general violence, self-harm, overdose or prisoner-safety concerns without a specific illicit-substance control failure.
- Excludes community or public illicit-drug supply concerns without a secure-institution setting.
- Reports
- 23
- Individual concerns
- 30
- Date range
- 2015–2026
- Stated actions
- 61
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
Weak and unembedded illicit drug supply reduction work
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.
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Concerns raised1
Access to illicit substances within the prison
This report raised 4 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.2
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Action
Review the adjudication tariff and process for drug-related incidents, county lines and criminal exploitation.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Work with Public Health and Commissioners to improve substance-misuse awareness and support drug-supply reduction, demand reduction and recovery.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Failure to issue Governor notices in response to increased psychoactive substance risks
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.
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
Operate a weekly multidisciplinary Restrict Supply Tasking Group to share drug-ingress information and identify potentially dangerous substances.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Failure of prison security fences to prevent the transfer of drugs and other prohibited materials between prisoners
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.
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
Conduct diagnostic checks of internal and external perimeters, including fences and gates, to identify drug-supply vulnerabilities and report findings to establishments.
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
Existing security fences at HMP Guys Marsh meet agreed national requirements, so further review is not identified as necessary.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Lack of observations and welfare checks for prisoners found under the influence of psychoactive substances
This report raised 4 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.2
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Action
Gather information from regional prison safety groups about local initiatives for observations and welfare checks.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Discuss nationally rolling out local drug-related safety initiatives with the NHSE/I national team.
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.2
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Position
HMPPS is responsible for deciding whether local welfare, substance intervention and life-support processes should be rolled out nationally.
Stated by NHS England
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Position
Matters of concern i, ii, iii and v do not relate to NHS Digital, so it has no comment on them.
Stated by NHS England
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate control of access to novel psychoactive substances within the prison
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.5
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Action
Revise Berwyn’s prison Drug Strategy to restrict illicit items, apply consequences for possession, and support dependent users.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Operate a Rapiscan machine to improve detection of contraband items.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Introduce improved gate searching to limit the availability of drugs.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Action
Change supervision of domestic visits to limit the availability of drugs.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Use intelligence systems and collaborate with HMPPS and police colleagues to restrict illicit-substance supply.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Lack of a local protocol for accessing and administering Naloxone
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.
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
Determine how prison staff could identify opioid overdoses and administer naloxone, including the training required.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
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Concerns raised1
Failure to record information about prisoner substance misuse and drug-related intelligence
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.
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Concerns raised2
Failure to adequately manage illicit substance misuse in the prison
Failure to prevent the use and supply of illicit substances in the prison
This report raised 2 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
Insufficient availability of trained passive dogs for controlling Novel Psychoactive Substance use in prisons
This report raised 2 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
Recruit additional dog handlers to increase regional search capacity and provide Wormwood Scrubs with seven passive and active search and patrol dogs.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
Data last updated 7 September 2026