World Immigration News

The UK is failing to protect vulnerable people in immigration detention: Medical Justice Annual Review

Release Date: 2025-10-13
Media: Oxford Law Blogs
Summary: Medical Justice’s 2024 annual review highlights serious failures in healthcare and safeguarding within UK immigration detention, placing vulnerable detainees at unacceptable risk. With government plans to expand detention capacity and accelerate removals, these systemic shortcomings are particularly concerning.

The review analyzed 73 detainees assessed by Medical Justice clinicians in 2024, documenting high levels of vulnerability due to past torture, trafficking, trauma, and physical or mental health conditions. Key findings include:

82% were torture survivors and 63% had a history of trafficking, yet initial health screenings missed 77% and 89% of these cases, respectively.

99% had at least one mental health condition, many newly diagnosed in detention.

97% experienced mental health deterioration in detention, 74% had increased suicide risk, 23% self-harmed, and three attempted suicide.

Only 6% had the required Rule 35 safeguarding report.

Mentally ill detainees were often placed in prolonged segregation, and over half were not visited daily by GPs as required.

Force was used on 16 clients, including head and neck application in two cases.

90% were eventually released, raising questions about the justification for detention.

Medical Justice recommends ending immigration detention and exploring credible community-based alternatives. In the meantime, they call for immediate implementation of all 33 Brook House Inquiry recommendations and strengthening protections under the ongoing review of the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy.
Tags: United Kingdom

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