Twelve deaths in two years at Forest Bank prompt calls for urgent prison review

MP Rebecca Long-Bailey urges investigation into failings at privately run Salford prison following damning report

Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey has demanded an urgent review into conditions at Forest Bank Prison, after 12 deaths were recorded at the Category B facility in just two years.

The call follows a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), which raised serious concerns about safety and procedures at the privately operated men's prison in Pendlebury, run by Sodexo.

In one of the deaths, a prisoner was found to have used the synthetic drug spice shortly before dying, pointing to the growing problem of illicit substances inside the jail. The report identified significant failures in routine safety procedures, including inadequate searches upon arrival and insufficient checks on prisoners during their first night.

Ms Long-Bailey described the number of deaths as “deeply alarming” and said that “every life lost in custody represents a failure to keep people safe”.

“The latest Ombudsman report highlights serious failings in basic procedures,” she added. “These are not optional safeguards,  they are the foundations of a safe prison environment.”

She has urged the Ministry of Justice to ensure Sodexo is held fully accountable under a new ten-year contract awarded in May this year, despite previous concerns about prisoner safety.

The MP also called for transparency, adequate staffing levels and a comprehensive plan to prevent further avoidable deaths at the facility.

Forest Bank, which opened in 2000, has a capacity of over 1,400 inmates. It has faced repeated criticism over the years for overcrowding, poor hygiene, and limited access to support services.

One former inmate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the conditions inside as “disgusting, unclean and unsanitary”.

“For safety, it’s you and only you. You have to look out for yourself because no one else will,” he said. “They say they’ll get you support, but you won’t get it. The prison is a joke. It’s unsafe and shouldn’t be allowed to operate.”

Despite concerns being raised for several years, the prison was granted a new decade-long contract earlier this year, prompting renewed scrutiny from campaigners and politicians alike.

Both the Ministry of Justice and Sodexo have been contacted for comment but have yet to respond.

The PPO has now made recommendations aimed at addressing failings, but campaigners argue more immediate action is required to avoid further tragedies.