HMP Bedford

Date of assessment: 3 to 6 August 2026.

HMP Bedford is a Category B, reception and resettlement prison that accommodates up to 400 adult male prisoners. The healthcare services are provided by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT).

We undertook a follow-up inspection in April 2025 and served a warning notice for breaches relating to safe care and treatment. We also issued an action plan request for breaches relating to governance and staffing. At an inspection in August 2025, we found the provider was meeting legal requirements relating to safe care and treatment. They were given more time to address the concerns outlined in the action plan request.

During this assessment in August 2026, we found staffing levels and governance arrangements had improved significantly since the previous inspection. Recruitment had reduced workforce pressures and strengthened incident reporting, and oversight processes supported effective monitoring of learning and service performance.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

HMP Bedford is a Category B, reception and resettlement prison. The prison is located in Bedford and accommodates up to 400 adult male prisoners. The healthcare services are provided by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) trust.

We carried out a joint inspection with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) in August 2024, where we found the quality of healthcare required improvement. We followed up the concerns identified in April 2025 and served a warning notice in relation to breaches of regulation relating to regulation 12 safe care and treatment (specifically relating to patients who were residing or had resided on the inpatient unit as well as patients who required support from the mental health team). The service was required to become compliant with these concerns by 01 August 2025. We also identified breaches in regulation 17 good governance and regulation 18 staffing, and we issued an action plan request, the provider was given more time to address these concerns.

The purpose of this focused assessment was to determine if the provider was now meeting the legal requirements of regulation 12. At this assessment, we assessed 4 quality statements across safe, effective and responsive. We found that the service had made significant improvement and were compliant with the breaches in relation to regulation 12.

At this assessment, we found no breaches of regulation. A separate assessment of regulations 17 and 18 will take place at a future date.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

In instances where CQC has decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded.

Date of assessment: 8 April to 16 April 2025. This included a site visit on 8 April and 9 April 2025.

HMP Bedford is a Category B, reception and resettlement prison. The prison is located in Bedford and accommodates up to 400 adult male prisoners. The healthcare services are provided by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) trust.

We carried out a joint inspection with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) in August 2024, where we found the quality of healthcare required improvement. We issued an action plan request in relation to breaches of regulation found relating to safe care and treatment (for patients assessed and/or treated by the mental health team) as well as concerns relating to governance.

The purpose of this focused assessment was to determine if the provider was now meeting the legal requirements of the relevant regulations. At this assessment, we assessed 7 quality statements across the safe, effective, responsive and well-led key questions. We found some improvements had been made but more work needed to be done. We also had new concerns raised with us prior to and during the assessment.

At this assessment, we found 3 breaches of regulation. The provider remained in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment and governance. The provider was now in breach of regulation in relation to staffing.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

Musts

The provider must:

-Ensure that all known incidents are reported in accordance with trust policy.

-Ensure that patients with identified needs are referred and assessed in accordance with timescales.

-Ensure care plans and risk assessments are clear and reflect the risks and needs of the patient.

-Ensure that where patients require intervention, these are clearly documented and provision made to offer these interventions.

-Ensure that patients receive care and treatment for their condition in a timely manner.

In instances where CQC has decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded.