The Guardian’s article, “G4S may make more profit than allowed from removal centres, figures suggest”, on 13th September 2017 reports that G4S is bidding to renew its contract to run Brook House immigration removal centre (IRC). G4S also has the contract to provide healthcare at Brook House.
Last week Panorama broadcast scenes filmed uncover at Brook House of G4S guards apparently abusing, threatening and mocking vulnerable detainees. This included a G4S nurse watching while her colleagues appeared to assault a detainee. She was filmed calling a detainee “an arse”, and agreeing not to document the use of force in a detainee’s medical records.
Medical Justice sends volunteer independent doctors to visit immigration detainees and have come across a number of instances of medical mistreatment at the hands of G4S. The general provision of healthcare services by G4S seems inadequate and some healthcare staff seem to have not been trained appropriately in policies that apply to detainees. We would condemn in the strongest possible terms any instance of G4S putting profit before detainees’ health.
The ultimate responsibility lies with the Home Office, and with NHS England who have informed us that they specifically do not look at a provider’s past performance during the process of tendering for healthcare contracts.
We have found medical mistreatment and abuse of detainees in all IRCs across the UK. High Court judges have found cases of “inhuman and degrading treatment” of detainees and inquests have found that neglect has contributed to a number of detainee deaths.
A detainee died earlier this week at Harmondsworth IRC. We call for the immediate release of all immigration detainees before anyone else dies.
