HMIP Visits Bronzefield: Our Demands, Their Response, and What Comes Next?

On behalf of the women enduring neglect and abuse inside HMP Bronzefield, we wrote directly to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons. Our letter was clear: enough women have already died. It is time to place Bronzefield under immediate special measures and withdraw Sodexo’s contract.

What we laid out was not hearsay. It was detailed, corroborated testimony from women inside, medical records, and letters from consultants. It was trauma laid bare, with consent, so that the truth could be heard.

Evidence Submitted

Our submission included a detailed catalogue of evidence:

• Testimony from women currently imprisoned at Bronzefield
• Medical correspondence, including letters from consultants
• Past issues of The View Magazine (Issues 13 and 14), which document recurring failings in healthcare
• Articles, campaign reports, and legal advocacy materials
• Audio recordings and transcripts from Rebel Justice, our podcast platform
• Source material used in national media coverage, including an article by journalist Kelly-Anne Mills published by The Mirror

This evidence reflects deeply embedded failures within the prison, particularly in the provision of healthcare and the treatment of women with cancer.

Summary of Allegations

Women with complex medical needs, including those with advanced-stage cancer, are being systematically neglected. Testimonies and documentation point to the following patterns:

• Women with stage 3 and 4 cancer missing chemotherapy and radiotherapy appointments
• Delayed or denied access to diagnostic results
• Women being physically restrained — including handcuffed or chained — while undergoing hospital treatment
• Withholding of basic and essential medication
• Women with cervical cancer left bleeding in cells, denied access to medical staff
• A hostile and retaliatory culture within the prison, particularly among senior staff members
• Ongoing administrative delays disproportionately affecting foreign national women awaiting deportation, resulting in prolonged detention beyond sentence expiry

One such case is that of Farah Damji, who has missed the entire window for critical, life-saving treatment while being held on remand. Her case is not an exception — it is indicative of a wider pattern.

HMIP’s Response

In their reply, the HM Inspectorate of Prisons confirmed that, while they do not handle individual complaints, they had referred the matter to the Director of HMP Bronzefield and understood that an internal investigation was underway.

The Inspectorate further noted that our correspondence and supporting evidence had been formally logged in their intelligence files for Bronzefield.

They provided guidance on the appropriate complaint routes available to prisoners, including the Independent Prisoner Complaint Investigations (IPCI), formerly under the Prison and Probation Ombudsman.

Our Position

While we welcome HMIP’s acknowledgement of the concerns raised and their contact with the prison, this response falls far short of what is needed. A brief reference to an ongoing internal investigation within a privately-run institution accused of serious neglect cannot be considered sufficient.

The severity and urgency of the evidence demand external oversight, formal inspection, and clear, public accountability.

Women are deteriorating, physically and mentally, within this institution. They are not being protected. They are not being heard.

Next Steps

The View Magazine CIC continues to call for:

• An urgent, unannounced full inspection of HMP Bronzefield
• Immediate placement of the prison under special measures
• Termination of Sodexo Ltd’s management contract
• A broader review of the use of private contractors in the women’s prison estate

We will continue to support women inside through legal advice, advocacy, and public campaigning. We remain in close contact with those currently affected, and we will ensure their voices are amplified.