Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey says she is concerned about the number of deaths at Forest Bank Prison and has called for an “urgent review” to be carried out.
According to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), 12 people have died at Forest Bank in the last two years.
Reports corroborate that illicit drugs have infiltrated the Pendlebury-based Category B prison, with at least one prisoner having used synthetic cannabis (often referred to as spice) “some time before his death.”
In May, justice services firm Sodexo secured a new ten-year contract to continue running and maintaining the men’s prison, despite having received a formal caution two years earlier over concerns about prisoner safety and living conditions.
Long Bailey stressed the importance of Sodexo “being held to account” by the Ministry of Justice now that they have been awarded the decade-long deal.
She said: “The number of deaths at HMP Forest Bank is deeply alarming and cannot be treated as routine. Every life lost in custody represents a failure to keep people safe, and the distress caused to families and staff alike is immeasurable.
“The latest Ombudsman report highlights serious failings in basic procedures, including searches on arrival and first-night checks. These are not optional safeguards – they are the foundations of a safe prison environment.
“I am calling for an urgent review of conditions and oversight at Forest Bank, and for the Ministry of Justice to ensure that Sodexo is held fully accountable under its new contract.
“We need transparency, proper staffing levels, and a clear plan to stop preventable deaths once and for all.”
An anonymous source who spent several years in HMP Forest Bank said the prison did not meet acceptable hygiene standards and pathways to prisoner support did not function as advertised.
“The conditions at the prison were disgusting, unclean and unsanitary. For safety, it’s you and only you. You have to look after look out for yourself because no one else will look after you.
“Nothing is provided in the prison. They say that they will get you support, but you won’t get it. The prison is a joke, it is horrible, and I am surprised that nothing has been done sooner about it.
“It is unsafe and should not be allowed to operate,” he said.
In response, Sodexo said: “Any death in custody is treated with the utmost seriousness, and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those affected. All such cases are investigated by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman and subject to a Coroner Inquest, which we fully cooperate with.
Following any death in custody, including those by natural causes which form the majority of cases, our priority is to implement effective and positive changes in the prison. We review all conclusions and recommendations made by the Coroner or PPO with great care, as we continue to build on the progress made to provide a safe and rehabilitative environment to all prisoners.”
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