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Ombudsman again criticises HMP Wandsworth over emergency codes after 2021 death
No control room record shows when a code blue was called after Aktar Uddin was found unresponsive in his cell on Christmas Day 2021.
Key facts
- Aktar Uddin, 35, died at HMP Wandsworth on 25 December 2021
- The control room log held no record of when a code blue was called
- An inquest found TPIM restrictions had a "substantial impact" on his mental state
- The Prison Service says it has accepted the recommendations
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has repeated its concerns about the way HMP Wandsworth handles medical emergencies, after a prisoner took his own life at the south London jail on 25 December 2021.
Aktar Uddin, 35, had been convicted of terrorism offences and was sent to Wandsworth in January 2020. His jail term followed breaches of Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs), anti-terrorism restrictions imposed by the government. They capped the money he could take out and required him to wear an electronic tag. An inquest earlier this month concluded that the TPIMs had a “substantial impact” on his mental state.
What the ombudsman found at HMP Wandsworth
At about 4.20am, an officer noticed that Mr Uddin had covered the observation panel on his cell. Other staff arrived and could see he was unresponsive, but he had blocked the door with furniture and they could not get in. According to the ombudsman, nobody called a code blue while officers used their radios to summon help and worked to break into the cell. The door was removed at roughly 4.26am, and an ambulance was called at that point. Officers and healthcare staff attempted resuscitation, and paramedics pronounced him dead at 5.10am.
Some witnesses recalled a code blue being raised during the incident, but the ombudsman said the timing was unclear and the control room log held no record of it. It said this was unlikely to have changed the outcome for Mr Uddin but “might be critical in other circumstances”. The watchdog said it had already made several recommendations to Wandsworth on the issue and found it disappointing to have to raise them again.
The ombudsman did not fault staff for failing to foresee what happened. Nothing before his death, it said, pointed to his suicide risk being raised or immediate. The then governor sent out notices straight after the death, telling staff they must call medical emergency codes.
Prison Service response
The Prison Service said it had accepted the ombudsman’s recommendations and acted on them. A spokesperson said the changes included tougher emergency response procedures and further training for staff.
Key questions
What did the ombudsman find at HMP Wandsworth?
It was unclear when a code blue medical emergency was called, and the control room log had no record of one.
Did the missing code blue affect the outcome?
The ombudsman said it could not say it affected the outcome for Mr Uddin, but it might be critical in other emergencies.
What has the Prison Service done?
It says it has accepted the recommendations, toughened emergency response procedures and given staff more training.
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