Ministerial Accountability Board: progress report - December 2025
Information collected for the December meeting of the Ministerial Accountability Board reporting on the progress made towards the completion of the various recommendations and commitments being monitored by the board. It is based on information from Scottish Government, NHS Forth Valley and the Scottish Prison Service.
7. Theme: Suicide Prevention
Recommendation 9 (Katie & William FAI): SPS should provide a 24 hour helpline for family members to report suicide concerns to prison staff.
RAG Ratings:
June - Blue
September - Blue
December - Blue
Progress:
- Complete:
- In February 2024, SPS strengthened the ability to raise a concern by introducing a dedicated 24-hour concern line for all prisons in Scotland.
- This concern line can be utilised by anyone to raise a concern about someone in SPS custody. The telephone numbers are readily available on the SPS website in the Family and Friends section.
- The webpage also details how to raise a concern about an individual’s mental health and wellbeing and what action SPS will take following receipt of such information.
Recommendation 14 (Katie & William FAI): Review and overhaul of 'Talk to Me'; and
Recommendation 4 (Jack McKenzie FAI): Suicide risk assessment to be completed for chronic/habitual drug-users when removed from MORS; and
Recommendation 5 (Jack McKenzie FAI): Review and overhaul of 'Talk to Me' to reflect enhanced risk for chronic/habitual drug use.
RAG Ratings:
June - Amber-Green
September - Amber-Green
December - Amber-Green
Progress:
- Complete:
- New process introduced across HMP & YOIs Polmont and Stirling where every young person is placed on Talk to Me for their first 72 hours in prison custody and then until such time as a Case Conference assesses they have all suitable information required to support a decision to remove them from Talk to Me. Standard Operating Procedures have been developed to ensure the process is robust and staff understand their responsibilities.
- Independent review of Talk to Me commissioned and completed. The findings will inform SPS’ approach to overhaul Talk to Me.
- Ongoing:
- SPS intend to publish findings from the independent review of Talk to Me by the end of the year.
- SPS intend to publish their intended approach to overhauling Talk to Me by the end of the year.
Recommendation 15 (Katie & William FAI) & Recommendation 3 (Jack McKenzie FAI): Where a prisoner has died by suicide, the DIPLAR process must consider, and if so advised make recommendations, in relation to the safety of their physical environment with Polmont and the means by which they were able to complete suicide.
RAG Ratings:
June - Blue
September - Blue
December - Blue
Progress:
- Complete:
- SPS has reviewed and implemented revised DIPLAR paperwork and guidance in October 2024 across the SPS estate. This requires staff to include details of the environment in cases where the death was suicide by ligature, including recording the fixture point and ligature used.
- It is required as part of the DIPLAR process, to consider and where appropriate, make recommendations, in relation to the safety and condition of the physical environment, the means by which a person dies by suicide and if by ligature the nature and availability of the item used.
- SPS has appointed four independent individuals to chair all DIPLARs.
Action 1 (Cabinet Secretary Commitment): All Death in Prison Learning and Audit Reviews (DIPLAR) reviews should have an independent chair.
RAG Ratings:
June - Green
September - Blue
December - Blue
Progress:
- Complete:
- Procurement exercise completed to appoint independent chairs for all DIPLARS.
- Four individuals selected and will chair DIPLARS going forward to ensure suitable independence.