Joint review of police custody recommendations

1. This review was a targeted assessment of progress against recommendations arising from previous joint custody inspection reports, rather than a full inspection of individual custody centres.

2. We reviewed all recommendations from previously published joint custody inspection reports to assess the extent to which these had been progressed and embedded across police custody services.

3. HMICS inspectors examined custody records on the National Custody System (NCS) to assess operational practice, including compliance with risk assessment, care planning and recording requirements.

4. Onsite visits were carried out at custody centres in Dunfermline, Motherwell and Greenock to observe custody operations and assess implementation of inspection recommendations in practice.

5. We conducted interviews with custody staff, supervisors and senior officers to assess awareness of key challenges and the extent to which recommendations were being progressed.

6. HIS undertook a complementary programme of work, including a review of all joint inspection reports to identify the range and nature of healthcare recommendations.

7. HIS analysed improvement plans, evidence submissions and internal risk assessments to identify national themes and patterns in implementation.

8. A recommendations progress tracker, supported by NPM data, was used to provide a quantitative assessment of progress and identify national trends.

9. HIS also drew on findings from the National Baseline Review to assess progress against earlier recommendations and ensure continuity with initial inspection activity.

10. In addition, HIS convened focus groups with key partners, including Police Scotland and the National Police Care Network, to gather system-wide insight and triangulate findings.

11. Both HMICS and HIS used the joint custody inspection framework to identify the themes most frequently associated with recommendations, informing the focus and prioritisation of this review.