The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has today welcomed the publication of the final report of the Ministerial Accountability Board (MAB).
Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive, said she welcomed the “sustained scrutiny” the Board has brought as SPS works to deliver “lasting, impactful change”,
The Board has provided important oversight and transparency in relation to deaths in prison custody and to how SPS seeks to support and protect people in its care.
As the owners of most of the FAI recommendations, SPS fully recognises the responsibility the organisation carries and are determined to see this work through.
The MAB’s recognition of SPS’s strengthened leadership and intent reflects change already happening across the organisation, which are aimed at delivering real operational impact.
The tragic deaths of young people in custody, including Katie Allan and William Lindsay (also known as William Brown), continue to have a profound impact on families, communities and SPS staff.
Their legacy continues to drive the work underway across SPS to improve care, strengthen safety, and ensure that lessons lead to real and sustained change.
Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, said:
I would like to thank the Ministerial Accountability for their sustained scrutiny and support.
We know that meaningful change cannot be achieved through policy alone; it must translate into consistent, visible improvements in frontline practice and be felt by the people in our care.
Central to this is the culture change we are driving across SPS, and I welcome the Board’s recognition of the progress being made.
We remain committed to ensuring that this work leads to lasting, impactful change.
SPS will continue to work closely with partners, families and those with lived experience as it takes forward the next phase of this work.