INSPECTORS have praised staff at the Port of Dover for the way they deal with people who are detained.

The report follows an unannounced visit by Gerry O’Donoghue, Eileen Bye and researcher Rachel Worsley, on behalf of the Inspector of Prisons, to the short-term holding facility at the docks in April.

The team said detainees were complimentary about Port of Dover custody staff. First names were used and communication was “respectful and caring”.

“Staff were courteous, hand-overs between staff were good, and the atmosphere was positive.

“The reception process was swift, polite and respectful.”

But the inspectors said detainees were given only minimal information about the centre in a language they could understand.

Detainees who had money paid for their own phone calls on reception and only those without money were allowed an initial phone call at the centre’s expense.

Mobile phones were not allowed.

A nurse was on duty 24 hours a day, but she was not able to prescribe even basic medications. She had to call the local immigration office, who in turn told the port medical inspector who could issue a prescription or refer the case to a hospital or paramedics. The port authority was trying to improve links with healthcare providers.

The six detainees who the inspection team spoke to said they were bored.

Access to the fresh air was not routine, there was very little reading material - just a couple of English magazines - and no stock of books.

“We saw one pack of cards,” said the inspectors. “There were a few other games stored but not all detainees were aware that they could ask for them.

“The televisions were small and the choice of programmes was limited and in English only.

“Pens were not allowed for any length of time, apparently because some detainees had written on notice boards in the past. Consequently, detainees could not fill their time writing letters or doing crosswords.”