to want you to watch this? (Birmingham prison)

[OrangeLeaves5]

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ex-hmp-birmingham-warden-claims-14858023

NC for this. I worked here for nearly 10 years and was in a similar state to this man (who I remember fondly) when I left. Seeing this short clip really saddened me, because I've been there (and still am to an extent). Prison officers do a bloody good job in the face of adversity, and a seriously dangerous one at that! I will leave it at that and hope we can all spare a moment to think about those doing jobs in which they put their physical and mental health at risk to keep others safe.

My relative is set to work there. I fear for their safety.

@MissionItsPossible best of luck to your relative.

🤞🏽

I worked at another midlands B-cat for 8 years and honestly when I left, I was 8 months pregnant and feared for my safety. Number of officers cut by I think 50% in 5 years. I would never return to prison work now. (I wasn’t an officer, I was civilian staff. Officers and particularly healthcare have it significantly worse)

@thenewaveragebear1983

Why was healthcare worse? That’s what my relative is doing I think, and I naively thought they’d be a bit safer than they would if they were an officer

And thank you @OrangeSparkles5

Mission I think the healthcare teams have it worse because they deal with people in all states of drug abuse and detox. They also have an obligation to treat everyone, regardless of how they behave, whereas I as a teacher could refuse to have someone violent in my group or could have them excluded if they repeatedly behaved badly and I went through the correct reporting process. If the nursing team are dealing with a particularly aggressive person, potentially they are dealing with him daily for many months.

The officers in healthcare absolutely have it bad. Worst potentially depending on which prison. The healthcare medical staff don't have it too bad as they will rarely be on their own with a prisoner. They don't even have keys to open them up. They're supervised a lot of the time. They don't carry batons either and are not control and restraint trained.

@MissionItsPossible @thenewaveragebear1983

Prison officers put themselves in danger every day they turn up for work. Many of these prisons house the most dangerous people in our country - and we are glad they are kept off the streets by these men and women. They are understaffed, badly paid and very much in need of public recognition of their bravery. For the most part people never think of prison officers or the difficult work they do.