His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland visited the Bishopbriggs prison in August 2025 and found that, despite a capacity of 784, the jail was holding 835 prisoners.

The report said 100 additional spaces had been created by “overcrowding cells”, with inspectors warning the pressures were affecting both staff and prisoners.

One of the “most troubling aspects” identified was the workload of the prison’s substance use team, with some nurses supporting up to 86 patients.

The report said prison and NHS staff provided care for prisoners under the influence of illicit substances, but highlighted concerns over drug testing and the need for greater focus on preventing violence.

Inspectors also found the social work team was “under the most pressure”, with a “significant backlog in risk assessments”.

The report said: “The inspection of HMP Low Moss represented another case study in the insidious consequences of overcrowding in Scottish prisons.”

It said that the impact was felt by “prisoners who share single cells that are below the minimum space standards recognised by the Council of Europe and the International Committee of the Red Cross”.

Overcrowding had also resulted in the loss of a dedicated first night in custody unit, which had been designed to support new arrivals but was no longer operating due to population pressures.

Inspectors warned that long-term reliance on overtime and additional shifts was “unsustainable”, leaving staff exhausted and unwilling to work extra hours.

The report said the focus on meeting prisoners’ basic entitlements, including meals, visits and exercise, had come “at the expense of personal officer work, and prisoners’ access to employment, education, case work and gym”.

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “Since the inspection, almost 12 months ago, a full regime and attendance pattern review has been implemented resulting in substantial changes across several areas referenced in the report.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the inspectorate highlights key strengths, including positive family interactions, strong relationships with Family Contact Officers, and the range of high-quality purposeful activity available to prisoners.

“These should continue to be encouraged to support preparation for release.”

The spokesperson added: “The high prison population in Scotland continues to place pressure on staff and the regime at HMP Low Moss, as is evident in areas such as integrated case management, healthcare and cell sharing.

“We are committed to improving the quality of care for individuals in custody and will work with partners to address these concerns.

“Despite these challenges, we welcome the areas of good practice identified, including healthcare inductions and person-centred treatment through the Talk to Me – the Scottish Prison Service’s crisis response policy for individuals at risk of suicide.”