Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre (Heathrow IRC)
How we help
Heathrow IRC combines Colnbrook and Harmondsworth removals centres, making it the largest immigration removal centre in Europe, with a capacity of 965 residents. At the centre, we work alongside the Practice Plus Group (PPG) who are the main healthcare providers.
We offer a wide range of psychosocial interventions, with a focus on health and wellbeing, to help clients address their substance misuse and low level mental health challenges. We regularly update our programme in line with service user need.
Programmes and interventions
- Bespoke women’s service in partnership with Hibiscus, working with black, minority and migrant women and families
- Wing-based drop ins and information
- Personalised information packs including practical advice about an individual’s destination country and support contacts
- Harm minimisation in-cell packs and information in a range of languages
- Rolling groups on topics such as: substance misuse awareness, managing emotions and relationships, managing anger, coping with change
- Peer support and peer-led groups
- Brief Intervention for Alcohol (BIPA) programme
- One-to-one support
- Family support
- Mindfulness groups
- Acupuncture
- Low-level mental health workshops
- Psychological wraparound support for those undertaking a detox
- Signposting and a collaborative health support with other agencies
How to refer
Any resident can self-refer to the service and referrals are open to third parties. If a staff member or third party refers a resident we will assess the resident if they agree to engage. All residents are seen as part of their induction.
Healthcare appointments from nurses or doctors are the main route of our referrals. We also receive referrals from the security department where there is a reasonable suspicion that detainees are using substances or where they have tested positive for unauthorised substances.