Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Accepted
HMPPS monitors CRS providers on process measures, neglecting systematic monitoring of outcomes.
Recommendation
HMPPS holds CRS providers to account against two administrative measures (their timeliness in holding appointments and their production of action plans for service users) but does not systematically monitor all providers’ activities or offenders’ outcomes.41 In written evidence to us St Mungo’s—a CRS provider for housing advice and support— criticised the current contracts for being “highly process driven”. It told us HMPPS is too focussed on measuring inputs, such as whether a prison leaver has been offered an appointment, instead of securing positive outcomes to reducing reoffending.42
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it is implemented and HMPPS is reviewing its approach to ensuring good quality outcomes and evidence. HMPPS has already enhanced its digital referral tool, made contract changes, and is committed to gathering and analysing better evidence on outcomes, assessing options for improved data collection.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 HMPPS is reviewing its approach to ensuring good quality outcomes for prison leavers and people on probation are both achieved and evidenced. 4.3 HMPPS has taken a number of actions to improve achievement of outcomes. These include; • significant enhancements to the digital referral tool; • working with providers to improve services; and • making contract changes to increase accommodation and women’s services support to include remanded people in custody and increased finance, benefit and debt provision in more prisons. 4.4 HMPPS has evidence of successful improvements from a recent internal audit of Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS). The audit reports for Personal and Wellbeing and Education, Training and Employment contracts show that most CRS providers are: • better at delivering activities that are likely to meet user’s needs; • making reasonable efforts to engage users; • making positive progress to support successful outcomes; • finding that session attendance and content delivery are better supported by the improved staff guidance and digital referral tool updates; and • finding that improvements in the Accommodation Contracts have been slower and are therefore yet to meet all of the required standards. 4.5 HMPPS is committed to gathering, analysing and using better evidence on outcomes in the future, and is assessing the options available to improve data on outcomes including a tool to measure progress from the start of the order to completion. The Area Executive Directors (AEDs) will consider which models are best for their region, working with frontline teams to develop more locally tailored services. AED is a senior, operational delivery role, that brings together leadership of both prison and probation services. They are responsible for driving up operational performance and increasing collaboration across HMPPS and with partners.