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Hindley

AI-generated report summary HMP/YOI Hindley, a Category C training and resettlement prison for adult males and young adults, operated near its 600 operational capacity during the reporting period. The Board noted positive developments in leadership presence, communication, and some healthcare provision, which was rated good by HMIP. However, significant concerns persist, particularly regarding escalating violence, high self-harm rates (up 87%), and widespread drug availability. Persistent staff shortages lead to redeployment, impacting purposeful activity, key worker sessions, and overall regime delivery. The Board also highlights issues with outdated accommodation, delays in adjudications, and the need for improved support for complex mental health needs and disabled prisoners.

Year: 2023 Published: 5 Jul 2024 Type: Prison · Cat Category C, YOI Population: 599 Recommendations: 3 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response · 16 Sep 2024 ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody1—
Self-harm incidents5429
Assaults on staff72—

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The Board commends the increased visual presence and improved communication from leadership, a greater focus on data, and a new leadership for training and work showing early positive progress. A refreshed prisoner consultation strategy, while in early stages, shows potential for meaningful engagement. The health and wellbeing needs of prisoners are generally met, with satisfactory healthcare services and high standards for wellbeing activities provided by the gym, physical fitness team, chaplaincy, and POPs. Efforts to ensure 93% of prisoners have accommodation on release are acknowledged. Improvements in staff coaching and development, and regime changes that increased time out of cell, are noted. The appointment of a new Head of Education, Skills and Work has led to a more consistent approach and positive impact on opportunities. The IMB also welcomes the improved BWC system, investment in new windows on two wings, and fitted privacy curtains in cells. The kitchen received a significantly improved environmental health grade (4/5) and staff are commended for their inventiveness under budget constraints. The leadership and staff in the CSU are highly praised for adeptly handling complex and vulnerable prisoners. The new head of education has fostered a more consistent approach to purposeful activity. Events supporting improved relationships, often involving sport, and the prison's support for charities are commended. The Board welcomes plans for a ‘lifer’ unit and enrichment programs. Staff EDI training is improving awareness of neurodiversity, and the prison responds positively to religious requests. The chaplaincy team is highly valued for their critical pastoral role, creating a welcoming environment with animals and supporting neurodiverse families. Complaints handling has become more efficient. Primary healthcare provision by Spectrum Healthcare is seen as positive, with good standards and strong relationships across services. HMIP found health services to be good. Mental health services are highly valued, and the pre-PIPE unit received an Enabling Environment award. The PE team is well-respected, and initiatives like Park Run and PE on prescription are positive. The Manchester City community course had a successful pilot. Finally, opportunities for gardening, animal care, peer support, and prisoner artwork enhance well-being, while the library is appreciated for providing a calm and welcoming study environment.

Key concerns

20 items
Safety The Board is concerned about the increase in violence, affecting both prisoners and staff at Hindley.
Substance Misuse drugs continue to be readily available in the prison and positive drug testing for random MDTs is the highest of all adult male prisons in England and Wales.
Safety Rates of self-harm continue to be a concern to the Board with HMPPS data indicating that self-harm incidences at Hindley are higher than many other similar prisons. There has been an 87% increase over this reporting period.
Overcrowding The national problem of overcrowding in prisons, is impacting on HMP/YOI Hindley, who are continuously operating at near or full capacity. This situation offers little operational respite on a day-to-day basis, with diminishing opportunities to implement strategic imperatives.
Staffing rising staff sickness/absence levels and frequent staff turnover (over 60% of new recruits leave the service within their first year).
Regime/Time Out of Cell Repeated there have been insufficient activity places to enable all men at HMP/YOI Hindley to have purposeful activities which support progress towards positive rehabilitation. The deficit has been maintained at an average of 100 places throughout the year.
Education/Purposeful Activity Access to the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) is limited, and available resources allocated to the prison for this purpose do not meet demand.
Resettlement/Release the plethora of national initiatives regarding re-categorisation and release have caused, and continue to cause, frustration and misunderstanding amongst the prison population... This situation is not helped by prisoners often not being able to access all the courses indicated on their sentence plans.
Estate/Conditions Repeated The current two-tier standard of accommodation, once new work commences, will effectively establish a three-tier standard of accommodation and this could provoke upset and exacerbate complaints from prisoners housed in older, more run-down parts of the prison.
Staffing The Board is concerned about occasions when there is a necessary change of regime and/or staffing shortages, that specialist activity is often the first casualty. For example, key work sessions or specialist activity personnel are often redeployed onto general operational duties.
Other Repeated The Board continues to be concerned about this issue and the negative impact on both families and prison staff.
Equality/Diversity There remains a lack of meaningful data on disabilities of prisoners and staff. 47% of prisoners involved in use of force incidents are thought to have had some sort of disability. Unfortunately, many of this group are prisoners with learning difficulties whose needs are not formally identified or assessed fully, and therefore their presenting needs are potentially going unmet.
Estate/Conditions The physical facilities for disabled persons are very poor throughout the estate. This is largely due to the age of the estate.
Other Adjudications are held regularly, but at times cases have been insufficiently prepared. This has led to 16% of cases being adjourned and long delays between hearings. As a result, cases have collapsed as being ‘timed out’.
Complaints/Property This continues to be a key issue for prisoners, although 2023 mirrors the improvement seen in 2022, with regard to applications received by the IMB in respect of property issues.
Healthcare Staff shortages on occasions have resulted in the non-availability of some prescribed drugs at weekends which was highlighted by the IMB.
Mental Health some men who are on constant watch, particularly in CSU, present with multiple, complex mental health issues... it raises the question of whether men suffering from such complex mental health conditions are best placed in CSU and would they fare better in a health specific environment better suited to their needs.
Healthcare There were two occasions when HMP/YOI Hindley was not informed of the prisoner’s medical condition on arrival and the consequences of this were raised on two separate occasions (April and September). HMP/ YOI Hindley are looking to improve the process.
Mental Health Repeated lack of meaningful activity that is putting additional pressure on the mental health of prisoners.
Healthcare Healthcare staff raised concerns with the Board about expected mandatory attendance at every ACCT review... This means that nurses often have to leave operational tasks to cover attendance at the meetings, which can disrupt health service provision.

Recommendations

3 items · 1 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Other — minister

The plethora of national initiatives regarding re-categorisation and release have caused, and continue to cause, frustration and misunderstanding amongst the prison population. This leads to upset and, at times, anger, when the men are unable to progress to the categorisation status, they think they meet the criteria for. This situation is not helped by prisoners often not being able to access all the courses indicated on their sentence plans.

Source text verified

Government response
The Security Categorisation Policy Framework is currently under review. All aspects of the framework will be reviewed to ensure it is as streamlined and efficient as possible whilst ensuring prisoners are safely assessed and managed.
Access to rehabilitative courses was significantly affected by staffing issues. The Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) is the main offending behaviour programme (OBP) delivered at HMP/YOI Hindley and following delivery of the third of the four planned courses for 2023/24, significant staffing issues resulted in subsequent delivery being paused. Although these staffing issues have continued, HMP/YOI Hindley has sought to address this by working with other regional establishments and commenced the transfer of suitable prisoners to HMP Liverpool to enable them to complete the programme there. The Programme Manager at HMP/YOI Hindley is well sighted on individual prisoners that require the TSP course and will actively try to transfer prisoners to other regional establishments that may be delivering courses to men with a lesser urgency, as the prisoners at HMP/YOI Hindley are likely to be closer to discharge. Completion of the programme is voluntary with prisoners required to be fully engaged, however, the majority of the prisoners identified as needing a transfer to complete the course have rejected this opportunity.
The Board may also be aware that TSP, and courses more generally, are due to change later this year. Consequently, TSP will no longer be delivered in its current form. HMP/YOI Hindley is an early-adopter site for the new processes and funding has been secured for an additional facilitator for a fixed 12-month term to ensure the minimum staffing level is maintained to deliver the new processes. Other courses and interventions that will continue to be delivered at the prison are Choices and Changes for prisoners with maturation issues, Victim Work, Sycamore Tree via the chaplaincy, and the probation toolkit where appropriate.
Whilst delivery is currently low, it is gradually increasing and consequently HMP/YOI Hindley is progressing prisoners to the open estate.

Recorded status: In progress

Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation 2

Addressee: HMPPS

The prison continues to progress plans for significant expansion and on-site work is imminent. Current national financial constraints mean that there is no available funding to upgrade or improve the existing older, cramped accommodation to an acceptable level. The Board are concerned that the current two-tier standard of accommodation, once new work commences, will effectively establish a three-tier standard of accommodation and this could provoke upset and exacerbate complaints from prisoners housed in older, more run-down parts of the prison. The Board feel this is a missed opportunity, to improve the overall prison estate during significant capital programme work.

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
HMPPS recognises that accommodation units A-D would benefit from an upgrade and refurbishment. Further to last years’ response, HMPPS’ long-term maintenance strategy includes the development of a Forward Maintenance Register (FMR), which will inform bids for future capital maintenance allocations. The FMR is projected to be ready for use from summer 2024. In the meantime, the prison will continue with local actions to support accommodation development such as investment in renewing windows on two wings. HMP/YOI Hindley will continue to explore all opportunities for potential funding to support improving existing accommodation, including Asset Investment Bid submissions. In the absence of significant investment, HMPPS will be unable to fully address concerns about older accommodation units.

Recorded status: Partial

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Governor / Director

The Board is concerned about occasions when there is a necessary change of regime and/or staffing shortages, that specialist activity is often the first casualty. For example, key work sessions or specialist activity personnel are often redeployed onto general operational duties. Under such circumstances the reducing violence coordinator is often moved to operations and any scheduled key worker sessions are abandoned. It is hoped the coming year will provide the opportunity to safeguard and ring fence this vital strategic engagement work.

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation (including transfers) 17 24
Adjudications 11 10
Bullying / Anti-social behaviour 6 10
Children and family issues 1 1
Discrimination / Race Relations / Anti-social behaviour 6 6
Drugs & Alcohol 2 0
Education & Training 10 13
Employment & Wages 5 1
Equality & Diversity 4 0
Ethical and Religious matters 2 5
Exercise / Leisure / Recreation 1 1
Finance / Benefits / Savings 3 3
Food 11 11
Healthcare / Medical 23 23
Mental Health 11 12
Offender Management / Case Work 16 11
Ombudsman (PPO) 0 0
Personal safety & Security 10 12
Property & Cash 17 24
Regime & Daily Routine 17 24
Segregation Unit 13 13
Staff Conduct 10 10
Substance Misuse 2 0
Total 218 224
Visits 7 4
Welfare 1 1
Work / Training / Skills 10 13

Related inspections & investigations

— PPO fatal incident Dylan Woodhead · Self-inflicted
— PPO fatal incident Liam Makin
— PPO fatal incident Dylan Rose
— PPO fatal incident Gavin Banks
28 Feb 2023 PPO fatal incident Shafaq Khan · Natural causes

Other reports for Hindley

2025 Published 1 May 2026 · Concerns
2024 Published 20 Jun 2025 Population 599 · Self-harm 558 · Concerns
2022 Published 30 May 2023 · Self-harm 423 · Concerns
2021 Published 3 May 2022 Population 572 · Self-harm 375 · Concerns
2020 Published 21 Apr 2021 · Concerns