Recommendation 1
What progress has been made to ensure prisoners in need of secure mental health facilities are transferred in a reasonable time frame?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Forest Bank
AI-generated report summary HMP Forest Bank, a Category B reception and resettlement prison, reported a 13% increase in self-harm but a 5% reduction in violence and 14% reduction in use of force. The Board raised concerns about illicit items, the use of segregation for mental health cases, and low out-of-cell time. Healthcare services saw a new provider and improved access via kiosks, while purposeful activity hours remained low. Six deaths in custody were reported during the period.
Year: 2023
Published: 4 Apr 2024
Type: Prison · Cat Category B, reception and resettlement prison
Recommendations: 3
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 6 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 1,090 | 965 |
| Prisoner assaults | 647 | 680 |
| Use of force | 950 | 1,104 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe prison saw levels of violence reduce by 5% and the use of force reduce by 14% compared to the previous year. The change in healthcare provider appears positive, with prisoners accessing services professionally and timely. The I-wing supports prisoners with additional needs. The Director and senior leadership are commended for actions to reduce 'throwovers' and drones. Education and vocational departments are well organised, and staff are commended on their work. The chaplaincy team continues to deliver services to a remarkably high standard and is positively involved with staff and residents' morale.
Key concerns
Illicit items and contraband remain an issue at the prison, with more actions to be taken by the prison to address this finding.
The Board continues to work with other IMBs to resolve property issues created by transfers between establishments. Missing property within the prison is also an ongoing issue, with prisoners regularly complaining to the Board that property goes missing when they are moved from their wing to the segregation unit.
It has been a concern to members of the Board that the segregation unit is sometimes used for long periods when a prisoner has severe mental health issues and it is not safe to house them elsewhere. This is often due to a long wait for transfers to NHS establishments, which appears to be an issue across the prison and healthcare sectors.
Meaningful out of cell time remains a concern.
What further support can be given to assist the prison in managing the onward movement of prisoners who intentionally disrupt transfers and are not accepted on the normal transport of the receiving establishment?
The establishment has a target of 969 key work sessions to complete each week; however, on average, only 30% are completed.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
What further support can be given to assist the prison in managing the onward movement of prisoners who intentionally disrupt transfers and are not accepted on the normal transport of the receiving establishment?
Recommendation 3
Meaningful out of cell time remains a concern: what actions is the senior leadership team undertaking to address this?
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 1 | 9 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 5 | 2 |
| Equality | 0 | 5 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 2 | 7 |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 6 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 21 | 57 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 13 | 16 |
| Miscellaneous | 29 | 67 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 8 | 7 |
| Property within the establishment | 18 | 28 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 5 | 14 |
| Sentence management, including HDC (Home Detention Curfew), ROTL (Release on Temporary Licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 6 | 1 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 10 | 19 |
| Total number of applications | 129 | 238 |
| Transfers | 6 | 0 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 2
· Respect 3
· Activity 2
· Release 3
David Ogden · Self-inflicted
Jake O’Brien · Self-inflicted
James Bell · Self-inflicted
Patrick McCann · Natural causes
Lee Curran · State Custody related deaths
Anthony Brian Flynn · State Custody Death
Other reports for Forest Bank
Population 1,470
· Concerns
· Self-harm 800
· Concerns
· Self-harm 998
· Concerns
Population 1,390
· Concerns