Altcourse

Response
Seetec Group provide a service that supports individuals to find suitable accommodation on release. HMPPS’ North West Probation Service have been closely monitoring performance of the contract and a detailed action plan is now in place. Seetec has suffered from recruitment and retention challenges, in line with other employers in the region (including HMP Altcourse) and contract management teams are supporting Seetec to onboard and induct new staff as soon as possible.

Response
HMP Altcourse has a probation pre-release team based in the prison that identify and address immediate resettlement needs and provide pre-release support for all people in prison, including those not convicted and people out of area. The minimum will be to screen for resettlement needs via Basic Custody Screening Tool (BCST2) completion, signpost to specialist services within the prison, such as Prison Banking Administrators and healthcare, and support people to access pre-release services not currently available via Commissioned Rehabilitative Service (CRS) providers. Funding was made available to HMP Altcourse following the spending review to enable improved education, skills and work outcomes during the remaining twelve weeks of a prisoner’s sentence and to support employment for prisoners post release. Funding was also provided to accommodate gaps within the existing contract such as the employment of an Identification and Banking Administrator (IDBA) and a Neurodiversity Support Manager. CRS provision was initially only available for sentenced people in prison. HMPPS is currently working on extending the contracts for accommodation to those who have not been convicted and/or sentenced.

Response
The Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework, which was implemented on 5 September 2022, has been designed with procedural justice at its core and aims to ensure consistency and fairness and enhance prisoners’ satisfaction with processes and outcomes. Given the nature of property, and the movement of prisoners between establishments, the Framework looks to provide greater direction and standardisation on a national basis. It strengthens processes in relation to the main problem areas identified by IMBs and staff including the handling of valuable property, managing cell clearances, compliance with volumetric control and forwarding on excess property following a prisoner’s transfer. Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) introduced the digitally recorded Prisoner Escort Record (dPER) including a property section that accurately records the number and type of sealed property ‘owned’ by and transferred with the prisoner and an accurate record of property handover between different Stakeholders. This is now embedded as business as usual. The digital process has assisted with investigations for property that is lost in transit with PECS suppliers. For property delays, in-line with the HMPPS Prisoner Property Framework, if the limit of items allowed in possession has been reached, and if there is no space on the Escort Vehicle to transport items safely and securely, then responsibility for transfer of any remaining items remains with the sending prison. HMPPS will monitor the impact of the new Framework going forward and will continue to look at what further improvements can be made.

Response
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving mental health outcomes by working with partners to improve pathways into treatment and reduce unnecessary delays. The Draft Mental Health Bill, published in June 2022, seeks to speed up access to specialist in-patient treatment by creating a new 28-day statutory time limit for transfers from prison to hospital, mirroring the time limit set out in NHS England’s Good Practice Guidance published in 2021. This legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.

Response
Food budgets are determined locally by the Director and kept under review as part of normal budget allocation planning as well as wider contractual arrangements. Prison Rules require that prisoners are provided with three meals a day that are varied, nutritious and meet the religious, cultural, and medical needs of all. The HMPPS Catering Team has been providing support to all prison establishments to help address the rising cost of food. They are working closely with local catering managers to understand issues and share good practice ideas with our food suppliers to look at supply and sourcing options. HMPPS appreciates the Board’s comments that both the quality and quantity of meals produced by the kitchens has improved significantly since the change in contractor. The cost per day has not changed since the improvement was noted. Additionally, as a reception prison HMP Altcourse has to ensure the budget allocation is similar to other prisons in the region as the prison transfers many prisoners to Category C prisons locally.