Source · IMB Annual Report
Isle of Wight
Year: 2022
Published: 28 Sep 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B
Population: 995
Recommendations: 10
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Isle of Wight experienced a challenging 2022, marked by a population increase and the gradual easing of Covid restrictions, which allowed for a return to some normal regime activities. However, chronic staff shortages significantly hampered access to work, education, and healthcare, leading to prisoners spending considerable time locked up. The Board raised serious concerns regarding the inadequacy of mental health provision, the impact of staff shortages on all aspects of prison life, and the need for clarity and funding for the estate and the management of the Category C prisoner population.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 7 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 967 | 1,308 |
| Prisoner assaults | 66 | 59 |
| Assaults on staff | 79 | 56 |
| Use of force | 230 | — |
Positive findings
The regime gradually returned to some normality following Covid restrictions, allowing more regular work and reduced cases. The IMB remained focused, with members playing an important role and new members recruited during the year. Pro-active steps were taken to recruit staff and encourage overtime. There were purposeful efforts to improve safety systems and processes, and the reception and induction process was found to be efficient, well-managed, and empathetic. The Listener Service benefited from reduced Covid restrictions, with additional Listeners recruited, and the standard of food prepared by the kitchens was good. Significant refurbishments took place, and equality issues were dealt with thoughtfully, including the establishment of new forums. The chaplaincy team provided support, and a new IEP forum was successfully established. Excellent support for older prisoners was provided by AGE UK, and the training of Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) mentors was a positive development.
Key concerns
Staffing
Chronic staff shortages, limiting access to association, work, education, progression, exercise and healthcare, and impacting confidence and competence of new staff.
Mental Health
Repeated
Urgent need to strengthen mental health provision and to carefully consider decisions about the relocation of individuals with complex mental health conditions from secure locations to mainstream prisons. Mental Health Department needs to be brought up to establishment strength and staffing prioritised for health care appointments.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Importance of early funding decisions to support key infrastructure work, as many buildings remain in poor condition and the laundry remained out of action.
Overcrowding
Need for an early decision on whether the prison will continue to hold a significant number of Category C prisoners, and on the location of Category C and B prisoners within the establishment.
Safety
Repeated
Need to ensure timely and full compliance with requirements of ACCTs, CSIPs and Use of Force reviews, as performance in completing these records was patchy.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Key Worker targets in terms of their frequency need to be met and their quality assured, as the objective was not consistently met.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Need for a new focus on meeting literacy targets and improving the availability of programmes. Restoring regular library access is key.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | This was another difficult year with the prison continuing to face Covid challenges while managing an increasing population of Category C prisoners. Welcome progress was made towards a more normal regime as Covid restrictions were relaxed. However, the anticipated benefits of this were severely limited by chronic staff shortages. This resulted in prisoners remaining locked up for considerable periods of time limiting their access to association, work, education, opportunities for progression, exercise and health care, including mental health services. Outcomes for prisoners (and their successful resettlement) are unlikely to improve significantly without addressing this issue matched by steps to improve the confidence and competence of many new staff replacing the more experienced who have left the prison service. | Other | |
| 2 | the importance of an early decision on whether the prison will continue to hold a significant number of Category C prisoners. Time and resources are being put into making the necessary adjustments to support the accommodation of these prisoners which may prove nugatory should the prison revert to primarily holding Category B prisoners | HMPPS | |
| 3 | the urgent need to strengthen mental health provision and to carefully consider decisions about the relocation of individuals with complex mental health conditions from secure locations to mainstream prisons Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 4 | the importance of early funding decisions to support key infrastructure work. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 5 | we acknowledge efforts to improve systems and process key to safety but note the need to ensure timely and full compliance with requirements of ACCTs, CSIPs and Use of Force reviews. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 6 | an early decision on the location of Category C and B prisoners in the establishment would benefit both prisoners and staff. | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | Key Worker targets in terms of their frequency need to be met and their quality assured. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | recognising the staffing challenges, the Mental Health Department needs to be brought up to establishment strength. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | Efforts should also be made to prioritise staffing to escort prisoners for health care appointments. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | there is need for a new focus on meeting literacy targets and improving the availability of programmes. Restoring regular library access is key. Repeated | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 62 | 10 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 3 | 14 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 6 | 2 |
| Equality | 13 | 8 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 11 | 20 |
| Food and kitchens | 11 | 4 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 54 | 38 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 29 | 28 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 66 | 57 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 17 |
| Property within this establishment | 24 | 13 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 29 | 11 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 42 | 20 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 62 | 53 |
| Transfers | 44 | 10 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Isle of Wight
Report details
- Establishment
- Isle of Wight
- Type
- Prison · Cat B
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 28 September 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Isle of Wight
- Recommendations
- 10
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Population | 995 |
| Operational capacity | 1,101 |
Service providers
Healthcare
Practice Plus Group