Source · IMB Annual Report
Five Wells
Year: 2023
Published: 12 Sep 2023
Type: Prison · Cat C
Population: 1,200
Recommendations: 14
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Five Wells, a Category C prison, opened in February 2022 and housed 1200 prisoners by March 2023, below its operational capacity of 1680. The IMB noted successes such as positive visitor feedback and streamlined safeguarding, but raised significant concerns including widespread illicit items, severe staffing shortages, and numerous design flaws in the new build. Key areas needing development involve consistent regime application, improved food and canteen services, and the re-establishment of resettlement-focused programmes like ROTL.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
Positive findings
The Board welcomed the successful introduction of integrated wings for the general population and prisoners convicted of sexual offences. The standard of wing accommodation is good, with prompt attention to critical maintenance issues. Healthcare needs are generally met, and the safeguarding process has been streamlined. The prison has shown good engagement with local businesses, offering numerous employment opportunities for those approved for ROTL. Visitor feedback on the overall experience and family engagement events is overwhelmingly positive.
Key concerns
Substance Misuse
The Board is concerned about the number and range of illicit items found in the prison. Drugs seem to be available on most houseblocks.
Staffing
A high proportion of operational staff have less than one year’s service and staff shortages mean they have little support.
Estate/Conditions
There are a number of design faults, eg, low mobility cells on each wing cannot be occupied for safety reasons, air flow on the landings is poor and the original gym location was unsuitable.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The application of the incentives scheme has been inconsistent, with enforcement dependent on the confidence and knowledge of staff on duty.
Food/Catering
The Board received many complaints from prisoners about the quality, quantity, and range of choices for food. There have been instances when the Board has observed food shortages and occasionally some prisoners going without meals.
Food/Catering
The canteen system, serviced by DHL, has been a major cause for concern, including the standard and shortage of items, and delays in prisoners receiving refunds.
Segregation
There has been inconsistent management of the segregation unit, with a regime which did not clearly distinguish between rights and privileges. Damage to cells in the unit resulted in one third being out of action at the end of the year.
Staffing
There is little evidence of key worker support, and the roll-out is behind schedule.
Healthcare
Only one of the two medication hatches has been commissioned on each houseblock, leading to delays of up to two hours and regime disruption.
Healthcare
Wheelchairs are not always available, and no maintenance system for the wheelchairs is in place.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Education provision had a slow start due to difficulties in recruiting tutors and a lengthy clearance process. Some vocational workshops were not equipped, and some had insufficient power supply.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The allocation procedure has been problematic, and prisoners were not always allocated an appropriate course in line with their resettlement plan. A recent survey indicates 23% of prisoners did not choose the course they are on.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Attendance in vocational workshops and education averaged at 56%, partly due to inconsistencies in penalising non-attendance.
Safety
The Head of Education has raised serious concerns about the safety of staff in his department.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Vocational training provision is behind schedule which has limited work opportunities for prisoners.
Staffing
Original and revised Key Working targets have not been met.
Resettlement/Release
ROTL has been suspended.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Intervention programmes have not been delivered as anticipated.
Estate/Conditions
What plans are there to ensure that design omissions in this new design prison are addressed in future builds?
Staffing
Staffing, equipment, and facilities were not all in place when the prison opened, and discrepancies remain. How can this situation be avoided in the future?
Resettlement/Release
The Board is concerned that many prisoners were transferred to Five Wells with the promise of an experience that was not available on arrival. This caused problems for prisoners and staff and affected their progression. What steps can be taken to prevent this happening in the future?
Resettlement/Release
A significant number of prisoners transferred to Five Wells were not suitable for what the prison had to offer. What steps can be taken to minimise this practice?
Staffing
Key work support has been eroded by staffing shortages and operational requirements. What steps are being taken to ensure prisoners get the support they need?
Complaints/Property
Loss of property (particularly for inter-prison transfers) is problematic and creates anxiety for prisoners and extra work for staff. What immediate steps are being taken to address this?
Food/Catering
How will the prison improve the canteen system? The Board considers the distribution and processing of missing items and refund process unworkable, time consuming and not fit for purpose.
Safety
What action can be taken to address concerns about the Prisoner Led Initiative (PLI) activities? The Board considers that whilst much of the work has had a positive impact, there are serious concerns (expressed by both prisoners and staff) about the methods of recruitment, selection, management, and supervision of some individuals.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board’s rota reports have highlighted that inconsistencies and frequent changes in regime have undermined the running of the houseblocks, with some staff feeling unsupported and lacking the confidence to enforce where necessary. What action will be taken to remedy this?
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What plans are there to ensure that design omissions in this new design prison are addressed in future builds? | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | Staffing, equipment, and facilities were not all in place when the prison opened, and discrepancies remain. How can this situation be avoided in the future? | HMPPS | |
| 3 | The Board is concerned that many prisoners were transferred to Five Wells with the promise of an experience that was not available on arrival. This caused problems for prisoners and staff and affected their progression. What steps can be taken to prevent this happening in the future? | HMPPS | |
| 4 | A significant number of prisoners transferred to Five Wells were not suitable for what the prison had to offer. What steps can be taken to minimise this practice? | HMPPS | |
| 5 | Key work support has been eroded by staffing shortages and operational requirements. What steps are being taken to ensure prisoners get the support they need? | HMPPS | |
| 6 | Loss of property (particularly for inter-prison transfers) is problematic and creates anxiety for prisoners and extra work for staff. What immediate steps are being taken to address this? | HMPPS | |
| 7 | What steps are being taken to ensure a good standard of food is available for prisoners, and food safety requirements are met? | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | How will the prison improve the canteen system? The Board considers the distribution and processing of missing items and refund process unworkable, time consuming and not fit for purpose. | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | What action can be taken to address concerns about the Prisoner Led Initiative (PLI) activities? The Board considers that whilst much of the work has had a positive impact, there are serious concerns (expressed by both prisoners and staff) about the methods of recruitment, selection, management, and supervision of some individuals. | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | The Board’s rota reports have highlighted that inconsistencies and frequent changes in regime have undermined the running of the houseblocks, with some staff feeling unsupported and lacking the confidence to enforce where necessary. What action will be taken to remedy this? | Governor / Director | |
| 11 | What steps are being taken to ensure the consistent application, management, and review of the incentives scheme? | Governor / Director | |
| 12 | What steps are being taken to ensure that prisoners attend their allocated purposeful activity and, if returned, or refusing to attend, that there is consistency in the action taken? | Governor / Director | |
| 13 | What security measures are being implemented to limit the number of illicit items found on the premises? | Governor / Director | |
| 14 | What steps are being taken to safely reinstate the ROTL programme? | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 13 | — |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 23 | — |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 9 | — |
| Equality | 0 | — |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 21 | — |
| Food and kitchens | 12 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 18 | — |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 23 | — |
| Miscellaneous | 45 | — |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 43 | — |
| Property within the establishment | 40 | — |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 10 | — |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 22 | — |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 15 | — |
| Transfers | 3 | — |
Related inspections & investigations
2 Jan 2024
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 2
· Respect 2
· Activity 1
· Release 3
Other reports for Five Wells
Report details
- Establishment
- Five Wells
- Type
- Prison · Cat C
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 12 September 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Five Wells
- Recommendations
- 14
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Population | 1,200 |
| Operational capacity | 1,680 |
| Time out of cell | 8.4h/day |
Service providers
Accommodation Support
Interventions Alliance
Education and Skills Provider
Weston College
Employment Services
Ingeus
Financial Assistance / Benefit Payments
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Health and Social Care Charity (Life Skills Courses)
Change Grow Live
Health and Wellbeing Programmes
Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire
Identification and Banking Assistance
New Futures Network
Local Authority
North Northamptonshire Council
NHS-commissioned Healthcare Provider
Practice Plus Group Ltd
Personal Wellbeing Services (Post-release)
Nacro
Prison Food Contract
Aramark
Probation Services
Probation Service
Visitor Centre Services
HALOW