Source · IMB Annual Report
Lancaster Farms
Year: 2023
Published: 11 Sep 2023
Type: Prison · Cat C
Population: 540
Recommendations: 16
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Lancaster Farms, a category C resettlement prison, has largely provided a safe environment, though some pandemic regime restrictions were slow to lift. While primary healthcare is reasonable, mental health provision faces significant challenges due to staffing and a lack of specialist transfer capacity. Key worker contact and prisoner property management remain ongoing concerns for the Board, alongside issues of cell decency and delayed purposeful activity opportunities.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 14 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 6 | — |
| Use of force | 259 | — |
Positive findings
The Board found that the Governor and prison staff largely succeed in providing a safe environment. They observed effective management of risks at safety intervention meetings and good collaboration between various teams. In-cell telephony was very well received. The prison offers reasonable primary healthcare and has initiatives for physical fitness, including an impressive new Crossfit programme. The chaplaincy is commended for its pastoral care and community engagement.
Key concerns
Mental Health
The continuation of high levels of self-harm among a small handful of prisoners, many of whom have challenging and complex mental health needs yet continue to be accommodated at the establishment rather than transferred to more specialist and secure mental health facilities.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
A minority of prisoners continue to be accommodated on occasions in double cells with limited toilet screening and/or no toilet seats. Whilst it is now normal for prisoners to eat out of their cells, there are still occasions whereby, during lockdowns, prisoners are forced to eat inside their cells next to their toilets.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Some outstanding issues, such as poor ventilation in some cells and the absence of some door screens, broken equipment on some exercise yards and some overflows or poor drainage in wet weather.
Complaints/Property
The handling of complaints from prisoners. While the number of overdue complaints is relatively low, some responses to complaints are delayed (especially those related to previous prisons). Of concern also is that prisoners are sometimes not kept updated on progress.
Other
Repeated
The treatment of prisoners’ property remains an issue of concern for the Board.
Mental Health
Repeated
The overall level of staffing for mental health services and staff shortages are matters of concern for the Board. Much therapeutic work has resumed after the pandemic but there remain difficulties in finding suitable alternative specialist accommodation at other prisons for those facing serious mental health difficulties.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Offending behaviour programmes were much reduced during the pandemic. Their re-introduction did take place slowly during the reporting year but that delay led to significant obstacles for prisoners seeking progression to category D status during the year, and concerns among prisoners, shared by the Board, regarding the fairness of this.
Safety
The Board was concerned by the limited use of BWCs (body-worn cameras) for much of 2022.
Substance Misuse
One concern (August 2022) is that 24% of prisoners find it easy to obtain illicit drugs at the prison.
Food/Catering
Repeated
Incomplete servery logs that detail the temperature of the food when it arrives at the residential units.
Food/Catering
Insulated food boxes provided to enable prisoners to break fast at dusk do not retain heat for any extended period, and there is no opportunity to reheat food.
Estate/Conditions
Duck excrement on the paths and entrances to residential units remains a cause of complaint, being both unsightly and unhygienic.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The provision and replacement of damaged toilet screens, seats and lids is a particular issue in shared cells and has an impact on maintaining decency.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Price inflation hit canteen prices. However, there was no parallel percentage increase in the wages and allowances for prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The lack of in-cell occupation several times with staff and has been told that it was logistically ‘too difficult’ to provide.
Staffing
Repeated
Prisoners have no awareness of their key worker, long lists of prisoners with the same key worker, and no regular meeting with their key worker.
Staffing
HMPPS recommends a minimum of 45 minutes of key worker contact time per prisoner per week as soon as the establishment returns to a full regime. However, this does not appear to be the norm across the prison.
Equality/Diversity
Racist and homophobic language and derogatory comments have been identified as a cause for complaint. The IMB’s experience is that the DIRF process is not well understood and residents have little confidence in the investigation process or outcomes.
Equality/Diversity
The allocation of work activities, including wing cleaners and jobs on the servery, does not appear to follow a fair, open and transparent recruitment process and this is a source of complaints.
Equality/Diversity
The data on reported disabilities and those recorded on C-NOMIS needs to be clarified in order to have an accurate snapshot baseline.
Equality/Diversity
Weaknesses in recording residents with physical disabilities requiring assistance and those with reduced mobility requiring assistance from their peers who provided informal care. The prisoner carers need to be trained, supported and paid for the work they do.
Equality/Diversity
The establishment does not currently have a neurodiversity support lead but intends to recruit to this role within the next reporting year.
Equality/Diversity
Foreign national prisoners make up a small percentage of the population, amounting to three people in total (one Albanian, one Hungarian, and one Romanian). While they are few in number, the Board is concerned that a small number of prisoners who are accommodated at the prison have virtually no conversational skills in English.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The establishment also does not have any English for speakers of other languages provision in education for this group.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The long-term sickness absence and transfer of the Church of England chaplain has resulted in a gap in provision for the 15.75% (86 men) of this denomination within the establishment. The vacancy is currently being advertised.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Independent adjudications have continued to take place remotely. In our 2022/23 monitoring, we have expressed concerns about the technology and camera, which disadvantages all parties.
Complaints/Property
The percentage of overdue complaints is approximately 10%; these have been predominantly related to property and other complaints at prisons from where prisoners have been transferred. The impact on prisoners, in terms of frustration and uncertainty, is clear from our monitoring work.
Other
Repeated
A common theme is property not transferred into the establishment at the same time as the prisoner. The delay or loss of property, including documents, family photographs and other personal possessions that are difficult or impossible to replace, has caused additional anxiety and stress.
Other
Confusion over what property can be sent to a prisoner by family members causes frustration. Sometimes parcels are not accepted by the establishment or are returned to family members without the prisoner being advised that the property has been sent back.
Healthcare
The prison does not have 24-hour healthcare provision and is reliant on other establishments to accept prisoners requiring more intensive healthcare.
Mental Health
40% of prisoners (survey August 2022) state that they have been unable to access mental health services.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
On occasions the gym is underused, particularly at weekends. It has also been regrettable that staff shortages during the year have led to some gym sessions being withdrawn.
Substance Misuse
The Board is supportive of the substance misuse team, which feels that uniformed staff could learn more about its work.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Large numbers of prisoners still need help with reading.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Many prisoners for part of the year (for example, Recycling Lives and the garden) had only half-day access to these opportunities.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board has identified a long-running problem between sentence planning and the provision of accredited offending behaviour and specified behavioural programmes at the prison. On occasions, prisoners find themselves frustrated to find that progression has been blocked through a lack of available programmes.
Resettlement/Release
Some prisoners at the establishment have been recategorised from category D to category C. On occasion, concerns are raised by prisoners that there is insufficient information from the category D prison about the reasons for that transfer and opportunities to appeal about that decision.
Resettlement/Release
There are 10 IPP prisoners in this resettlement prison. One such prisoner, in the CSU, explained the history of adjudications which limited his parole potential. His initial sentence was two years but he had already served 14 years.
Resettlement/Release
OMU staff have run wing-based advice sessions. But during the year the Board became aware of staff and prisoners’ frustrations due to delays in reporting by external probation service staff regarding parole and home detention curfews.
Resettlement/Release
Data from August 2022 indicates that half of the prisoners awaiting resettlement receive inadequate support for welfare benefits and personal finance, and 45% receive no help in finding accommodation.
Resettlement/Release
Despite the prison’s regional focus, some prisoners have been displaced from their home area. Whilst it is anticipated that they will be moved to prisons in their home regions, there can be long delays before such transfers take place.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Given concerns expressed above, to invite Department of Health colleagues to work with the minister to review the capacity of provision of mental health services and provide more secure mental health provision across the prison estate for those prisoners with severe and enduring mental illness.
Repeated
Response
I note the Board’s concerns about the mental healthcare provision. I hope to assure the Board that NHS England is currently in the process of re-tendering HMP Lancaster Farms’ healthcare provision, which will see a new model deployed, with mental health as a separate contract to health and social care, enabling a more focused management and development of these services. More broadly, the Government’s published Draft Mental Health Bill (27 June 2022) includes a commitment to introduce a 28-day statutory time limit for transfers from prison to hospital for prisoners requiring mental health treatment under the Mental Health Act. This time limit mirrors that introduced in NHS England’s good practice guidance, published in June 2021, starting at the point of an initial referral, and ending at the point of the prisoner’s admission to hospital. To make the time-limit statutory, the Bill also introduces a statutory notice process to create a clear starting point for the 28-day period. It is envisaged these reforms will speed up access to specialist inpatient care and together with operational improvements, will ensure that people with severe mental health needs are able to access appropriate and timely support in the most appropriate setting. |
Ministry of Justice | In progress |
| 2 |
Whilst many recommendations were accepted, there were some recommendations in the Justice Select Committee’s report that were rejected. Can an action plan be established urgently to reduce the number of prisoners serving imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences.
Repeated
Response
Turning to prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP), HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has refreshed the original IPP Action Plan and this was published on 26 April 2023 and can be accessed here https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/39321/documents/192968/default/. HMPPS key priority for the Action Plan is managing the sentences of those serving an IPP to a consistently high-quality, ensuring that the delivery of HMPPS systems and processes in every prison and probation region facilitates risk reduction and the prospect of progress towards a safe and sustainable release. This will include the delivery of specific interventions and services to enable sentence progression, rehabilitation, and effective resettlement for those who continue to serve the IPP sentence. At HMP Lancaster Farms, the Chaplaincy team has commenced IPP focus groups as another means to support these prisoners. As the Board may be aware, the Committee’s main recommendation was to undertake a full resentencing exercise of all remaining IPP offenders who had not yet had their license terminated. However, it remains the Government’s long-held view that retrospectively changing the sentence which was lawfully passed would give rise to an unacceptable risk to public protection and that the IPP Action Plan, suitably updated, is the best option by which these offenders can progress towards safe release. As such, the Government rejected this recommendation and has no plans to conduct a resentencing exercise. The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and his team, as a matter of priority, are reviewing all possible options and steps that may be open to address the IPP issue and looks forward to sharing more on this in due course. |
Ministry of Justice | Partial |
| 3 |
To fund the Prison Service for the growth and maintenance of effective staffing levels.
Repeated
Response
Regarding the Board’s comments about funding to maintain effective staffing levels, through the Prisons Strategy White Paper, we committed to recruiting 5,000 additional prison officers across public and private prisons by the mid-2020s. It is vital prisons are sufficiently resourced and we retain levels of experience that are fundamental to delivering quality outcomes in prisons. Against a challenging labour market, HMPPS continues to take steps to bolster recruitment and staff retention, and we have seen some indications of an improving resource picture nationally. We know that a competitive staff pay, and reward package is also vital. The 2023/24 Prison Service Pay Award delivered a 5% increase for Band 7 - 12 Managers and Governors on modernised terms and fair and sustainable (F&S) conditions, and a 7% increase for Band 3 - 5 prison officers on modernised terms (F&S), this will raise the starting salary for an entry level prison officer (on the national rate, 39 hours with unsocial hours) from £30,702 to £32,851. HMPPS will monitor the effect of this significant investment. Recruitment activity is continuing at all sites with a current or future need, and we are increasing recruitment levels through several initiatives including an ‘Advance into Justice’ scheme which supports Armed Forces veterans and their partners into prison officer roles, including at HMP Lancaster Farms, and by fast-tracking people back into the service through the prison officer alumni scheme. HMPPS comments in response to other issues raised in your report (including detail about the retention strategy) are set out in the attached annex. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 4 |
To further improve the strategies available to the prison to manage and reduce the number of incidents of self-harm, particularly among the small number of prisoners who frequently self-harm and could be assessed as demonstrating severe mental health difficulties.
Repeated
Response
The safety of those in our care continues to be a top priority. A revised version of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) version 6 case management approach has been implemented across the prison estate, which as you are aware is used to support people at risk of suicide or self-harm in prison. Revisions in ACCT v6 include: a stronger emphasis on taking a person-centred approach; better multi-disciplinary team working; a consistent quality assurance process and an improved focus on identifying and addressing an individual’s risks, triggers and protective factors. To support the implementation of ACCT v6, we are developing and phasing in a new safety training package (Safety Support Skills training) for staff. It brings together related safety topics and encourages a joined-up approach to prison safety. Staff guidance has also been developed on understanding and supporting someone who is self-harming. This has drawn on guidance from the NHS England and third sector, academic research, learning from inpatient mental health services, prisoner focus groups and good practice examples from establishments. Prolific self-harmers at HMP Lancaster Farms have a designated mental health worker and a prison offender manager who are fully involved in their care, and the team at HMP Lancaster Farms does their upmost to evolve innovative strategies to support those in need. |
HMPPS | Implemented |
| 5 |
To conduct a wide-ranging review of prison staffing, to address the loss of experienced staff and of a large percentage of new staff that leave within 12 months of recruitment.
Repeated
Response
HMPPS has created a retention strategy to help stem attrition, which is linked to wider activities around employee experience, employee lifecycle and staff engagement at work. Alongside the strategy a retention toolkit has been introduced which identifies local, regional and national interventions against the drivers of attrition, which are utilised by Governors/Directors to ensure that they are embedding individual Retention Plans. The Board may be aware, that in 2021 a new exit interview process was introduced to undertake in-depth conversations with staff regarding their reasons for leaving. This has enabled leaver trend data to be analysed. Since the launch of the retention strategy, toolkit and exit interview process in 2021, a new retention oversight process was introduced in February 2023 to target priority sites, these include establishments with the highest attrition rates and those that are a cause for concern due to increasing attrition. Other factors contribute to decisions on which establishments are prioritised and includes attendance and assaults on staff rates. To aid retention, we have rolled out over 150 New Colleague Mentors (NCMs), to support the wellbeing of new colleagues, who we know are most likely to leave the service. NCMs provide them with a welcoming and supportive onboarding, induction, and early career journey experience. They also provide informal peer-to-peer support. The induction period at HMP Lancaster Farms is very comprehensive and new prisoner officers are supported by NCM(s). Likewise, the recognition scheme to reward staff is well used. |
HMPPS | Implemented |
| 6 |
To ensure more focus on purposeful activities, including programmes to support sentence planning, and full-time education and training and job readiness.
Repeated
Response
HMPPS has developed a new National Regime Model for prisons formally launched in April 2023, where prisons are required to develop a vision of the regime they aspire to deliver following a national prescribed design process. This vision must contain mandated regime elements. The vision will become a local target for prisons to work towards and Governors will review their progress quarterly. A new vision will be set at the start of each reporting year to drive continuous improvement. A new local regime lead will assume responsibility for overseeing this annual design and delivery cycle. These staff will receive a new national training programme to become subject matter experts in regime. HMP Lancaster Farms delivers two accredited offending behaviour programmes currently, the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) and through Kainos the contracted service, the Challenge to Change Programme. In 2022/23, delivery was maximised building on recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic period where delivery was significantly curtailed due to the group activity nature of the course. Places provided to prisoners eligible and suitable for the programmes exceeded initial plans and completions rate met for TSP. Both programme delivery offers for 2023/24 again have been maximised to ensure the highest amount of places are available for the resource investment. Additional resource has been put into purposeful activity and the Governor will continue to expand this area with new and innovative ideas. The Governor has reported good progress in terms of filling the industries and education facilitator vacancies and allocating more prisoners in to activity places. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 7 |
To reduce losses of property as it transfers across the Prison Service.
Repeated
Response
HMPPS notes the Board’s concerns about the transfer of prisoners’ property, despite implementation of the new Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework. The Framework, which came in to effect on 5 September 2022 introduced a new requirement that prisons must transfer excess property within four weeks unless there are exceptional circumstances which make this impossible. To avoid the problem of delays altogether, the Framework places an emphasis on ensuring compliance with volumetric control limits, since anything within these limits will be transferred with the prisoner. HMPPS will monitor the impact of the Framework going forward and will continue to look at what further improvements can be made. Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) vehicle fleet allows for property consumables to the limit of 7.5kg. PECS provide transportation for prisoners and their property. The introduction of the digitally recorded Person 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 are lost in transit with PECS supplier. PECS review complaints during monthly formal meetings with the supplier and overall fewer complaints for lost property are received and often the issue is not attributed to the PECS supplier. During 2020 to 2023 there has been no complaints received from HMP Lancaster Farms in relation to property. The ‘handing and sending in’ policy set out in the Incentives Policy Framework can be accessed here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1105714/incentives-policy-framework.pdf .The policy position is clear, other than books, (save for the additional rights unconvicted prisoners have), unless items are being permitted in line with the ‘one-off parcel of clothing’ rule specified in the Framework, property should not be sent / handed in to convicted prisoners, unless the Governor feels there is an exceptional need for a prisoner to receive an item. Such decisions must be taken on an individual, case-by-case basis. |
HMPPS | Implemented |
| 8 |
To support growth in the amount of purposeful activity, including education, training, work and association.
Repeated
Response
HMPPS has developed a new National Regime Model for prisons formally launched in April 2023, where prisons are required to develop a vision of the regime they aspire to deliver following a national prescribed design process. This vision must contain mandated regime elements. The vision will become a local target for prisons to work towards and Governors will review their progress quarterly. A new vision will be set at the start of each reporting year to drive continuous improvement. A new local regime lead will assume responsibility for overseeing this annual design and delivery cycle. These staff will receive a new national training programme to become subject matter experts in regime. HMP Lancaster Farms delivers two accredited offending behaviour programmes currently, the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) and through Kainos the contracted service, the Challenge to Change Programme. In 2022/23, delivery was maximised building on recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic period where delivery was significantly curtailed due to the group activity nature of the course. Places provided to prisoners eligible and suitable for the programmes exceeded initial plans and completions rate met for TSP. Both programme delivery offers for 2023/24 again have been maximised to ensure the highest amount of places are available for the resource investment. Additional resource has been put into purposeful activity and the Governor will continue to expand this area with new and innovative ideas. The Governor has reported good progress in terms of filling the industries and education facilitator vacancies and allocating more prisoners in to activity places. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 9 |
To ensure that maximum opportunities are given to enable prisoners to spend time outside their cells.
Response
HMPPS has developed a new National Regime Model for prisons formally launched in April 2023, where prisons are required to develop a vision of the regime they aspire to deliver following a national prescribed design process. This vision must contain mandated regime elements. The vision will become a local target for prisons to work towards and Governors will review their progress quarterly. A new vision will be set at the start of each reporting year to drive continuous improvement. A new local regime lead will assume responsibility for overseeing this annual design and delivery cycle. These staff will receive a new national training programme to become subject matter experts in regime. Additional resource has been put into purposeful activity and the Governor will continue to expand this area with new and innovative ideas. The Governor has reported good progress in terms of filling the industries and education facilitator vacancies and allocating more prisoners in to activity places. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 10 |
To ensure that any work in regard to toilets in double cells is speedily addressed: broken screens, lack of toilet seats, etc.
Repeated
Response
I note you have raised some local issues of concern in your report which the Governor will continue to keep you aware of as work continues. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 11 |
To review and progress improvements and repairs to ventilation in residential areas and drainage outside residential areas, including exercise areas.
Repeated
Response
I note you have raised some local issues of concern in your report which the Governor will continue to keep you aware of as work continues. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 12 |
To ensure the effective use of body-worn cameras by prison staff.
Repeated
Response
None. Raised throughout the year. New cameras introduced January 2023. Board will remain vigilant regarding use. |
Governor / Director | |
| 13 |
To improve communication with prisoners in key areas such as the progress towards resolving or responding to complaints, availability of programmes and the reasons for re-categorisation.
Repeated
Response
None. Communication remains an issue underpinning a large proportion of applications to the IMB. |
Governor / Director | |
| 14 |
To monitor the number of Listeners. Given the turnover of existing Listeners, to ensure that there is a rolling programme of training for future Listeners.
Repeated
Response
None. Original programme completed. Increased number of listeners but, given Lancaster Farms is a resettlement prison, need for regular review of the programme as appropriate. |
Governor / Director | |
| 15 |
To ensure that processes previously agreed with the Board, such as that the Board will be notified immediately following the deployment of PAVA, deaths in custody or the use of the special cell, are implemented. And that the Board receives responses to issues it raises in its weekly reports.
Repeated
Response
None. Patchy. Seems to depend on who is the duty governor on particular days. |
Governor / Director | |
| 16 |
To ensure that contact between prisoners and their key workers becomes more effective.
Repeated
Response
None. Still a major concern to the Board. |
Governor / Director |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Lancaster Farms
Report details
- Establishment
- Lancaster Farms
- Type
- Prison · Cat C
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 11 September 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Lancaster Farms
- Recommendations
- 16
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Population | 540 |
| Operational capacity | 560 |
Service providers
Dentistry
Smart Dental
Education services
Novus
Healthcare
Spectrum Community Health
Mental health services
Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Prison maintenance
Amey plc
Rehabilitation services
Sodexo Justice Services
Resettlement
Seetec
Visits contractor
Partners of Prisoners