Source · IMB Annual Report
Ranby
Year: 2023
Published: 25 Aug 2023
Type: Prison · Cat C training
Recommendations: 8
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, generally provides a safe environment with satisfactory healthcare, though mental health transfers face significant delays. The Board raised concerns regarding cell sharing, inadequate purposeful activity, and difficulties prisoners face in accessing offender managers. Staffing has improved but retention of new officers is an concern, while the prison struggles to maintain its training role due to overcrowding and a high churn of short-sentence prisoners. The Board’s ability to monitor was impacted by administrative and equipment issues.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 425 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 108 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 54 | — |
Positive findings
The Board found that safety in the prison is generally good, and staff-prisoner relationships are largely respectful. Healthcare services are satisfactory and comparable to public services, with mental health needs generally well cared for. In-cell technology like telephones and laptops have proven valuable. The reception process is efficient and dignified, and staff in the segregation unit and IDTS houseblock show professional and caring approaches. The library is also highly valued and well-run, and family contact and visits appear to be going well.
Key concerns
Overcrowding
Repeated
The Board is still concerned regarding cell sharing, which has been going on for too many years, questioning if it is fair or humane for prisoners to share cells designed for single occupancy, especially given they eat meals and use the toilet in their cells.
Resettlement/Release
Prisoners often have difficulty in accessing their offender manager or indeed knowing who their offender manager actually is, including their Personal Offender Manager (POM) Officer.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Purposeful activity is sometimes poor, and the high churn of short-sentence prisoners means many cannot access or complete courses for rehabilitation or skilled work due to insufficient time or transfer/release.
Resettlement/Release
There is a sense of helplessness and hopelessness for many IPP sentenced prisoners, especially for those detained for many years after a recall.
Mental Health
Prisoners with severe mental health issues are kept too long in the prison environment and not transferred to appropriate mental health institutions, with very long waiting times in excess of 28 days.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Rehabilitation and release planning could be better, as HMP Ranby appears to be neither a full training prison nor a full resettlement prison at this time, compounded by overcrowding and a high churn of short-sentence prisoners.
Complaints/Property
Many instances where prisoners have not had refunds from DHL, particularly when coming to HMP Ranby from other prisons, which builds up tensions.
Food/Catering
The daily budget for food is currently £2.17 per prisoner, which kitchen staff find difficult to provide a balanced and interesting diet, leading to many complaints about the quality and quantity of food.
Complaints/Property
Canteen has also not been delivered in accordance with what was ordered by the prisoner, and delays in refunds adversely affect the attitudes and morale of prisoners, indicating a need for much better contract management at a higher level.
Staffing
25% of band 3 operational officers (12 out of 48) have left within their first year of service, raising questions about the current method of recruitment and the maintenance of experienced staff levels.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
Loss of property is one of the biggest issues reported by prisoners, particularly during transfers from other establishments, leading to long waits for reunion, difficulty claiming compensation, frustration and anger.
Complaints/Property
Many issues become formal complaints (Comp 1 and Comp 1As) which could and should have been dealt with at community level, and responses are still an issue in both timescale and quality.
Other
The Board’s ability to effectively monitor the prison has been significantly impacted by not having the tools for the job, including no clerk available for Board Meetings, non-attendance by Governor, old and unserviceable office equipment, and an unserviceable boiler in the portacabin.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A comprehensive reducing reoffending strategy, supported by a detailed action plan that is monitored and updated regularly, should be developed to improve outcomes for prisoners. | HMPPS | |
| 2 | Will the Prison Service outline its plans for aligning the catering budget with the increases in the cost of living? | HMPPS | |
| 3 | What plans does the Prison Service have to resolve this issue? | HMPPS | |
| 4 | What steps can the Prison Service take to ensure that the numbers of experienced staff are maintained at adequate levels? | HMPPS | |
| 5 | What steps can the Prison Service take to address this problem? | HMPPS | |
| 6 | Will the Prison Service explain why a prisoner returned from a Category D prison on an alleged breach of rules is returned without paperwork or the chance to answer the charges for the return, but the return is posted on p-NOMIS and therefore their record? | HMPPS | |
| 7 | Does the Prison Service have plans to address this issue in the future? | HMPPS | |
| 8 | More staff interaction, better information for prisoners to know who their offender manager and personal offender manager are. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 16 | 15 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 27 | 26 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 7 | 3 |
| Equality | 1 | 9 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 9 |
| Food and kitchens | 2 | 3 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 12 | 26 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 14 | 34 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 0 | 47 |
| Property within this establishment | 52 | 54 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 4 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 53 | 45 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 33 | 28 |
| Transfers | 18 | 7 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Ranby
Report details
- Establishment
- Ranby
- Type
- Prison · Cat C training
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 25 August 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Ranby
- Recommendations
- 8
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Operational capacity | 1,025 |
| CNA (designed for) | 892 |
Service providers
Education
Education
Healthcare
Nottinghamshire NHS
Resettlement
NACRO