Recommendation 1
Will the Minister improve the funding to enable the prison to recruit and retain an adequate number of staff?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Lewes
AI-generated report summary HMP Lewes continues to face severe challenges, primarily driven by staff shortages that restrict the regime, leaving many prisoners out of cell for only an hour a day. This has contributed to significant increases in self-harm and assaults on staff, while issues with healthcare provision, mental health support, and the decency of accommodation persist. The Board highlights the disproportionate use of force against BAME prisoners and the ongoing lack of resettlement support for those on remand.
Year: 2023
Published: 26 Jul 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B local
Population: 554
Recommendations: 14
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 5 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 490 | 353 |
| ACCT cases opened | 524 | 563 |
| Assaults on staff | 101 | 69 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe Board commends the compassionate response of management and staff following deaths in custody. Improvements were noted in refurbishing C wing showers, redecorating common areas with prisoner participation, and repairing bunk beds. Initiatives to encourage prisoners to return from segregation were successful. Healthcare staffing improved from 49% to 70% filled posts, with better relations between PPG and prison staff. The introduction of a dedicated Patient Engagement Lead significantly improved communication and reduced officer workload. The veterans' forum, supported by SSAFA, provided valuable assistance including benefits and employment aid. The chaplaincy team was praised for their hard work and meaningful contribution to prisoner welfare, and one officer was observed demonstrating excellent negotiation skills in a property transfer situation. Repairs to CSU showers and the Wallgate water system were finally undertaken.
Key concerns
There has been a near-40% increase in the incidents of self-harm but no increase in the number of assessment, care in custody, teamwork documents (ACCTs) opened.
There has been a 46% increase in the number of assaults on staff but no corresponding increase in the number of men referred to a challenge, support and intervention plan (CSIP).
There is a disproportionate use of force against black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners.
The inappropriate allocation of men from reception to the vulnerable prisoners (VP) wing resulted in the bullying of vulnerable prisoners and the potential for the bullying of non-vulnerable prisoners once moved to a main wing.
There is inconsistent supervision of medicine dispensary hatches on wings by prison officers.
The Board considers the induction process to be inadequate at HMP Lewes.
Prisoners who do not have a job or are not in education or chaplaincy sessions are out of their cells for little more than an hour a day.
The Board is concerned about the inappropriate use of the care and separation unit (CSU) for men with complex and severe mental health needs and those on constant watch.
The Board considers that the inadequate provision of washing and drying machines, together with a shortage of kit throughout the year, is not decent.
The Victorian wing housing vulnerable prisoners is served by a temporary boiler which provides inconsistent heating and hot water, which at times causes damp and black mould in some cells on the wing.
The key work system does not work as planned.
There is inadequate provision for disabled prisoners and those needing palliative and end-of-life care.
Due to staffing issues, mental health services have struggled to keep up with assessments and there have been long waits to see the psychiatrist.
Prisoners requiring secure mental health care are waiting too long for assessment and transfer to hospitals.
Access to education and library services throughout the year has been severely impacted by shortages of prison staff.
Limited numbers of work training places and the small number of jobs available make progress for the majority of men difficult.
Resettlement for sentenced prisoners was generally fine, however, remand prisoners are given no support in this area.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Will the Minister speak to colleagues to seek to ensure that there are sufficient beds in secure mental health hospitals to speed up the transfer of prisoners and support their rehabilitation?
Recommendation 3
Will the Minister improve the right to access probation and resettlement services for the large number of prisoners held on remand for long periods?
Recommendation 4
Will the Minister reconsider the recommendation of the Justice Committee to commission a resentencing exercise for all prisoners on imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences?
Government response
HMP Lewes houses up to 16 IPP prisoners at any one time. All have accessed and completed the necessary courses in other prisons. Those that come to the attention of the Board are distressed and traumatised by the hopelessness of their situation. The Board is disappointed that the Secretary of State has rejected the Justice Committee’s recommendation for a resentencing exercise for IPP prisoners.
Recommendation 5
Given the age of most of the prison wings, will the Minister ensure that there is sufficient funding available to make proper repairs to the infrastructure?
Government response
The Board has seen some evidence of redecoration. Industrial washing machines and dryers were sourced early in this reporting year but, at the end of the year, have still not been fitted. Fire safety improvements have been undertaken on F wing but there is still no CCTV on this wing housing vulnerable prisoners. Shower refurbishment is ongoing on C wing but has not commenced on G wing. The facilities management meet regularly with senior management.
Recommendation 6
Will the prison service review the staffing budget in prisons and stop the practice of including non-effective staff in staff numbers?
Recommendation 7
Will the prison service ensure that maintenance and repairs are carried out in a timely manner and that sufficient funding is available locally to do this?
Recommendation 8
The Board is concerned that, in the light of the cost of living crisis, the prisoner food budget will very soon be insufficient. When will the prison service be reviewing this?
Recommendation 9
Will the Governor ensure that the induction processes at HMP Lewes are improved and that the vulnerable prisoners wing is not used for new receptions in the future?
Recommendation 10
Will the Governor do all in her power to increase the number of hours out of cell for all prisoners at HMP Lewes?
Government response
The staff reprofiling exercise was undertaken but not completed in this reporting year. The regime has been further curtailed due to staff shortages and, although education and work places have been available, they have frequently been inaccessible to prisoners due to lack of staff enablement.
Recommendation 11
Will the Governor ensure that all prison staff are aware of the importance of supervising dispensary hatches?
Recommendation 12
Will the Governor work towards a restoration of the key work scheme to at least pre Covid-19 standards?
Recommendation 13
Will the Governor increase the number of work and education places to allow more men an increase in time out of cell?
Government response
There has been an attempt to maximise the number of work and education places available. However, if prisoners are not allocated work or education their time out of cell has been little more than one hour a day.
Recommendation 14
Will the Governor ensure that there are working washing machines and dryers on all wings to enable men to change their clothes regularly, and that men arriving into reception always receive two sets of kit?
Government response
Industrial washing machines and dryers were sourced early in this reporting year but, at the end of the year, have still not been fitted. (See 5.1.4).
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Adjudications | 3 | 1 |
| Conditions of detention | 104 | 102 |
| Employment and training | 24 | 27 |
| Equality and Diversity | 15 | 18 |
| Family contact | 41 | 39 |
| Food | 23 | 18 |
| General | 25 | 17 |
| Health care | 89 | 114 |
| Legal | 12 | 20 |
| Other | 11 | 12 |
| Pay | 4 | 4 |
| Personal safety | 64 | 63 |
| Property | 40 | 23 |
| Religious/faith | 4 | 7 |
| Respect | 19 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 534 | 597 |
| Vulnerable prisoners | 1 | 2 |
| Wages/money | 0 | 0 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 2
· Respect 3
· Activity 2
· Release 3
Safety 2
· Respect 2
· Activity 1
· Release 2
Michael Campbell · Other non-natural
Jamie Funnell · Other non-natural
Ryan Trimmer · State Custody related deaths
Other reports for Lewes
Population 603
· Self-harm 432
· Concerns
Population 581
· Self-harm 651
· Concerns
Population 602
· Self-harm 620
· Concerns
Population 568
· Self-harm 347
· Concerns
Population 548
· Concerns
Population 551
· Self-harm 369
· Concerns