Recommendation 1
Continue to develop the STEP unit and ensure its role in the pathway to progression programme is clear, and that it can resume its role of breaking the cycle of segregation (see also section 5.5.3).
Source · IMB Annual Report
Full Sutton
AI-generated report summary This report for HMP Full Sutton (Jan-Dec 2022) highlights persistent staff shortages, which led to regime lockdowns and reduced time out of cell. Despite these challenges, the prison maintained a safe and humane environment, showing improvements in education and complaint handling. Key concerns include drug testing levels, inconsistent equalities meetings, and the ongoing development of the STEP unit, with a shortfall in psychological and nursing staff also noted.
Year: 2022
Published: 1 Jun 2023
Type: Prison · Cat High Security
Population: 580
Recommendations: 3
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 206 | 146 |
| ACCT cases opened | 144 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 35 | 28 |
| Assaults on staff | 38 | 25 |
| Use of force | 195 | 236 |
| Drug finds | 9 | — |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryDespite increasing staff shortages and initial COVID-19 restrictions, HMP Full Sutton maintained a decent regime and a safe, calm, and humane environment. The IMB noted improvements in education provision and the quality of responses to prisoner complaints. Accommodation standards are generally good, and the kitchens provide a good service. Healthcare was maintained at an acceptable level, with new procedures leading to shorter waiting times for appointments and innovations like in-prison MRI and ultrasound scanning. The chaplaincy team is effective and proactive, and staff-prisoner relationships are satisfactory.
Key concerns
Continue to develop the STEP unit and ensure its role in the pathway to progression programme is clear, and that it can resume its role of breaking the cycle of segregation.
Ensure equalities meetings are held consistently and improve the focus on equalities, which has been less than it should be.
Ensure that the focus on drug testing (random, suspicion, and reception) is maintained and takes place to the required levels, as levels remained low.
A shortfall in the number of qualified psychologists at Full Sutton has affected the department’s ability to meet fully its responsibilities in terms of consultancy, parole and category A reporting.
The removal of Resolve (a medium intensity violence reduction programme) as an accredited OBP has led to a gap in suitable courses for some prisoners, delaying access to appropriate interventions.
The introduction of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous groups, originally planned for 2021, did not take place again in 2022.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Ensure equalities meetings are held consistently (see also section 5.7.3).
Recommendation 3
Ensure that the focus on drug testing (random, suspicion, and reception) is maintained and takes place to the required levels (see also section 4.5.1).
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 11 | 11 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 2 | 1 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives, sanctions | 20 | 17 |
| Equality | 7 | 6 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 8 |
| Food and kitchens | 5 | 8 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 43 | 24 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 20 | 16 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 48 | 38 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 6 |
| Property within this establishment | 12 | 4 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 21 | 14 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorization | 8 | 5 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 35 | 28 |
| Transfers | 3 | 4 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 3
· Respect 3
· Activity 2
· Release 3
Malcolm MacDougal · Other non-natural
Norman Heaton · Natural causes
Peter Wrigglesworth · Natural causes
Ronald Cole · Natural causes
David Howarth · Natural causes
Other reports for Full Sutton
Population 580
· Self-harm 410
· Concerns
Population 577
· Self-harm 494
· Concerns
Population 584
· Self-harm 371
· Concerns
Population 575
· Self-harm 144
· Concerns
Population 579
· Self-harm 125
· Concerns