Source · IMB Annual Report
Grendon
Year: 2022
Published: 12 May 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B
Population: 160
Recommendations: 13
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Grendon, a Category B therapeutic prison, saw improvements in its regime post-Covid restrictions, with low levels of self-harm, assaults, and no deaths in custody. Staff-prisoner relationships remained excellent, and initiatives in diversity and family contact were strong. However, the prison faced ongoing challenges from a protracted fire safety project, persistent issues with night sanitation, and a noticeable erosion of its therapeutic culture post-pandemic. Significant concerns remain regarding staffing shortages in key areas, delays in transferring men out of therapy, and inadequate governance of healthcare data, all contributing to a difficult operational environment despite the positive progress in other areas.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 0 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 28 | 38 |
| ACCT cases opened | 32 | 38 |
| Prisoner assaults | 4 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 1 | — |
| Use of force | 3 | 5 |
| Drug finds | 12 | 12 |
Positive findings
HMP Grendon maintained safety with low levels of self-harm, assaults, use of force, and no deaths in custody. Staff-prisoner relationships are excellent, and the DIRF process significantly improved, leading to a 47% reduction in complaints. Family contact, including social visits and video calls, is strong, with 84% of men reporting that their experience at Grendon made them less likely to reoffend. Education success rates remain impressive, and library membership has increased significantly, showcasing positive engagement.
Key concerns
Resettlement/Release
Is the Minister aware of the impact of decisions to override Parole Board recommendations both for the men and probation staff involved as well as the wider repercussions on the therapeutic communities (7.3.1)?
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The lack of availability to transport men out of therapy (OOT) needs to be addressed to avoid unnecessary delays and distress (4.4.1 and 7.1.7).
Estate/Conditions
Improvements to the delivery schedule of the ongoing fire and safety project, as well as improved handovers of completed wings, are necessary in order to reduce disruption and return the prison to capacity (5.1).
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Improvements to night sanitation from the fire safety project have yet to be evidenced and the Board continues to believe that the system does not meet decency and hygiene outcomes for prisoners (5.1.2).
Complaints/Property
There appears to be no maximum response time for appeals against adjudications sent to the external assessment unit (5.2.3).
Regime/Time Out of Cell
There is insufficient budget for the prison to fund a fairer wage to help offset the increased costs that the men face in canteen and other purchases (7.2.1).
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Continued progress on rebuilding culture and ethos on the communities (7.1.3).
Complaints/Property
Training on responses to complaints (5.7.2).
Healthcare
Improved governance of healthcare data and outcomes (6.1.2) and overseeing delivery of health champions and improved communication with men (6.1.7).
Staffing
Delivery of staff training e.g. suicide and self-harm (SASH) (4.2.6).
Safety
Repeated
Reporting on response times to cell bells (4.2.4).
Equality/Diversity
The good work on D&I being sustained (5.4).
Education/Purposeful Activity
The problem of men being pulled from education to attend therapy sessions (7.6.9).
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the Minister aware of the impact of decisions to override Parole Board recommendations both for the men and probation staff involved as well as the wider repercussions on the therapeutic communities (7.3.1)? | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | The lack of availability to transport men out of therapy (OOT) needs to be addressed to avoid unnecessary delays and distress (4.4.1 and 7.1.7). | HMPPS | |
| 3 | Improvements to the delivery schedule of the ongoing fire and safety project, as well as improved handovers of completed wings, are necessary in order to reduce disruption and return the prison to capacity (5.1). | HMPPS | |
| 4 | Improvements to night sanitation from the fire safety project have yet to be evidenced and the Board continues to believe that the system does not meet decency and hygiene outcomes for prisoners (5.1.2). Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 5 | There appears to be no maximum response time for appeals against adjudications sent to the external assessment unit (5.2.3). | HMPPS | |
| 6 | There is insufficient budget for the prison to fund a fairer wage to help offset the increased costs that the men face in canteen and other purchases (7.2.1). | HMPPS | |
| 7 | Continued progress on rebuilding culture and ethos on the communities (7.1.3). Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | Training on responses to complaints (5.7.2). | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | Improved governance of healthcare data and outcomes (6.1.2) and overseeing delivery of health champions and improved communication with men (6.1.7). | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | Delivery of staff training e.g. suicide and self-harm (SASH) (4.2.6). | Governor / Director | |
| 11 | Reporting on response times to cell bells (4.2.4). Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 12 | The good work on D&I being sustained (5.4). | Governor / Director | |
| 13 | The problem of men being pulled from education to attend therapy sessions (7.6.9). | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 3 | 6 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 2 | 0 |
| Equality | 0 | 1 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 1 |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 13 | 4 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 1 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 3 | 2 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 2 | 0 |
| Property within this establishment | 0 | 1 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 0 | 0 |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 1 | 0 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 0 | 3 |
| Transfers | 6 | 1 |
Related inspections & investigations
2 May 2023
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 4
· Respect 4
· Activity 2
· Release 4
Other reports for Grendon
Report details
- Establishment
- Grendon
- Type
- Prison · Cat B
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 12 May 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Grendon
- Recommendations
- 13
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Population | 160 |
| Operational capacity | 183 |
| Time out of cell | 10.8h/day |
Service providers
Audiology
Specsavers
Dental
Time for Teeth
Drug and alcohol recovery team (DART)
Inclusion
Education services
Milton Keynes College (MKC)
Maintenance and facilities management
Gov Facility Services Ltd
Mental health services
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust
Optician
Prisons Opticians Trust
Podiatry and physiotherapy
Bucks MSK
Primary healthcare
Practice Plus Group