Recommendation 1
Can the Minister give assurances that the planned expansion plans will materialise?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Guys Marsh
AI-generated report summary HMP Guys Marsh saw a return to a more normal regime after Covid restrictions, but persistent challenges remained, notably in staffing, safety, and healthcare provision. Violence, often driven by illicit substances, and the lack of effective key working were significant concerns. While some areas like the ISMS team and chaplaincy were commended, mental health services were hampered by the absence of a psychiatrist, and a death in custody highlighted communication and ACCT deficiencies. The Board also raised concerns about low attendance at purposeful activity, the condition of the estate's infrastructure, and the slow complaints process.
Year: 2022
Published: 25 Apr 2023
Type: Prison · Cat C
Population: 491
Recommendations: 10
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 3 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 416 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 205 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 75 | — |
| Use of force | 472 | — |
| Drug finds | 132 | — |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe Board commends the Integrated Substance Misuse Service (ISMS) team for effectively supporting prisoners with addiction issues and establishing Cambria as a drug rehabilitation wing. Relationships between prisoners and staff were noted as positive and helpful, and the prison was largely considered a safe place. Staff responsiveness to incidents, the improved whole-prison approach to safer custody, and the thorough multidisciplinary safety intervention meetings were welcomed. The reception area was clean and well-organised, and the induction programme was largely completed on time. The prison received commendation for achieving illicit item finds, and for the front-line staff's efforts in dealing with challenging situations related to psychotic substance use. Improvements were noted in external cleanliness, laundry facilities, the decency project, and catering provision. Efforts to reduce the duration of stay in the Care and Separation Unit and address prisoner needs were impressive. The chaplaincy team's support across multiple faiths and the successful management of Ramadan were also highlighted as positive.
Key concerns
The Board had real concerns as to the safety of staff and prisoners in the later stages of the year, particularly in August when violence statistics peaked.
The high number of assaults on staff was of considerable concern to the Board.
Debt issues surrounding the use of illicit substances and the use of mobile phones were significant drivers of violence within the prison. Despite the frequent finds of throwovers throughout the year (132 throwovers intercepted), the location and perimeter length of the establishment demanded a more sophisticated approach to combat the highly lucrative organised crime groups’ (OCG) business of supplying illicit items into the prison.
Use of force (UOF) incidents were high against comparator prisons and peaked in August.
The PPO’s report dated September 2022 highlighted a lack of effective communication between the healthcare providers at both the sending and receiving prisons, as well as the ACCT process which lacked rigor and consistency.
The lack of key working was a major concern to the Board throughout the year. Staffing issues did not allow for regular and well documented one-to-one contact.
Property loss continued to be a major issue on transfer.
The Board had concerns during the reporting year about the absence of a psychiatrist at the establishment, followed by an unsatisfactory situation where the position was filled by a locum.
The Board regrets the death in custody of a prisoner with very challenging mental health needs who had been in the establishment for six weeks.
The resettlement service continued to be a highly challenged one. The Board was concerned about the fragmentation of the service, given the fractured responsibility shared between the prison and outside probation services.
The Board had real concerns about the lack of attendance for work. In part this was caused by a change of culture after the long periods of inactivity during Covid regimes. However, there needed to be a major shift in prisoner culture to re-establish work regimes.
One of the barriers to attendance at work has been the low level of pay. The Board would welcome a review of pay which incentivises attendance at work.
IPP prisoners continue to languish in the establishment after the recent Justice Committee decision that these individuals will not be resentenced. At what point will there be a recognition of the inhumanity of these sentences?
The prison was to receive in-cell technology, now cancelled, so that everyday tasks could be carried out seamlessly by prisoners, and education programmes delivered effectively. Is there to be a review of that decision?
The cornerstone of offender management in custody (OMIC) is the importance of the key worker and prisoner relationship. Current staffing levels simply do not allow for the effective delivery of OMIC. leading to pressures elsewhere in the system. How can the Prison Service ensure the successful delivery of OMIC?
Attendance at purposeful activity was significantly lower than the 80% target. How can that target be met once staffing complements allow it?
The management of the complaints process improved markedly but responses to complaints continued to be disappointingly slow.
External cleanliness around the wings was not good since it encouraged vermin and gave the establishment an unkempt and ill-disciplined feel. The Board continually raised with the senior management team (SMT) the levels of litter and rubbish around the establishment.
The district heating main around the establishment continued to be not fit for purpose, as a consequence of which several back up boilers were used as temporary measures.
It was disappointing to see that the main laundry had a disastrous refit with particularly poor project management at HMPPS central services. The delays in completion of the refit often led to shortages of basic items on the wings, and the clothes exchange scheme was placed under severe strain.
The cleanliness of servery areas was inconsistent. The Board received several complaints from one wing as to the potential hazards of poorly cleaned servery areas.
Microwaves have been removed from wings. The Board would welcome their reinstatement on all wings.
The quality of adjudications varied. Generally, they were fairly and efficiently conducted although the Board was disappointed to note that the supporting paperwork remained a challenge for staff, frequently resulting in a charge being dismissed.
Key working, or lack of it, continues to be a major cause of concern to the Board. It should be the cornerstone of prisoner rehabilitation and progress. As it existed during the reporting year it was barely fit for purpose given the few prisoners it involved.
The incentives scheme did not work as well as it should. The scheme seemed to be used more as a tool to punish rather than as a tool to incentivise good behaviour.
Staff retention remained a concern. One particularly vicious prisoner-on-prisoner attack was witnessed by several officers new into their training, which led to several officers leaving the service. The IMB has concerns about how effectively officers new to the service were supported.
Research carried out by the lead Board member ascertained that there was little awareness of the IMB role by foreign national prisoners, particularly those with limited English language skills. There were no applications to the IMB from foreign national prisoners.
Foreign nationals are not provided with information in their own language. They rely on fellow prisoners for explanation. The Board would like to see this addressed, particularly in the induction process and with support services in the library.
The Board had concerns about the lack of support for those prisoners with neurodiverse characteristics. Although funding for the appointment of a lead for neurodiversity had been achieved by May and an appointment made, the post became vacant again in November and remained unfilled at the end of the reporting period.
Ofsted inspected education provision in July. Its report concluded that all areas required improvement. This overall judgement applied to education, skills and work.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
The Prison White Paper published in December 2021 contains a blueprint for prison reform over the next ten years. It contains many welcome commitments to safety, education and resettlement. Can the Minister give any assurances that these commitments will be translated into action as opposed to aspirational theory?
Recommendation 3
IPP prisoners continue to languish in the establishment after the recent Justice Committee decision that these individuals will not be resentenced. At what point will there be a recognition of the inhumanity of these sentences?
Recommendation 4
HMP Guys Marsh is a rural establishment with a significant perimeter to patrol. Organised crime groups bombarded the establishment with throwovers and drone deliveries of drugs and mobile phones. There needs to be more sophisticated ways of combatting these destabilising deliveries rather than the current patrols around the establishment. Can the Prison Service support the prison in providing the means to tackle these OCG activities?
Recommendation 5
The prison was to receive in-cell technology, now cancelled, so that everyday tasks could be carried out seamlessly by prisoners, and education programmes delivered effectively. Is there to be a review of that decision?
Government response
Project cancelled because of lack of funding.
Recommendation 6
The cornerstone of offender management in custody (OMIC) is the importance of the key worker and prisoner relationship. Current staffing levels simply do not allow for the effective delivery of OMIC. leading to pressures elsewhere in the system. How can the Prison Service ensure the successful delivery of OMIC?
Government response
Governor has acknowledged that under the current staffing regime, the model of key working as seen in OMIC is impossible to deliver. Still an outstanding issue. Will not be resolved by Guys Marsh. It needs a wider context.
Recommendation 7
The current recording of prisoner property on property cards is time-consuming and often mismanaged, leading to compensation payments and much wasting of staff time. Is there not a case for the immediate digitising of all prisoner property cards to be then placed on NOMIS?
Recommendation 8
Attendance at purposeful activity was significantly lower than the 80% target. How can that target be met once staffing complements allow it?
Government response
Governor response was to focus on ensuring wing staff are proactive in getting prisoners off the wing to work and using the incentives system to enforce it. Still an outstanding issue for the Board.
Recommendation 9
It was planned that the offender management unit (OMU) be moved out onto the prison estate to ensure that there was greater contact between the OMU and prisoners. Is this still to happen?
Recommendation 10
The management of the complaints process improved markedly but responses to complaints continued to be disappointingly slow. Can the Governor assure the IMB that this will change in the immediate future?
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Food | 6 | 9 |
| Healthcare | 13 | 12 |
| Money | 2 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 1 |
| Property | 37 | 36 |
| Regime | 13 | 11 |
| Rule 45 | 25 | 26 |
| Staff | 16 | 18 |
| Total | 160 | 151 |
Other reports for Guys Marsh
Population 490
· Concerns
Population 483
· Concerns
Population 500
· Concerns
Population 466
· Self-harm 294
· Concerns
Population 400
· Concerns