Source · IMB Annual Report
Long Lartin
Year: 2022
Published: 14 Apr 2023
Type: Prison · Cat Category A and B male
Population: 530
Recommendations: 13
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Long Lartin faced a challenging year ending December 2022, primarily due to severe uniformed staff shortages that limited regime provision and hindered recovery from pandemic restrictions. Key concerns included inadequate infrastructure and maintenance, persistent issues with illicit items and safety, and the degrading conditions in cells lacking running water. Despite these challenges, healthcare provision saw some improvements, and the IMB maintained a productive relationship with prison management.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 412 | 371 |
| Prisoner assaults | 114 | 93 |
| Assaults on staff | 70 | — |
| Use of force | 290 | 365 |
| Drug finds | 122 | — |
Positive findings
The healthcare team made commendable efforts to reduce waiting times and improve long-term condition management, with immunisation and testing meeting national standards. The training of health champions has targeted appropriate interventions, and prisoners have good access to mental health and substance misuse support. The PIPE unit continues to function well, offering a positive environment with dedicated staff and diverse therapeutic activities. The Board also praised the chaplains for their significant contribution to prisoner welfare and the Pact team for facilitating successful family days.
Key concerns
Staffing
The severe shortage of uniformed staff led to a severely hindered prison function, limited regime, and diminished personal contact with prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Ageing and unsatisfactory infrastructure coupled with poor maintenance support from the contractor Amey, significantly impacted the prison environment.
Safety
Unreliable faulty security systems, a visible infestation of rats, and the inability to minimise prisoners’ access to drugs and associated dangers are constant threats to safety.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Cells on four wings lack running water and sanitation, which falls below modern standards of decency for about half of all prisoners.
Segregation
Repeated
Prisoners remain in the Care, Separation and Reintegration Unit (CSRU) for extended periods for lack of more suitable alternatives, leading to inevitable deterioration in their condition.
Healthcare
Repeated
The condition of most cells in the healthcare centre (HCC), particularly the inpatient unit and facilities for disabled prisoners, is not fit for purpose.
Mental Health
Repeated
Significant waiting times for transfers to secure hospitals persist for mental health patients.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Classroom education, vocational training, and work have been minimal due to staff shortages, leading to increased frustration among prisoners.
Food/Catering
The fabric and appliances in the kitchen are in a dismal state, constantly out of use or poorly repaired, affecting food quality and hygiene.
Substance Misuse
Persistent importation of illicit items, including drugs and mobile phones, despite security measures.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Will the Minister confirm when we might expect the promised visit?
Repeated
Response
Minister accepted our invitation to visit. |
Other | |
| 1 | Will the Prison Service continue to provide a sufficient number of detached uniformed staff to ensure safety and fair and humane treatment for prisoners? | HMPPS | |
| 1 | Will the Governor give more priority to repairs and improvements to the security systems? | Governor / Director | |
| 2 |
Will they give their assurance that due attention is being given to this issue? [cells on four wings lack running water and sanitation]
Repeated
Response
Details on the upgrade work to be completed in 2022 were provided. |
Other | |
| 2 |
Will the Prison Service play an active role in the management and monitoring of this contract to ensure that there is a marked improvement in the performance of Amey?
Repeated
Response
Contract is robustly monitored and managed but Amey and the contracts management team acknowledge that site is not performing as it should. |
HMPPS | |
| 2 | Will the Governor ensure that, during the forthcoming year, the fabric of the kitchen will be renovated to an acceptable standard for hygienic food production and that all unreliable and unserviceable kitchen appliances are properly repaired or replaced without delay? | Governor / Director | |
| 3 |
Will the Minister give a clear lead on strategies to ensure that this unit [CSRU] is only used as a short-term measure?
Repeated
Response
Assured that all types of support were available to CSRU prisoners. |
Other | |
| 3 | Will the Prison Service commit permanently to limiting the roll of CSRU prisoners to 26? | HMPPS | |
| 3 | What steps is the Governor taking to reduce the importation of illicit items including drugs and mobile phones? | Governor / Director | |
| 4 |
Will the Minister explain what action is being taken to ensure that waiting times for transfers to secure hospitals are reduced?
Repeated
Response
Maintained that average waiting times are improving but Covid-19 and associated restrictions continued to have an effect on waiting times. |
Other | |
| 4 | The healthcare centre (HCC), and in particular the inpatient unit and facilities for disabled prisoners, are in need of urgent modernisation. Will the Prison Service give priority to complete refurbishment and improvement of the in-patient unit and replacement of the stairlift? | HMPPS | |
| 5 |
Will the Prison Service confirm that 2023 will see the standardisation of rules for transfer of prisoners’ property in the LTHSE?
Repeated
Response
A number of initiatives highlighted. Acknowledgment that there is disparity in policy between other prisons within LTHSE. Efforts being made to align policies where possible. |
HMPPS | |
| 6 | Will the Prison Service provide assurance that prisoners who need to use wheelchairs will not be transferred in when no suitable cells are available? | HMPPS |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 11 | 6 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 12 | 3 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 15 | 5 |
| Equality | 12 | 14 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 9 | 16 |
| Food and kitchens | 8 | 7 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 25 | 27 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 19 | 16 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 10 | 5 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 21 | 21 |
| Property within this establishment | 27 | 25 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 15 | 7 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 22 | 25 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 37 | 44 |
| Transfers | 6 | 13 |
Related inspections & investigations
15 Feb 2026
HMIP · Announced
30 Sep 2024
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 2
· Respect 2
· Activity 2
· Release 3
5 Dec 2022
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 2
· Respect 2
· Activity 1
· Release 2
5 May 2021
PFD
Richard Ormond · State Custody related deaths | Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths
Other reports for Long Lartin
Report details
- Establishment
- Long Lartin
- Type
- Prison · Cat Category A and B male
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 14 April 2023
- Responsible body
- HMP Long Lartin
- Recommendations
- 13
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 1 — Serious concern
Population
| Population | 530 |
| Operational capacity | 530 |
| CNA (designed for) | 518 102% |
Service providers
Buildings and infrastructure maintenance
Amey plc
Canteen
DHL
Education
Milton Keynes College
General healthcare services
Practice Plus Group
Mental health and psychosocial substance misuse services
Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (Inclusion)
Social care
Worcestershire County Council