Source · IMB Annual Report
East Sutton Park
Year: 2022
Published: 15 Feb 2023
Type: Prison · Cat open women's
Recommendations: 8
Key concerns
Positive findings
This report for HMP East Sutton Park covers the period from November 2021 to October 2022. The Board finds the open women's prison to be largely safe and well-run, with good staff-resident relationships and effective resettlement efforts, particularly in securing external employment. Key concerns include the low population numbers hindering full use of capacity, residents arriving with insufficient time for resettlement, and the need to review fire evacuation procedures.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
| Use of force | 0 | — |
Positive findings
The prison is considered a safe and well-run environment, with positive relationships between residents and staff. Healthcare is effective within its operating hours, and residents are generally well-prepared for release, with few leaving without accommodation. The prison is commended for its success in securing external employment for residents, many of whom continue with their employers post-release. Accommodation in the flats and pods is praised for fostering self-sufficiency, and there are no waiting lists for healthcare appointments.
Key concerns
Safety
The emergency evacuation procedures are inadequate and require careful monitoring for effectiveness across all areas of the prison.
Resettlement/Release
Some residents arrive with too little time remaining on their sentence, allowing insufficient time to properly prepare them for release and hindering resettlement.
Resettlement/Release
The number of women entering the prison is too low, preventing more women from benefiting from its excellent resettlement preparation, and closed prisons are not consistently progressing suitable women to ESP.
Complaints/Property
Response times of other prisons to ESP residents’ complaints against them are insufficient.
Food/Catering
The contents of the canteen list require more regular review to ensure relevance to residents' needs.
Mental Health
More Listeners need to be trained as many existing Listeners are due to leave during 2022.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | To increase the number of women coming to the prison so that more women gain from the excellent preparation for life back in society. | Other | |
| 2 | To continue to ensure that residents coming to ESP have enough time left to serve, to ensure that the greatest benefit in resettlement can be achieved, and therefore representing value for money. | HMPPS | |
| 3 | To ensure that closed women’s prisons progress women who are suitable for the resettlement regime to go to ESP. | HMPPS | |
| 4 | To increase the number of women coming to the prison nearer to the operating capacity of 98, so that more women gain from the excellent preparation for life back in society. | HMPPS | |
| 5 | To improve the response times of other prisons to ESP residents’ complaints against them. | HMPPS | |
| 6 | To review the fire contingency plan, as the Board considers that the new system needs to be carefully monitored as to its effectiveness at reaching all areas of the prison in a prompt manner. | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | To review the contents of the canteen list more regularly to ensure that it is relevant to the needs of the residents. | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | To train more Listeners as many are due to leave ESP during 2022. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 0 | 3 |
| Adjudication | 2 | 1 |
| Education/training/employment | 2 | 2 |
| Equality/Diversity/Religion | 1 | 0 |
| Family/visits | 0 | 6 |
| Finance/Pay | 0 | 2 |
| Food/kitchen | 0 | 4 |
| H3 Canteen/Facilities/Catalogue/Argos | 0 | 0 |
| Health related | 3 | 3 |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 5 |
| Property (other prison/transfer) | 0 | 3 |
| Property (within current establishment) | 0 | 2 |
| Sentence related inc ROTL/Parole/Re-cat | 6 | 6 |
| Staff/Prisoner related inc bullying | 1 | 7 |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Other reports for East Sutton Park
Report details
- Establishment
- East Sutton Park
- Type
- Prison · Cat open women's
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 15 February 2023
- Responsible body
- East Sutton Park
- Recommendations
- 8
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 4 — Outstanding
Population
| Operational capacity | 98 |
Service providers
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation
Change Grow Live (CGL)
Education
Weston College
Employment advice
Ixion
Family support
Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact)
Library services
Kent County Council (KCC)
Mental healthcare
Oxleas
Physical healthcare
Oxleas