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Channings Wood

AI-generated report summary HMP Channings Wood reported a largely settled year (Sept 2021-Aug 2022) despite a gradual return to a near-normal regime after Covid-19 restrictions. While self-harm incidents reduced by 17% and total assaults remained similar to the previous year, the use of force increased by 27%. Key concerns highlighted include the persistent challenges in mental healthcare, specifically accessing specialist placements, the ongoing issue of lost prisoner property during transfers, and the ineffectiveness of the key worker scheme in supporting sentence progression. The Board commended efforts in E&D, chaplaincy, and health and wellbeing initiatives while noting that many cells and showers need refurbishment.

Year: 2022 Published: 23 Jan 2023 Type: Prison · Cat C Population: 700 Recommendations: 6 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response · 1 Mar 2023 ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody4—
Self-harm incidents306369
Prisoner assaults74—
Assaults on staff29—
Use of force238187

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The Board notes HMP Channings Wood remained largely settled, attributing this to strong leadership, staff commitment, and prisoner tolerance. Overall, the prison provides a largely safe environment, with proportionate use of force. Healthcare delivery maintained a reasonable standard despite staff changes, with mental health referral processes working well and commendable initiatives like THREADS and Outside the Box. Equality and diversity provision has become more embedded and chaplaincy support remains strong. Resettlement arrangements are good, with positive developments like new employment hubs and family contact. The Board also commended the well-organised induction programme for new arrivals and improved processes for healthcare complaints.

Key concerns

9 items
Mental Health Repeated 3 Main areas for development TO THE MINISTER With the increasing levels of concern expressed over the provision of mental health services, what will the Minister do to help the Prison Service deal with the growing number of prisoners with complex mental health conditions, especially those requiring placements in specialist secure accommodation?
Resettlement/Release Repeated The Prison Service continues to fail dismally with the reliable delivery of property on transfer between establishments and this remains an issue of concern to the Board and of huge frustration for prisoners.
Staffing The key worker system is insufficient and ineffective, failing to support sentence progression and with low prisoner awareness/engagement. Source wording under review
Estate/Conditions Repeated However, the residential services experienced by prisoners remain very variable, depending on their location. The Board echoes HMIP’s finding that many cells and showers need refurbishment.
Regime/Time Out of Cell Repeated Prisoners arriving late on a Friday report a significantly poorer induction experience.
Safety HMIP's finding that self-harm incidents at Channings Wood are above the average for comparator prisons, despite a reduction in total incidents this year.
Complaints/Property The Board is concerned that information regarding men who are self-isolating is not always made available to members on their visits.
Mental Health Waiting times to access group work often extend to several months, an issue mentioned in the recent HMIP report.
Resettlement/Release The time taken for prisoners who are recategorised as category D to be transferred, due to the acute lack of capacity in other establishments.

Recommendations

6 items · 4 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

With the increasing levels of concern expressed over the provision of mental health services, what will the Minister do to help the Prison Service deal with the growing number of prisoners with complex mental health conditions, especially those requiring placements in specialist secure accommodation?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Mental Health

Recommendation 2

Addressee: HMPPS

Prisoners arriving late on a Friday report a significantly poorer induction experience than those arriving during the core working week. What will the Prison Service do to minimise the number of routine planned transfers taking place on a Friday?

Repeated Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Governor / Director

Given current resource levels, what plans does the Governor have to implement an effective key worker system over the coming 12 months?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

What measures are planned to address the backlog in the provision of offending behaviour programmes? What is being done in order to minimise the detrimental effect on men awaiting courses prior to parole board hearings while at the same time ensuring that public safety requirements are met?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
It is acknowledged the delivery of Offending Behaviour Programmes (OBPs) suffered during the reporting period and this was primarily due to a focus on delivering Exceptional Delivery Models (EDMs) during the pandemic in accordance with national guidance. The staffing situation at the prison has significantly improved, however, it is important to note that this did not impact on the delivery of programmes as the prison’s OBPs team has always been fully resourced.

Recorded status:

Topic: Education

Recommendation 5

Addressee: HMPPS

Why are the Prison Service and its contractors unable to manage the efficient and secure movement and storage of prisoners’ property, particularly during transfers? The loss of personal items causes a great deal of frustration and unhappiness for the individuals concerned that often detracts from their ability to settle. The costs to the Prison Service in replacing lost items must be significant.

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Further to last years’ response, there was a pause in the development of the new Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework due to Covid-19. Following further extensive consultation and feedback, adjustments to the new Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework have been made. The Framework is currently going through the necessary clearance processes and will be published as soon as those processes are concluded and is expected by the Summer. Note: Issued 01 August 2022.

Recorded status:

Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation 6

Addressee: Governor / Director

What can be done to ensure that men arriving at Channings Wood late on a Friday receive the same level of support during the reception process as those arriving during the working week?

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
The Governor has stated that he has no control over the late arrival of new receptions, as this is run by a contracted service provider. However, under a reprofiling exercise the establishment have extended the opening times of reception to ensure sufficient staff are available. In addition peer mentors are provided and additional staff have been identified for the induction units. There is no prospect of admin staff working longer on a Friday though.

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation (including transfers) 45 38
Adjudications 18 13
Family contact/visits 14 11
Health (physical and mental) 39 28
Offending behaviour programmes 4 3
Other 5 6
Property 48 33
Segregation 11 9
Staff/prisoner relationships 34 27
Total 227 175
Work/education/purposeful activity 9 7

Related inspections & investigations

18 Jul 2022 HMIP · Unannounced
— PPO fatal incident Gordon Suckley · Natural causes
— PPO fatal incident Andrew Savage · Natural causes
— PPO fatal incident James Lawson · Self-inflicted
— PPO fatal incident David Godsave · Natural causes
— PPO fatal incident Matthew Bryant

Other reports for Channings Wood

2025 Published 24 Feb 2026 Population 727 · Self-harm 438 · Concerns
2024 Published 31 Jan 2025 Population 723 · Self-harm 533 · Concerns
2023 Published 23 Jan 2024 Population 740 · Self-harm 509 · Concerns
2021 Published 21 Feb 2022 · Self-harm 370 · Concerns
2020 Published 22 Jan 2021 Population 717 · Self-harm 477 · Concerns