Recommendation 1
Remand prisoner numbers and the length of time spent in prison continue to increase due to lack of access to court time. What support can be provided to help with release planning as they are not eligible for probation services?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Bristol
AI-generated report summary HMP Bristol has demonstrated positive improvements in safety, with reductions in self-harm and staff assaults, and effective Covid-19 management. However, the prison continues to face significant challenges, including an insufficient staffing budget and high non-effective rates that frequently impact regime delivery, purposeful activity, and key worker provision. Concerns persist regarding the Victorian infrastructure, particularly poor disability access and heating issues, alongside prolonged waits for specialist mental health transfers and an ongoing problem with lost prisoner property.
Year: 2022
Published: 10 Jan 2023
Type: Prison · Cat B, local, resettlement, YOI
Population: 494
Recommendations: 11
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 459 | 570 |
| ACCT cases opened | 676 | 781 |
| Prisoner assaults | 195 | 138 |
| Assaults on staff | 75 | 102 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryHMP Bristol managed Covid-19 well with no serious illness or deaths, demonstrating staff and management credit. The prison has also seen reduced self-harm incidents and assaults on staff, while general healthcare provision is good and aligned with community standards. Positive initiatives like the Harmony project and increased engagement with resettlement services have been welcomed, and the prison has successfully exited urgent notification status.
Key concerns
Remand prisoner numbers and the length of time spent in prison continue to increase due to lack of access to court time. What support can be provided to help with release planning as they are not eligible for probation services?
The Victorian infrastructure of Bristol prison continues to cause problems with disability access and adequate heating and hot water. This is especially significant for the increasing numbers of elderly and disabled prisoners. What alternative provisions for this population are being considered?
The actual waiting times for access to specialist mental health services experienced by prisoners appear to be longer than reported. This is due to the design of the reporting rules covering different stages of the pathway. Will the rules be reviewed so that the reported figures accurately reflect the total time waited?
The prison staffing budget, with an ineffective rate of 20%, appears insufficient to cover all duties, thereby directly impacting on the daily lives of prisoners. Will there be any review of staffing budgets in the coming year?
8 Property The Board has not seen any significant improvement in the handling and management of prisoner property, either on transfer between establishments or within the prison itself. Property (including legal papers, photographs and personal documents) continues to be a constant source of complaints and is one of the highest categories of applications to the IMB, doubling from the previous year.
Can the planned increases in the operational capacity be monitored closely so that the significant gains made in safety, decency, and culture at Bristol prison since 2019 are not lost?
Will there be any financial support provided to prisons to cope with the rapidly increasing cost of living and increasing energy cost pressures?
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
The Victorian infrastructure of Bristol prison continues to cause problems with disability access and adequate heating and hot water. This is especially significant for the increasing numbers of elderly and disabled prisoners. What alternative provisions for this population are being considered?
Recommendation 3
Will there be any financial support provided to prisons to cope with the rapidly increasing cost of living and increasing energy cost pressures?
Recommendation 4
The actual waiting times for access to specialist mental health services experienced by prisoners appear to be longer than reported. This is due to the design of the reporting rules covering different stages of the pathway. Will the rules be reviewed so that the reported figures accurately reflect the total time waited?
Recommendation 5
Can the planned increases in the operational capacity be monitored closely so that the significant gains made in safety, decency, and culture at Bristol prison since 2019 are not lost?
Recommendation 6
The prison staffing budget, with an ineffective rate of 20%, appears insufficient to cover all duties, thereby directly impacting on the daily lives of prisoners. Will there be any review of staffing budgets in the coming year?
Recommendation 7
What further support can be provided so that the important activity of key work is delivered consistently and to a high standard for all prisoners, even with the current staffing levels?
Recommendation 8
The loss or delay of prisoners’ property is still a big problem and is especially important when this includes legal and other paperwork. How will you ensure that the situation will be improved by the new national framework?
Recommendation 9
We appreciate regular contact and good communication with the Governor and members of the senior management team. Can this be continued for the future?
Recommendation 10
The Board wishes to receive more regular updates on performance indicators and progress reports on various initiatives. Can this be provided more often?
Recommendation 11
The Board is concerned about the impact of prison staffing issues on the daily life of prisoners. What local actions are underway to improve staff availability, especially in respect of the non-effective rate?
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (including transfers) | 45 | 38 |
| Adjudications | 3 | 1 |
| Chaplaincy | 4 | 2 |
| Discrimination | 16 | 24 |
| Drugs and alcohol | 1 | 0 |
| Education, activities and workshops | 9 | 9 |
| Family contact | 8 | 7 |
| Finance | 3 | 3 |
| Food | 12 | 9 |
| General concerns (no specific category) | 3 | 2 |
| General conditions | 3 | 0 |
| Healthcare | 36 | 40 |
| Incentives and privileges | 3 | 1 |
| Property | 32 | 15 |
| Resettlement | 2 | 3 |
| Segregation | 6 | 10 |
| Staff (including complaints about staff) | 39 | 37 |
| Visits (PVP and legal) | 6 | 6 |
| Vulnerability, self-harm and ACCT | 7 | 16 |
| Welfare | 1 | 0 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 1
· Respect 2
· Activity 1
· Release 2
Lee Jackson · Self-inflicted
Paul Coughlan · Self-inflicted
Georgie Smith · Self-inflicted
Gary Beaudro · Natural causes
Callum Smith · Community health care and emergency services related deaths; Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths; Suicide (from 2015)
Reggie John · State Custody related deaths
Other reports for Bristol
Population 561
· Self-harm 455
· Concerns
Population 579
· Self-harm 906
· Concerns
Population 550
· Concerns
Population 500
· Self-harm 570
· Concerns
Population 550
· Self-harm 1,026
· Concerns