Staffing
What plans are in place to ensure funding will support the necessary staffing levels to provide safety and effectiveness in Open Prisons given their crucial role in the rehabilitation process and the vision outlined in the Prisons Strategy White Paper?
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There is reference in the White Paper to improving the existing prison estate via the creation of a new strategy for maintenance and renewal of prisons. Such renewal is urgently needed at Sudbury where prisoner accommodation is extremely outdated and of a quality intended only to sustain buildings temporarily. What is the likely timeframe for the production of this renewal strategy and the delivery of necessary improvements?
Other
Repeated
What plans are in place to ensure that the systems for the transfer of prisoners’ property are improved to reduce the high number of incidents of property going missing when prisoners are moved between establishments?
Staffing
Many issues raised with the IMB indicate a lack of human resources to effectively deliver the procedures and systems in place within the prison. How can the service address issues of staffing levels – including within the probation service?
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The poor quality of dormitory accommodation at Sudbury is deficient in many ways, an issue the IMB has been reporting on since 2018, requiring secure resources for improvements.
Healthcare
Ensuring the prison can meet the physical and mental health needs of an increased population at Sudbury.
Substance Misuse
As the population of the prison continues to increase inevitably some of the additional prisoners received will have addiction issues. How does the prison plan to support these additional prisoners with their substance misuse needs? What plans are in place to prevent the ingress of these substances?
Estate/Conditions
Does the prison have an ongoing schedule of projects to improve the quality of prisoner accommodation? What is the likely timeframe for the upgrading of power supply to dormitories to support the provision of fridges and additional microwaves?
Education/Purposeful Activity
How can the prison ensure that prisoner education, especially in relation to improving functional skills, delivers improved levels of prisoner achievement?
Healthcare
There is currently about a two week wait for an appointment with the General Practitioner (GP) but approximately a 20 week wait for dental appointments. This is a situation which reflects similar waiting times in the community since the pandemic.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Lack of IT provision to support teaching and learning, with computer facilities out of use for an excessive length of time.
Education/Purposeful Activity
No provision for supporting learners whose first language is not English (ESOL).
Mental Health
There are currently 2.5 full time equivalent registered mental health nurses within the healthcare department. There is currently no access to psychologist services.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Limited progression onto Level 2 English and Maths courses, and low retention of learners.
Education/Purposeful Activity
However, problems can arise for prisoners arriving from private prisons where attainment has not been recorded and when certificates have been mislaid. This leads to frustration on the part of prisoners who are required to repeat courses.
Resettlement/Release
Some men have been set targets by the parole board which cannot be met through the course provision at Sudbury and on at least one occasion this has meant a prisoner has had to return to closed conditions in order to complete the requirements set.