Estate/Conditions
The inhumane conditions that exist on Beaufort wing during spells of hot weather. (successive bids to address the issue are regularly turned down)
Mental Health
The transfer from Portland to secure mental health units proved to be unsatisfactory and needs to be improved. (protracted wait)
Resettlement/Release
It was clear to the Board that much of the reorganisation of resettlement provision, such as the replacement of Catch22 by HMPPS staff and the new housing accommodation contract with Interventions Alliance, had not gone smoothly. This led to an unacceptable increased burden on already overworked staff and the experience of residents with the resettlement process was entirely dependent upon the goodwill of staff already working under great pressure.
Staffing
Recruitment of operational support grades (OSGs) and staff for the health and education departments proved problematic, as pay and conditions were nowhere near attractive enough to compete with outside employment opportunities.
Other
There were problems with Serco, the transport service provider. There were problems throughout the year of late arrivals and lack of records or pertinent information, particularly property, for the new arrivals.
Safety
The use of body worn cameras (BWC) proved to be sporadic during the reporting period. Prison officers (POs) appeared reluctant to wear them on a daily basis.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Neurodiversity data collected by Weston College as part of the reception assessment was kept on file in the education centre and not shared more widely with prison staff.
Safety
The incidence of self-harm was high. It increased from 229 incidents in 2019/20 to 262 in the current reporting year. Much of this was attributed to several prolific self-harmers.