Recommendation 1
Recommendation (the Board's words)Sustained effective healthcare and medicines management that delivers for the residents of HMP Stafford and not just PPG targets
Source text verified
Independent Monitoring Boards annual report
Stafford
Report year 2022
Published 21 Sep 2022
Type Prison, category C
Population 741
Responsible body HMP Stafford
3 recommendations
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response, 7 Dec 2022 ↗ imb.org.uk ↗
The summary and positive findings below were written from the report by an AI model. The Board's own wording is in the report linked above.
Summary
Summary written by this site (AI-generated)HMP Stafford, a Category C training prison for men convicted of sexual offences, navigated significant challenges during the reporting period, primarily systemic failures in medicines management, Covid-19 outbreaks, and staff shortages impacting the regime. While the Board noted severe concerns regarding healthcare and the lack of in-cell phones, it commended staff resilience, low violence levels, good education attendance, and effective resettlement efforts, particularly in securing accommodation for released residents.
Positive findings
Summary written by this site (AI-generated)The Board can only praise both staff and residents for their forbearance and resilience during these extremely difficult times. The prison demonstrated low levels of violence and drug abuse, and residents consistently felt safe. Patient-facing healthcare staff received positive feedback, and mental health services were well-regarded. The prison was kept remarkably clean, and food provision was praised. Education attendance averaged 90%, and the education team was commended for innovative delivery. The Board was pleased that all but one resident released had accommodation.
Recommendations
- Recommendation 1Addressed to HMPPS
- Recommendation 2Addressed to Governor / Director
- Recommendation 3Addressed to HMPPS
Key concerns
- Key concern 1Healthcare
- Key concern 2Other
- Key concern 3Regime/Time Out of Cell
Recommendations 3 items · 2 repeated
Recommendations were extracted from the report by AI, and responses and their status from the ministerial response by AI. Each recommendation shows whether its wording has been checked against the report.
Recommendation 2
Recommendation (the Board's words)For the prison to move to more of a Cat C rather than Cat B feel
Source text verified
Recommendation 3
Recommendation (the Board's words)The need to introduce modern in-cell phone technology (fixed or mobile)
Source text verified
Key concerns 6 items
Key concerns were extracted from the report text by an AI model.
Key concern 1
Sustained effective healthcare and medicines management that delivers for the residents of HMP Stafford and not just PPG targets
Key concern 2
For the prison to move to more of a Cat C rather than Cat B feel
Key concern 3
The need to introduce modern in-cell phone technology (fixed or mobile)
Key concern 4
What was different during the last 12 months was the appalling way some Foreign National residents were treated when being sent home, especially, it would appear, those convicted of a sexual offence. On one such occasion the Board had to seek the support of the Secretariat to try and alleviate the treatment a resident was receiving as he was constantly being returned to HMP Stafford from Heathrow Airport as a result of flight cancellations or unavailable escorts.
Key concern 5
Impact of a persistent legionella outbreak necessitating temporary porta-showers and closure of many wing shower areas, severely impacting residents' ability to obtain showers, especially those with disabilities.
Source wording under review
Key concern 6
Situations existed where a resident diagnosed with severe dementia, doubly incontinent and frequently falling was expected to cope in a cell when multiple beds were available in the SCU.
Safety statistics
Incidents during the reporting year.
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 6 | not recorded |
| Use of force | 68 | 66 |
Population
| Population | 741 |
| Operational capacity | 750 |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 9 | 2 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 3 | 2 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives schemes, sanctions | 5 | 0 |
| Equality | 4 | 1 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 3 | 1 |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 0 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 72 | 1 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 5 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 19 | 2 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 0 |
| Property within this establishment | 19 | 1 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 5 | 0 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 12 | 3 |
| Staff/resident concerns, including bullying | 16 | 4 |
| Transfers | 2 | 1 |
Report details
- Establishment
- Stafford
- Type
- Prison, category C
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 21 September 2022
- Responsible body
- HMP Stafford
- Recommendations
- 3
- MoJ rating (2025/26)
- 3, Good
Service providers
| Service | Provider |
|---|---|
| Canteen | DHL |
| Education | Novus and Acorn Training |
| Escort contractor | GEOAmey |
| Facilities Management | Amey plc |
| Library | Staffordshire County Council |
| Mental Health | Practice Plus Group (subcontracted to Inclusion and MPFT) |
| Physical Health and Social Care | Practice Plus Group (PPG) |