Source · IMB Annual Report
Styal
Year: 2022
Published: 23 Aug 2022
Type: Prison · Cat female, local, YOI
Population: 373
Recommendations: 7
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP/YOI Styal successfully managed Covid-19 spread and saw a significant reduction in self-harm, with healthcare and perinatal care provision improving. However, the Board highlighted critical staffing shortages impacting regime and services, persistent decency and fire risks in residential houses, and challenges in managing prisoners with severe mental health needs. Concerns were also raised regarding medication administration, changes to resettlement contracts, and the distress caused by the parcel ban.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 0 | — |
| Use of force | 318 | — |
Positive findings
The prison's management effectively reduced Covid-19 spread and maintained a positive, supportive environment for prisoners, with staff working tirelessly to keep them safe. There was a significant reduction in self-harm incidents over the year. Healthcare provision was maintained to a community standard, adapting well to pandemic challenges, and significant progress was made in perinatal care. Additionally, the percentage of prisoners released to accommodation improved to an average of 92% due to a new housing specialist role, and the visitors' centre was refurbished.
Key concerns
Staffing
There have been capacity issues throughout the year with regard to staffing in the prison, impacting the regime, healthcare access, and prisoner movement.
Staffing
The need for escorts, due to the nature of the cohort, exacerbates the critical staffing situation, highlighting an urgent need to review pay and conditions for recruitment and retention.
Substance Misuse
As the prison returns to stage 1, increased resources and enhanced security technology are required to tackle the likely rise in illicit drugs being brought into the prison.
Mental Health
The prison continues to be challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems, with a pressing national need for more specialist psychiatric facilities.
Safety
Repeated
There is still a significant fire risk to prisoners who reside in the 16 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal, as indicated in last year’s report.
Estate/Conditions
Almost 70% of the population reside in the houses, which continue to present decency issues regarding the number of toilets and bathrooms, and overcrowded bedrooms, impacting mental health and wellbeing.
Resettlement/Release
The Board remains concerned about the changes to the contracts for Through the Gate Services, with new external partners lacking requisite experience in post-release accommodation.
Equality/Diversity
The suitability and choice of clothing provided to female, transgender and non-binary prisoners, especially underwear, is inadequate, requiring greater attention.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Access to the library facilities has been restricted over the year, impacting prisoner wellbeing, with a return to normal access being beneficial.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The prison has banned all incoming parcels, causing real distress as the provided alternatives do not meet the needs of many prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Prisoners in Bollinwood complain about lack of staff contact, limited ROTL, and inadequate access to community services, leading to few incentives to progress.
Healthcare
Healthcare has not been able to consistently provide a timely, safe process for administering medicine, partly due to inadequate accommodation for the pharmacy service.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The incentives scheme lacks consistent interpretation and application, preventing the Board from monitoring its impact on prisoners, especially those with enhanced status.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | There is an urgent need to review pay and conditions at all levels in the prison service to ensure the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. | HMPPS | |
| 2 | Increased resources are still required to support the Governor in tackling this problem, reflecting those enhanced security resources and the technology more commonly found in the male estate. | HMPPS | |
| 3 | Nationally, there is still a pressing need for more specialist facilities that can be easily accessed, particularly psychiatric units. | HMPPS | |
| 4 | All residential accommodation should be decent and in a good state of repair including sufficient hygiene facilities for the numbers of women. | HMPPS | |
| 5 | consideration needs to be given to a more holistic, multi-agency approach to release arrangements to ensure fair and consistent access to support. | HMPPS | |
| 6 | the Board feels that greater attention needs to be given to this issue. | HMPPS | |
| 7 | a return to normal access would be beneficial to the prisoners. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Catering | 11 | 18 |
| Chaplaincy | 0 | 1 |
| Discrimination | 2 | 1 |
| Education/Library | 7 | 7 |
| Finance | 10 | 18 |
| Healthcare | 48 | 45 |
| IMB Concerns | 4 | 12 |
| Legal | 4 | 3 |
| Other | 25 | 16 |
| Property | 18 | 30 |
| Reception/Release | 11 | 21 |
| Regime | 20 | 30 |
| Segregation/CSU | 1 | 3 |
| Staff/Prisoner concerns including bullying | 18 | 15 |
| Total | 203 | 206 |
| Visits | 4 | 6 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Styal
Report details
- Establishment
- Styal
- Type
- Prison · Cat female, local, YOI
- Report year
- 2022
- Published
- 23 August 2022
- Responsible body
- HMP Styal
- Recommendations
- 7
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Population | 373 |
| Operational capacity | 486 |
Service providers
Commissioned Rehabilitative Services
PSS (Women's turnaround)
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Spectrum Community Health
Education
Novus
Family Services
Phoenix Futures
Mental Health Care
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust (GMMH)
Mother and Baby Unit (until March 2022)
Family Action
Nursery (from April 2022)
Action for Children
Primary Healthcare
Spectrum Community Health
Prison Works and Escort Services
GEOAmey
Social Care
Spectrum Community Health
Workshop/Employment
Recycling Lives