Source · IMB Annual Report
Holme House
Year: 2021
Published: 9 Jun 2022
Type: Prison · Cat C
Population: 1,200
Recommendations: 7
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Holme House experienced a year dominated by Covid-19 restrictions, yet saw notable improvements in overall ambiance, cleanliness, and reduced violence. While healthcare services generally improved and key worker compliance increased, significant concerns persist regarding unacceptable dental waiting times, inadequate education provision, and unscreened toilets in cells. The Board highlights issues with property transport and the lack of clarity surrounding external service provider contracts, calling for action from the Minister, Prison Service, and Governor.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 5 | — |
| ACCT cases opened | 527 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 126 | 57 |
| Assaults on staff | 39 | 14 |
| Use of force | 33 | 31 |
Positive findings
The prison leadership team worked hard to ensure a reasonable quality of life during Covid-19 restrictions, with timely communication and expedient reinstatement of lockdown benefits. The overall culture, ambiance, and cleanliness within the prison have considerably improved, with positive artwork and a pleasant environment. Healthcare services significantly improved, including reduced GP waiting lists, and Holme House was the top-performing prison in the region for Covid-19 vaccinations. The downward trend in violence continued, with levels below comparator prisons, and the Offender Management Unit operated effectively, alongside a successful computer coding programme.
Key concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The continued unsatisfactory level of unscreened toilets in cells, many of which are shared, remains non-compliant with the national standard for the physical cleanliness and physical decency of prisons.
Healthcare
Repeated
Dental services remain unacceptable, with a waiting time for regular appointments of one year and 40 weeks, a significant worsening since 2019.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Education and training require improvement, with services not as good as they were three to four years ago, and issues regarding access to distance learning and Open University programmes.
Other
The cumbersome content and lack of clarity around some contracts with external service providers hinders the Board's ability to monitor against standards, as contract details are often inaccessible to both the Board and the prison.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Constraints about property transport are unclear and cause distress to prisoners, leading to significant delays in property reaching prisoners, especially during transfers.
Estate/Conditions
Some areas of education could not progress because of essential repairs not being carried out, including ventilation to the bistro and ceilings to the toilets in the engagement centre.
Complaints/Property
Responses to healthcare complaints did not meet their longer response timescales over several months, with the Board believing these should be comparable to prison complaints.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Board would ask the Minister to take action in connection with dental services at HMP Holme House. Repeated | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | The Board is concerned that the Prison Service has not acted expediently in connection with the poor dental services at the prison and recommends urgent action. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 3 | The Board recommends that the Prison Service address the cumbersome content and lack of clarity around contracts with external service providers, as understanding their content is critical for the Board's monitoring. | HMPPS | |
| 4 | The Board recommends that the Prison Service address the unclear constraints about property transport, which can cause distress to prisoners and significant delays in property delivery. Repeated | HMPPS | |
| 5 | The Board recommends that the Governor ensure improvements are made in certain areas, such as dental care and education. Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 6 | The Board recommends that the Governor ensure clarity on agreed standards, particularly where contract details are not available, to facilitate the Board's monitoring. | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | The Board recommends that the Governor's leadership team take an increased interest in healthcare complaints, ensuring responses meet their timescales and are comparable to prison complaints. | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 9 | 10 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 7 | 4 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 0 | 5 |
| Equality | 7 | 5 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 4 | 11 |
| Food and kitchens | 2 | 4 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 46 | 46 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 18 | 24 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 1 | 0 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 26 |
| Property within this establishment | 12 | 18 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 12 | 9 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 20 | 20 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 31 | 6 |
| Transfers | 7 | 28 |
Related inspections & investigations
6 Mar 2023
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 3
· Respect 4
· Activity 2
· Release 3
Other reports for Holme House
Report details
- Establishment
- Holme House
- Type
- Prison · Cat C
- Report year
- 2021
- Published
- 9 June 2022
- Responsible body
- HMP Holme House
- Recommendations
- 7
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Population | 1,200 |
| Operational capacity | 1,159 |
| CNA (designed for) | 1,034 116% |
Service providers
Community Rehabilitation Company
Durham Tees Valley
Dental services
Burgess and Hyder Dental Group
Education, learning and skills
Novus
Healthcare, including nursing, administration support, clinical drug and alcohol treatment (DART), G
Spectrum
Library services and occupational therapy assessment and equipment provision
Stockton on Tees Borough Council
Listener training
The Samaritans
Mental health services
Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Foundation Mental Health Trust
Prisoner canteen
DHL
Prisoner transport
Geo Amey
Training
First Point
Visitors centre services and family support
North Eastern Prison Aftercare Society (NEPACS)
Works and stores
Amey