Eastwood Park

Response
As outlined by my predecessor in his letter of 12 April 2021 there is still an extremely small proportion of females who currently require adult secure Acquired Brain Injury services commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement. As with all adult secure services, commissioned capacity will be kept under review with demand for services remaining a critical consideration. Since my appointment as Prisons Minister I have been fully briefed about the circumstances of the woman with an acquired brain injury and am aware of the challenges her condition presents in the limitations of a prison environment. I would like to thank the Board for their attendance at the regular reviews and am pleased that a positive outcome has now finally been secured. Until such arrangements take effect, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is responsible for her duty of care and for safely managing her behaviour. I hope to assure the Board that the prison Mental Health team is in regular contact with colleagues in NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure the process is managed effectively. I would also like to express my gratitude to the operational and clinical staff working tirelessly with this woman and supporting her through the transition period in line with her management release plan.

Response
I recognise that prison is not an appropriate setting for individuals with severe mental health needs. That is why we have already taken steps to end the use of prison as a place of safety and ensure mentally unwell prisoners are transferred to a secure hospital in 28 days, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England and NHS Improvement. As evidenced by the Government’s commitments in the ‘Prisons Strategy White Paper’ published in December 2021, we are determined to do more to support early identification of mental health need, ensure staff are fully equipped with the right skills, and do more in the community to divert people away from the justice pathway altogether. Through the Community Sentence Treatment Requirement programme, Health and Justice partners are working together to ensure greater use is made of mental health, alcohol and drug treatment requirements as part of community sentences, supporting efforts to reduce reoffending. Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, Alcohol Treatment Requirements are already available to Sentencers in every court, and NHS England and NHS Improvement are focused on increasing the use of Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs) as a sentencing option. At present, 19 areas in England and Wales have access to MHTRs with several further sites going live in 2022. Likewise, I would like to acknowledge the excellent work already being undertaken by Liaison and Diversion services to try to offer an alternative pathway for some of these women.

Response
We also are committed to opening the first Residential Women’s Centre in South Wales. As the Board will appreciate, a considerable amount of work has gone into identifying a site which meets our strict requirements and throughout this process we have engaged with local authorities and communities. We have made good progress so far and further details will be announced in due course.

Response
We also are committed to opening the first Residential Women’s Centre in South Wales. As the Board will appreciate, a considerable amount of work has gone into identifying a site which meets our strict requirements and throughout this process we have engaged with local authorities and communities. We have made good progress so far and further details will be announced in due course.

Response
The Regional Property Operations Manager has confirmed that the following work from the first survey has been carried out: • Reduced external ground levels that had been built up above the damp proof course. • Checked and repaired internal and external pipework for leaks. • Gutters checked as clear. The true extent of the remediation work required is still unknown, approval is being sought for further surveys to assess the cause and potential impact on the health of the damp. Gov Facility Services Limited have secured a contractor to provide a breakdown of costs and an Estate Investment Proposal bid has been submitted for approval.

Response
Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be a challenge at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park. Recruitment The location of HMP/YOI Eastwood Park places it at some disadvantage compared to other establishments in the same area. As identified by the Board, the pandemic has also affected the recruitment pipeline and led to training courses being delayed due to social distancing requirements. In addition, there has been an increase in the staffing complement level, which has meant that a larger number of staff are now required in post (and the recent decision to change staff rostering arrangements at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park created a short but marked increase in staff departures). Recruiting the staff needed remains a significant challenge, but recruitment is taking place with supported campaigns in place to attract new staff. HMPPS Workforce Statistics joiners by grade published on 17 February 2022 on Gov.uk show that 3,689 new prison officers Bands 3/4 were recruited in the year to 31 December 2021 (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-december-2021, see table 8a). The next release figures are due to be published on 19 May 2022. Retention In addition to the ongoing supported recruitment campaigns, work is also being undertaken at a local level to develop a retention strategy, focusing on the main drivers of attrition using data obtained from staff exit surveys (further details outlined below). Monthly retention data assessments and People (staff) Survey results are being analysed to see how attrition can be addressed which will also feed into the local People Plan. A mentor has been introduced to coordinate the local induction process for new prison officers so that they feel supported and have a positive experience upon joining the prison. There is also close monitoring of staff leaving on retirement. Throughout the pandemic, staff have been encouraged, in line with policy, to use annual leave responsibly to help ease pressure on colleagues as well as to ensure that they take appropriate rest from work. Where it has not been reasonably practical for staff to take their annual leave due to coronavirus, any carry forward leave will be managed locally taking account of operational needs. Staff suffering from long Covid symptoms are being supported in their recovery (the majority of staff already have returned to work in some capacity). Primarily through the NHS or Optima Health route - having access to the Functional Restoration Programme, a service that deals with chronic and long-term injuries that impact on an employee’s ability to fulfil their work duties. HMP/YOI Eastwood Park’s local strategy includes seeking additional investment in staff facilities and finding opportunities for adding non-financial value for staff including reward and recognition, support campaigns around stress and trauma management and staff events. The Governor will be focussing on staff who are young in service, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met, as well as looking for opportunities to introduce flexibility into the working week to allow staff to find a better work life balance.

Response
The ‘Prisons Strategy White Paper’ sets out the Government’s vision that no-one subject to probation supervision is released from prison homeless. £200 million a year will be spent by 2024-25 to reduce reoffending, including improving prison leavers access to accommodation. This includes investing in the temporary accommodation service that was launched in July 2021 as part of the Beating Crime plan, so that every supervised person leaving prison in England and Wales can access this provision. The Female Offender Strategy sets out the long-term framework to achieve better outcomes for females. The Community Accommodation Service takes account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs and provides accommodation dedicated to single gender usage as required. In September 2021 saw the opening of Eden House, the first new 26 bed Approved Premises for females in over thirty-five years. Locally, the Governor and her team have been building good working relationships with the Commissioned Rehabilitation Service (CRS) provider and is appointing a Partnership Manager to work with all agencies to ensure women have access to the specialist accommodation support they require. Due to the extreme geographic divergence of the prison catchment area, there are a high number of local authorities with whom the prison staff and partners must engage with. In addition, the availability of Community Offender Managers varies dependant on the home Probation region. To mitigate the challenges of this perceived element of ‘postcode lottery’ the team at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park are working with the South West Probation Region to establish a Pre-Release team within the prison who will enable and facilitate better communication between the women and their home region, CRS provider and local authority.

Response
Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be a challenge at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park. Recruitment The location of HMP/YOI Eastwood Park places it at some disadvantage compared to other establishments in the same area. As identified by the Board, the pandemic has also affected the recruitment pipeline and led to training courses being delayed due to social distancing requirements. In addition, there has been an increase in the staffing complement level, which has meant that a larger number of staff are now required in post (and the recent decision to change staff rostering arrangements at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park created a short but marked increase in staff departures). Recruiting the staff needed remains a significant challenge, but recruitment is taking place with supported campaigns in place to attract new staff. HMPPS Workforce Statistics joiners by grade published on 17 February 2022 on Gov.uk show that 3,689 new prison officers Bands 3/4 were recruited in the year to 31 December 2021 (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-december-2021, see table 8a). The next release figures are due to be published on 19 May 2022. Retention In addition to the ongoing supported recruitment campaigns, work is also being undertaken at a local level to develop a retention strategy, focusing on the main drivers of attrition using data obtained from staff exit surveys (further details outlined below). Monthly retention data assessments and People (staff) Survey results are being analysed to see how attrition can be addressed which will also feed into the local People Plan. A mentor has been introduced to coordinate the local induction process for new prison officers so that they feel supported and have a positive experience upon joining the prison. There is also close monitoring of staff leaving on retirement. Throughout the pandemic, staff have been encouraged, in line with policy, to use annual leave responsibly to help ease pressure on colleagues as well as to ensure that they take appropriate rest from work. Where it has not been reasonably practical for staff to take their annual leave due to coronavirus, any carry forward leave will be managed locally taking account of operational needs. Staff suffering from long Covid symptoms are being supported in their recovery (the majority of staff already have returned to work in some capacity). Primarily through the NHS or Optima Health route - having access to the Functional Restoration Programme, a service that deals with chronic and long-term injuries that impact on an employee’s ability to fulfil their work duties. HMP/YOI Eastwood Park’s local strategy includes seeking additional investment in staff facilities and finding opportunities for adding non-financial value for staff including reward and recognition, support campaigns around stress and trauma management and staff events. The Governor will be focussing on staff who are young in service, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met, as well as looking for opportunities to introduce flexibility into the working week to allow staff to find a better work life balance.