Brinsford

Response
Access to activities has been impacted by regime restrictions caused by the pandemic. As a part of recovery, the prison regime has been reviewed as part of a re-profiling exercise. This review included a transition to a ‘part-time’ model for the majority of activity areas enabling greater access to activities. The new model will consist of a mix between full-time and part-time places and when fully operational (following the end of Covid restrictions), will enable all prisoners to access some form of activity in either a full-time or part-time capacity. The prison is also working in partnership with the Regional Employment Broker in order to identify more opportunities both internally and externally. The prison has been successful in receiving a bid to enhance the Recycling compound by installing a ‘lean to’ roof in the area. This project is underway and will enable more prisoners to access the area during inclement weather. For prisoners over the age of 21, managers are developing a ‘Peer Mentoring’ scheme which will give more experienced individuals the opportunity to train and act as mentors. Managers have also capitalised on the opportunity to utilise the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) which enables prisons to commission additional services. This service has been used to commission a range of additional curricula in order to increase prisoner’s access to activities (including RMF Construction in 2019-2020, Drama workshops 2020-21, Conflict Resolution courses in 2020-21 and Kinetic Youth in 2020-21).

Response
Access to activities has been impacted by regime restrictions caused by the pandemic. As a part of recovery, the prison regime has been reviewed as part of a re-profiling exercise. This review included a transition to a ‘part-time’ model for the majority of activity areas enabling greater access to activities. The new model will consist of a mix between full-time and part-time places and when fully operational (following the end of Covid restrictions), will enable all prisoners to access some form of activity in either a full-time or part-time capacity. The prison is also working in partnership with the Regional Employment Broker in order to identify more opportunities both internally and externally. The prison has been successful in receiving a bid to enhance the Recycling compound by installing a ‘lean to’ roof in the area. This project is underway and will enable more prisoners to access the area during inclement weather. For prisoners over the age of 21, managers are developing a ‘Peer Mentoring’ scheme which will give more experienced individuals the opportunity to train and act as mentors. Managers have also capitalised on the opportunity to utilise the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) which enables prisons to commission additional services. This service has been used to commission a range of additional curricula in order to increase prisoner’s access to activities (including RMF Construction in 2019-2020, Drama workshops 2020-21, Conflict Resolution courses in 2020-21 and Kinetic Youth in 2020-21).

Response
There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring prisoners between establishments and allocation decisions must reflect the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, together with the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison. Within the context of these often competing operational and logistical demands, the Population Management Unit seeks to ensure that prisoners who have been accepted for transfer are moved as soon as is practical. Over the past 12 months HMP/YOI Brinsford has transitioned to the offender flow model and is now primarily a Resettlement Prison with a secondary role as Reception function. In light of the national changes, staff at the prison have worked hard to ensure that the right cohort of prisoners are detained within the establishment and consequently provision is aligned with need. There are clear guidelines in place regarding prisoners transferring in and out of the establishment and those accepted for progression and resettlement purposes. As at December 2021, 90% of prisoners at HMP/YOI Brinsford are correctly detained as per the offender flow model and the prison will continue to work within the guidelines.

Response
There is currently a backlog of prisoners in security Category C prisons and young offender institutions across the estate awaiting a transfer to a Category D establishment as only a limited number of transfers were taking place during the earlier phases of the Covid-19 pandemic. Transport demands have added to the difficulties as it is currently being prioritised for reception prisons following the Courts’ efforts to clear their backlog of cases caused by the pandemic. This has reduced the availability of transport to open prisons, further slowing the process. Transfers to open conditions have also been impacted by the requirement to close a number accommodation blocks in the open estate which no longer meet the statutory fire safety standards. The impact on the overall open estate has been managed through replacing some of these places with existing temporary accommodation which was already at some sites as part of HMPPS’ Covid-19 contingencies, and in other sites, with new temporary accommodation. Separately, 660 additional permanent places is being delivered at the following sites: HMP/YOI Standford Hill (160 places); HMP Springhill (120 places); HMP/YOI Hatfield (60 places); HMP Leyhill (120 places); HMP Ford (120 places); HMP & YOI Sudbury (120 places). The programme to deliver 10,000 additional prison places also includes expansion of the Category D estate and HMPPS is currently assessing which sites may be suitable for expansion.

Response
The Prison Education Framework Contracts, as designed, are performance based, with providers only paid on the amount of education actually delivered. Necessary changes to these contracts were made during initial Covid restrictions to allow continuity of delivery. A Teacher Quality Management Plan (TQMP) remains in place at each prison and is produced quarterly. If the Governor/establishment is unhappy with the progress of education on this measure, a 5% Performance Payment can be withheld, which is a significant contractual lever to drive improvement. This allows prisons to hold providers to account. At HMP/YOI Brinsford, there are processes in place to closely monitor and scrutinise performance concerns consisting of weekly TQMP meetings and monthly Education Performance Meetings. Quality Assurance checks are also conducted by the prison’s Learning, Skills and Employment Manager.

Response
Following a pause in the development of the new Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework due to COVID-19 the draft Framework was circulated to internal and external stakeholders, including the IMB Secretariat and IMB representatives previously consulted. Further operational engagement was necessary following that consultation and a large number of comments was received and is being considered. The Framework is now expected to be published early in 2022. The Framework aims to ensure that property is handled with efficiency, care and respect and that staff and prisoners are clear on the arrangements in place. It provides clear requirements and strengthens guidance on known problem areas. This includes providing stronger guidance to ensure volumetric control limits are respected so that prisoners do not build up excessive amounts of property.