Recommendation 1
Wymott still holds a significant number of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (see paragraph 7.3.3). Are there any plans to give these prisoners some cause for optimism?
Source · IMB Annual Report
Wymott
AI-generated report summary HMP Wymott largely maintained safety during a challenging Covid-19 reporting year (June 2020-May 2021), seeing reductions in self-harm and violence. While staff efforts and some initiatives were commendable, the pandemic exacerbated long-standing issues, particularly with healthcare provision, the prison estate's infrastructure, property loss, and complaints handling. The restricted regime severely limited opportunities for purposeful activity, education, and resettlement, causing significant frustration among prisoners.
Year: 2021
Published: 8 Oct 2021
Type: Prison · Cat C
Recommendations: 8
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 7 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 224 | — |
| ACCT cases opened | 228 | 480 |
| Prisoner assaults | 40 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 11 | — |
| Use of force | 169 | 280 |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe Board found that prisoners were relatively safe, noting that no prisoners died from Covid-19 thanks to staff efforts. Self-harm, violence, and reported drug use decreased during the restricted regime, and prisoners reported feeling safer in smaller groups. The chaplaincy team was commended for sustained individual support and faith packs, and healthcare staff for the efficient Covid-19 vaccination rollout. Improvements were noted in use of force report completion, kitchen service quality, and reduction in food waste. The 'buddy' system for older prisoners, upgraded IT in education, and successful video calling and Storybook Dads programs were also highlighted.
Key concerns
There remain some serious concerns around drug-related deaths. The apparent ease by which prisoners can get hold of drugs in Wymott, and the importance of staff carrying out welfare checks when unlocking prisoners, are issues that have been raised in previous PPO reports.
Significant issues relating to poor handling of prisoners’ complaints, with many not being responded to within designated timeframes or logged at all.
Serious concerns about the amount of property that goes missing when prisoners are transferred from one prison to another, with no improvement observed.
However, certain long-standing problems remain, notably the distribution of medication, inadequacy of premises and waiting times for dental services (see section 6.2).
Opportunities for progression have been very limited during 2020/21, and this has been a source of frustration and anxiety for many prisoners. Offender management work was only being carried out remotely for much of the year (see paragraph 7.3.1) and offending behaviour programmes ceased entirely for many months (see paragraph 7.3.2).
Wymott still holds a significant number of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP), with little incentive or opportunity for these prisoners to progress.
The infrastructure of A and B wings continues to be a concern, lacking in-cell sanitation, having inefficient windows, and communal shower blocks that do not provide privacy. One prefabricated wing failed a fire safety inspection and closed.
9 The kitchen, built in 1979, continues to struggle to cater for more prisoners than was originally planned. Much of the cooking equipment is old and items have been continually out of use, awaiting repair. According to the IMB rota reports over the year, between three and eight pieces were out of use at any one time. 5.1.10 The air filtration system in the kitchen does not always work, meaning that on these days, the kitchen cannot use any gas appliances until lunchtime.
Staffing shortages in mental health services, an over-reliance on agency pharmacy staff leading to medication distribution issues, and frequently only one care assistant on I wing severely impacted service provision.
Source wording under review
Prisoners due for release are often not informed in a timely manner about the arrangements in place for them, causing anxiety, particularly regarding accommodation.
Source wording under review
2 Within the restricted regime, prisoners have been given 45 minutes out of cell in the morning and afternoon to exercise, shower and make telephone calls. The Board has concerns about the impact of the limited time out of cell on prisoners’ physical and mental health, but many prisoners have told Board members that they feel safer.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
One wing in Wymott has already been lost because of failing to meet health and safety legislation. Other wings have been in a dire state for many years. Is funding to be made available to replace the lost accommodation? What plans are in place for the other two wings that the Board has highlighted for a number of years (see paragraph 5.1.3)?
Recommendation 3
Can Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) give any indication of a timescale for kitchen improvements at HMP Wymott (see paragraphs 5.1.9 and 5.1.10)?
Recommendation 4
Can HMPPS provide assurance that the prisoners’ property framework is having any impact on the amount of property still going missing across the estate (see paragraph 5.8.1)?
Recommendation 5
Is it anticipated that there will be an increase in the budget for prisoners’ pay very soon (see paragraph 7.2.5)?
Recommendation 6
The Board seeks reassurance that prisoners’ complaints will be dealt with in a timely and effective manner (see section 5.7)
Recommendation 7
How does the prison intend to ensure that the actions identified in the action plan following Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports into deaths in the prison are implemented effectively (see paragraph 4.2.3)?
Recommendation 8
The Board would like to see the prison ensure that prisoners due for release are informed in a more timely manner about the arrangements in place for them (see paragraph 7.5.1).
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 4 | 12 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 4 | 3 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 8 | 23 |
| Equality | 2 | 3 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 7 | 13 |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 7 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 29 | 42 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 32 | 45 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 31 |
| Property within this establishment | 11 | 29 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 17 | 37 |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dat | 21 | 48 |
Related inspections & investigations
Safety 3
· Respect 2
· Activity 2
· Release 4
David Fuge · Natural causes
David Algie · Natural causes
Wesley Andrew · Other non-natural
William Bissett · State Custody related deaths | Suicide (from 2015)
Brett Marrs · State custody related deaths
John Chapman · State Custody related deaths
Other reports for Wymott
Population 1,192
· Self-harm 554
· Concerns
Population 1,192
· Self-harm 465
· Concerns
Population 1,192
· Self-harm 426
· Concerns
Population 1,129
· Self-harm 286
· Concerns
· Self-harm 511
· Concerns