Oakwood

Response
Contact with Family and Friends The secure social video calling service will continue to be available alongside face-to-face visits. HMPPS recently completed a re-procurement process and has identified a suitable provider. As the Board are aware, secure social video calling was installed at HMP Oakwood in October 2020. Nine terminals were initially installed, and due to demand, this increased to eleven. It is worth mentioning that there have been over 7,300 calls since October 2020, with an average rating from callers of 4.1 out of 5. This is slightly above the average rating for the whole service, which sits at 3.95 out of 5 for callers. Since the connectivity and network issues were resolved, there have been no further issues identified with the service at HMP Oakwood.

Response
I understand the Board’s frustration with the slow progress of publishing the new Prisoners’ Property policy framework. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has now circulated the draft framework with internal and external stakeholders, including the IMB Secretariat and the IMB representatives previously consulted, and a large number of comments received are being considered. As a result, the framework is expected to be published early next year. I hope to reassure the Board that the framework will provide greater direction and standardisation on a national basis and has been designed with procedural justice at its core. It strengthens guidance on known problem areas such as volumetric control and seeks to ensure prisoners’ property is managed efficiently, effectively, consistently and with care and respect. Whilst it remains the responsibility of the sending prisons to forward on any excess property a person has accumulated to the receiving prison as soon as possible, HMPPS is continuing to take steps to ensure there is a consistent approach. Digital improvements to the property processes are being explored as part of these steps, but the nature of this work means that any digital changes are likely to be implemented longer-term and as such will not be part of the forementioned framework. Property identification numbers, however, will now be entered on the digital platform replacing handwritten entries on the paper Person Escort Record (PER). This should enable better tracking of property, should it be lost in transit. As part of the planning for the new Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contract, PECS engaged with policy leads to review property limits on transportation and it was agreed to increase capacity to 7.5 kg. PECS continues to monitor all aspects of performance and on occasions where it fails to meet the agreed levels this will be raised with the contractor for improvement. PECS suppliers have received no complaints of lost property involving HMP Oakwood in the last 12 months. As the Board are aware, property concerns are dealt with via the request and complaints scheme and the sending establishment is contacted to follow up matters.