Eastwood Park

With regard to the project to install a new Offender Management Unit at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park, this should have started before March but due to unforeseen issues in the contract tendering this has been delayed. The project will, however, commence in the 2021/2022 financial year and the Governor will keep you updated on progress.

I fully understand that Board’s concerns about the long-term segregation of .
Minister Frazer wrote to you on 17 February regarding the individual’s circumstances and
providing assurances that appropriate action has and continues to be taken to enable her complex needs
to be met. I have received your further letter of 26 March on this matter and a response will be sent in due
course. I also understand that the Board is receiving regular updates through attendance at the local
multi-disciplinary meetings about the individual’s circumstances.
In terms of adult secure Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) services, these are more specialised secure services
and currently apply to males only as the number of females requiring this service is extremely small.
Where a female patient requires this type of service, they would access a female adult secure service
(relevant to the level of security they require based on the risk they present) and an appropriate package
of care from a specialist team with expertise in ABI would be put in place to support the placement, taking
into consideration individual, clinically assessed need. As with all adult secure services commissioned
capacity will be kept under review taking into consideration demand, however, ongoing indicative
numbers at this time would suggest that the approach described above would continue to be the favoured
option due to the very low numbers of women who require adult secure ABI services.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Probation, with support from HM Inspectorate of
Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, have been asked by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to conduct
an independent evidence review on neurodiversity in the criminal justice system (CJS). The review is part
of MoJ’s commitment that everyone who encounters the CJS is treated fairly, including people with
neurodiverse conditions. The findings will help the MoJ to develop effective policy to improve awareness
of neurodiversity in the CJS. There are four strands to the work: a call for evidence; a series of round-
table events; consultation with practitioners; and feedback from those involved in the CJS. A report of the
findings is due to be published in summer 2021.

Further to Minister Frazer’s response of 29 May 2020 to the Board’s last annual report up to £800,000
seed funding has been allocated for preparations to establish the first pilot Residential Women’s Centre in
Wales, subject to securing further funding. The Centre will offer an alternative to short prison sentences
by providing safe accommodation for vulnerable women with complex needs who would otherwise receive
short custodial sentences. No decisions have been made on the location in Wales, but HM Prison and
Probation Service (HMPPS) will work with the Welsh Government and delivery partners in Wales to
ensure the location is appropriate.

Your report indicates that there are differences in sentencing practice based on postcode. Sentencing is a
matter for our independent courts, but it is important to recognise that imprisonment rates in any given
area will not just be a result of sentencing practice; account must be taken of factors such as differences
in crime rates, types of crimes committed, police numbers and successful prosecutions. The Sentencing
Council for England and Wales aims to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing,
while maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The Council issues guidelines on sentencing, which
the courts must follow unless it is in the interests of justice not to do so.

The National Women’s Prisons Health and Social Care Review (Women’s Review) has been jointly
commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) and HMPPS. Its purpose is to improve
health and well-being outcomes for women in prison and upon their release, to reduce health inequalities
and ensure equity of access to the full range of health and social care services across the Women’s
Estate. It will achieve this through a better understanding of the current ability of, and challenges faced by
the Women’s Estate and prison health and social care services in delivering high quality care, treatment
and support of women in prison in England. One of the key lines of enquiry is to undertake a review of the
needs analysis of all 12 women’s prisons, identifying needs across the population to guide
commissioning. The Health Review is due to formally report back in December 2021 but will also be
taking certain recommendations forward prior to that date where there is the opportunity to do so.

Where windows have been identified as requiring replacement either due to damage or being at the end
of their life cycle, these would either be dealt with on an individual basis using local Prison Maintenance
Group funding, or if several windows are required, this would be submitted as a bid for funds. Whilst
Prison Industries can provide replacement windows free of charge, funding is still required for the
installation of the windows and this would be based on risk. It is acknowledged that Prison Industries were
requested to produce windows for HMP/YOI Eastwood Park. As it is not unusual for orders to take until the
following financial year to be fulfilled, funding for installation is now sought once the product has been
delivered. Maintenance funding is limited and must be based on risk. At the present time there are other
works considered to be of a greater priority for the current available funding for the prison. The windows
are therefore being held in storage at HMP Leyhill until funding becomes available for their installation. It is
also recognised that a full fire door assessment needs to be undertaken to establish the extent of the work
required. Whilst the local prison Health and Safety (H&S) Team has initially undertaken a survey, Gov
Facility Services Ltd (GSFL) has recently appointed a member of staff who is qualified to assess fire doors
and they will be working with the H&S Team to conclude this work.

The general process for local funding allocation is for the Service Delivery Manager, in conjunction with
the Regional Estates Manager and GFSL Site Manager, to discuss concerns on site which can be
rectified with local project works under £150 thousand. This is based on risk, for example the loss of
accommodation attributed to a leaking roof.