North Sea Camp

Response
In the annex to my response to the Board, dated 17 September 2019, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) confirmed the position concerning the Offender Assessment System (OASys) assessments backlog. It is disappointing to hear that during this reporting period some prisoners have had to wait a long time for probation offender managers (POMs) to complete routine work. We recognise that the workloads for many probation officers are excessive and there are a large number of vacancies within the South-East region. The vast majority of National Probation Service (NPS) probation officers based in Greater London prisons were moved into community roles at the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown to provide support. We also have a national shortage of qualified probation officers which has contributed to the shortage of officers in both public sector and privately managed prisons. This in turn has impacted on processing some important and routine work. As of 31 March 2020, around 800 new probation officers were in training, which will make a real difference to the NPS as they qualify, and the trainee probation officer cohort size will be increasing moving forward. HMPPS is working closely with NPS regions and specialist recruitment agencies to address employment market challenges, particularly in areas where it is proving difficult to recruit. I would like to reassure the Board that HMPPS is also working towards a new approach to ensure they recruit sufficient staff, diversify the workforce, raise professional standards and fully recognise probation qualifications. In terms of assurance, planning and deployment of staff, resources are managed on a regional basis by Divisional Implementation Boards. These are chaired by senior members within HMPPS, the Regional Probation Director and Prison Group Directors. POMs have access to EQUIP (Excellence and Quality in Processes) a system which provides clear process guidance and timescales for completion of tasks, including Release on Temporary Licence paperwork. The use of EQUIP is monitored and regularly promoted to remind staff of their roles and responsibilities under offender management processes. Likewise, HMP North Sea Camp’s internal escalation process in handling non-compliance work activity has been effective as staff have seen some positive outcomes. It is hoped with the work already mentioned above we will see noticeable improvements in the near future.

Response
I acknowledge the Board’s concern raised for my attention that prisoners with mobility disabilities have experienced some difficulty obtaining accommodation at Approved Premises (APs). I would like to reassure the Board that HMPPS is committed to doing all it can to support these prisoners and are reviewing APs and their accessibility through a pro-social checklist rolled out to prisoners in October 2019. The pro-social audits should highlight where improvements are required to make APs more accessible and provide a better understanding of the current facilities within each AP, allowing appropriate referrals to be made from the outset and to help to ensure that individuals are directed to an appropriate AP. HMPPS did expect to complete this process in March 2020, however the onset of Covid-19 and other additional priority work has caused some delay in the completion of the reviews. Furthermore, accessibility for wheelchair users is considered during the design phase of new/or expansion of APs, and the technical design guide includes equality consideration with specific reference to disability access and provision. A national project focusing on expanding the AP estate by delivering additional 200 bed placements continues and of these, 47 bed placements were to be delivered by the end of the 2019/20 financial year. However, due to additional building work requirements and Covid-19, 38 have been delivered so far. Locally, I am pleased that HMP North Sea Camp is doing all it reasonably can to ensure these prisoners are looked after and to hear they have purchased several mobility scooters to transport prisoners to health appointments.

Response
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has reviewed the pay data held by Shared Services and report that it doesn’t capture any delays to payments made to HMP North Sea Camp’s prisoners. However, should the Board wish for this matter to be investigated further, please be advised to contact the finance staff at the prison. HMP North Sea Camp’s Activities department will continue to make a conscious effort to highlight to employers to complete all necessary paperwork.

Response
It remains a contentious position that anyone should experience a planned death in prison. However, for some individuals compassionate release to alternative premises in which they can end their life is either not possible or unwanted, and therefore, there is a requirement that those individuals who do have a planned death in a custodial setting experience the highest standards of care. Many of the people in prison who are coming to the end of their life have been in prison for many years and are surrounded by staff and fellow prisoners with whom they are comfortable. The staff may well have been a consistent presence in their lives during their period of custody and their peers are their friends and support. It is recognised that the custodial environment is different to other settings in which clinical care takes place, and that providing the best possible end of life care in prison is complex and challenging. The Dying Well in Custody Charter April 2018 mirrors the Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care and provides a framework for establishments to act upon. The Governor remains committed to continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence within this sensitive, emotive and important area. A bid for a palliative care suite at HMP North Sea Camp will be submitted for consideration at every opportunity, and especially as the palliative care at HMP Whatton and Leyhill often run at full capacity.

Response
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) liaises with Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) (social care provider) to refer patients for a dementia diagnosis and facilitate daily welfare / wellbeing checks upon patients who have or considered potentially to be affected by dementia. A combination of patient visits take place up to four times daily. NHFT began a staff Dementia Friendly Accreditation Programme in January 2020 for all healthcare staff, which was postponed due to Covid-19 related priorities. NHFT will commence the training when it is safe and appropriate to do so. Also, NHFT previously had links / care pathways with the Alzheimer’s Society, who would provide in-reach support for patients diagnosed with dementia. NHFT will work with LCC to reinstate this support. Likewise, the HMPPS Health and Social Care Partnerships Team works closely with health and local authority partners to continually try and meet the complex range of needs for those in care. Those with dementia will be referred to local authorities and support packages will be put in place where appropriate. However, the majority of cases do not meet the threshold of the local authority delivered care packages, and as such, support is delivered by HMPPS staff and peers. This team is currently in the process of developing and procuring a Level 3 Social Care Apprenticeship for prison officers, which will include working with men and women with dementia. In some regions, Help the Aged and other charities work with prisons, and some Dementia cafés that have been set up. Locally, prison staff adhere to the care plans produced by the Social Care provider although many patients do require assistance from external carers.

Response
It is unfortunate and regrettable that the new Prisoners’ Property policy framework has still not been published. The framework is informed by a project involving stakeholders across HMPPS and the escort services. The project involved visiting 14 prisons, consultation with staff and prisoners, and engagement with external stakeholders such as the IMB Secretariat and Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. Its purpose was to support the policy review and identify areas where immediate and more long-term changes may be required to improve operational practice. The project is now concluded and HMPPS is working closely with stakeholders to consult on proposed changes to the policy. Discussions ahead of consultation with IMB members began with the IMB Secretariat in late February 2020, and, in light of the pressures placed on Boards by Covid-19, HMPPS agreed with the IMB Secretariat to push consultation with Boards back until August. The feedback received from IMB members will then be considered alongside the comments received earlier this year from other stakeholders, with the intention that the revised draft policy framework will be circulated for wider consultation at the end of 2020. The Prisoner Escort and Custody Service 4 Generation new contract started in August 2020. The new fleet of vehicles allow for an additional half box of consumable items to be carried for each prisoner. In addition to this, HMPPS is looking at what more can be done to encourage prisoners to send out or dispose of excess items to reduce the amount of property that cannot transfer with them. Steps are also being taken to ensure there is a consistent approach when prison staff forward on any excess items to prisoners at their new establishment after a transfer has taken place. Staff at the prison will continue to actively chase sending establishments for outstanding property and any property held at a nearby prison will be collected by staff at the earliest opportunity.

Response
In addition to the washing machine purchased in 2019, an additional machine has recently been purchased, as well as repairing the dryer. HMPPS Prison Maintenance Group (PMG) will continue funding repairs and Amey will carry repairs out as and when they are reported. PMG will also consider submitting bids (in addition to other prison estate work priorities) to improve the laundry facility at HMP North Sea Camp for the next and future rounds of major maintenance and capital bids.

Response
The policy on issuing travel warrants is contained in Prison Service Instruction 72/2011 Discharge. Under paragraph 2.29, every prisoner being discharged, regardless of whether or not they receive a Discharge Grant, must be issued with a travel warrant, or payment of fares where a warrant is inappropriate, to their destination within the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. The discharge policy is currently being reviewed which will include consideration of the appropriate mechanism(s) for ensuring prisoners can reach their destination upon release from custody.

Response
There are several projects being considered by the MoJ Estates team to help improve the built environment of the accommodation blocks. These include further improvements to the shower and sanitary areas; fire safety improvement works and the re-development of the Jubilee houses (Linton Close) to house prisoners in single rooms. These projects are in the development stage and at this point unfunded. Some larger repairs, which the Board will be aware of have taken place through 2019-20, such as the shower flooring and wall replacement, external cladding repairs as well as day to day reactive tasks. Repairs have recently taken place to the roof of Harrison unit to prevent water ingress leaking on to the staircase used by prisoners, staff and visitors. Further small repairs are planned for accommodation roofs to prevent any further water ingress.

Response
Steps have been taken to reduce overcrowding with the recent closure of multi-occupancy dormitories in the Induction unit. The Governor has also invested heavily in the purchase of space saving furniture for use throughout the prison. Funding for an additional house to be refurbished on the Jubilee housing estate has been approved. A number of temporary accommodation units were fitted on site to help the Governor manage the prison population in response to Covid-19. This has reduced the occupancy capacity of all dormitories down to two persons. With next year’s Jubilee expansion, it is hoped that a more permanent solution can be found to accommodate new arrivals.

Response
In the annex to my response to the Board, dated 17 September 2019, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) confirmed the position concerning the Offender Assessment System (OASys) assessments backlog. It is disappointing to hear that during this reporting period some prisoners have had to wait a long time for probation offender managers (POMs) to complete routine work. We recognise that the workloads for many probation officers are excessive and there are a large number of vacancies within the South-East region. The vast majority of National Probation Service (NPS) probation officers based in Greater London prisons were moved into community roles at the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown to provide support. We also have a national shortage of qualified probation officers which has contributed to the shortage of officers in both public sector and privately managed prisons. This in turn has impacted on processing some important and routine work. As of 31 March 2020, around 800 new probation officers were in training, which will make a real difference to the NPS as they qualify, and the trainee probation officer cohort size will be increasing moving forward. HMPPS is working closely with NPS regions and specialist recruitment agencies to address employment market challenges, particularly in areas where it is proving difficult to recruit. I would like to reassure the Board that HMPPS is also working towards a new approach to ensure they recruit sufficient staff, diversify the workforce, raise professional standards and fully recognise probation qualifications. In terms of assurance, planning and deployment of staff, resources are managed on a regional basis by Divisional Implementation Boards. These are chaired by senior members within HMPPS, the Regional Probation Director and Prison Group Directors. POMs have access to EQUIP (Excellence and Quality in Processes) a system which provides clear process guidance and timescales for completion of tasks, including Release on Temporary Licence paperwork. The use of EQUIP is monitored and regularly promoted to remind staff of their roles and responsibilities under offender management processes. Likewise, HMP North Sea Camp’s internal escalation process in handling non-compliance work activity has been effective as staff have seen some positive outcomes. It is hoped with the work already mentioned above we will see noticeable improvements in the near future.