Source · IMB Annual Report
Foston Hall
Year: 2025
Published: 16 Apr 2026
Type: Prison · Cat YOI
Recommendations: 13
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP/YOI Foston Hall is a women’s prison and young offender institution. Its capacity is 3241. The Board has noted a rise in self-harm incidents, violence, and use of force.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 1 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 2,014 | — |
| ACCT cases opened | 279 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 1,022 | — |
| Use of force | 808 | — |
Positive findings
The Board has seen a renewed focus on improving the experience and safety of newly arrived prisoners. Additional staffing in the first night centre by early days in custody (EDiC) managers appears to have led to improved information sharing about the profile and history of new prisoners. The IMB has regularly observed food being prepared in the kitchens and noted that it looked appetising, was well presented and tasted good when sampled. The Board commends Foston Hall for the professionalism, patience and compassion with which prisoners are treated in the CSU.
Key concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The continuing rise in prisoners who are on short-fixed term recalls, and subject to short sentences has a significant limiting impact on rehabilitation and resettlement.
Mental Health
Repeated
It is still the case that prisoners with complex and severe mental health needs are frequently received, or remain too long, at HMP Foston Hall, rather than being accommodated and cared for in hospital or in the community in line with the ambitions of the female offender strategy.
Other
Repeated
There is still no evidence that the decision to identify pregnancy as a specific mitigating factor in sentencing decisions has had any impact on the number of pregnant prisoners passing through Foston Hall, including prisoners on short-term recall.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There are increasing problems with the quality and decency of accommodation, including the longstanding inadequacy of the CSU and D wing and the ongoing health and safety and decency issues on F wing caused by water damage from leaking showers.
Mental Health
Repeated
There continues to be a lack of adequate mental health provision for prisoners experiencing less severe but still impactful conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
There are limitations to the operation of the Incentives Policy Framework and prisoners who do not receive visits or have anyone to send them money feel there is no gain in being in the enhanced level.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What will the prison do to improve the problems with the operation of the prisoner application system to ensure they are all responded to and within an acceptable time frame? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 2 | How will the prison ensure that prisoners are not delayed in accessing their property promptly? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 3 | What steps will be put in place to ensure that every wing has an adequate supply of forms - for example, general application and complaints forms - available to prisoners? | Governor / Director | |
| 4 | What will be done to improve the poor levels of key work taking place across the prison? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 5 | There are limitations to the operation of the Incentives Policy Framework and prisoners who do not receive visits or have anyone to send them money feel there is no gain in being in the enhanced level. What will be done to ensure that all prisoners feel that the incentives policy has meaning for them? | Governor / Director | |
| 6 | What will be put in place to reverse the rise in incidents of self-harm? | Governor / Director | |
| 7 | What will the prison do to reduce the rise in the number of prisoner-on-prisoner violent incidents? | Governor / Director | |
| 8 | How will the prison address the rise in use of force incidents? | Governor / Director | |
| 9 | Self-harm incidents have risen despite a multidisciplinary approach. What more can be done to support prisoners who harm themselves? | Governor / Director | |
| 10 | Violence has increased. What planned actions does Foston Hall have to reverse this trend? | Governor / Director | |
| 11 | Prisoners continue to queue outside the medication dispensing hatch, whatever the weather, with no shelter. When will shelter be provided for them? Repeated | Governor / Director | |
| 12 | When will the healthcare services team be provided with adequate accommodation? | Governor / Director | |
| 13 | When will the Access Service [a multidisciplinary team supporting prisoners with highly complex needs and behaviours] be staffed and operational? Repeated | Governor / Director |
Related inspections & investigations
13 Jan 2025
HMIP · Unannounced
Other reports for Foston Hall
Report details
- Establishment
- Foston Hall
- Type
- Prison · Cat YOI
- Report year
- 2025
- Published
- 16 April 2026
- Responsible body
- HMP Foston Hall
- Recommendations
- 13
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Operational capacity | 3,241 |
Service providers
Healthcare
Practice Plus Group