Garth

I understand your frustration with the ongoing issue relating to indeterminate sentences for Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners, and the profound uncertainty, distress and sense of injustice experienced by those serving those sentences, including those who have never been released and those who have been recalled. The Board has raised this concern repeatedly, and it is right that it continues to be challenged given the seriousness of its impact on individuals and their families. The Government’s approach is now firmly focused on delivery rather than policy intent alone. A refreshed action plan for IPP prisoners was published in July 2025, placing a stronger emphasis on frontline delivery within prisons and the Probation Service. For the first time, this approach is underpinned by measurable national targets and strengthened oversight arrangements, improving transparency, consistency and accountability in progression activity. This focus on delivery is supported by significant legislative change. Recent reforms have reduced the qualifying period for licence termination, introduced automatic licence termination in defined circumstances and created new powers enabling the Secretary of State to support re-release following recall where risk can be safely managed. Further changes due to come into force in June 2026 will shorten qualifying periods further and allow earlier review where licences have not initially been terminated.

HMP Garth is engaging well with this national framework with progression arrangements for prisoners serving indeterminate sentences strengthened through structured panel oversight and clearer local accountability. Transfers are actively scrutinised to ensure individuals are located in establishments capable of meeting their needs and access to specialist psychological outreach and offending behaviour interventions has improved. Each case is monitored with offender managers and progress is escalated where delays arise. This represents a more disciplined and transparent approach to supporting safe progression.

I recognise your concern regarding the condition of facilities at HMP Garth and the constraints this places on the establishment. During the reporting period, maintenance work has included resurfacing the visits roof, repairs to the secure corridor ceiling and a bid has been approved for fire safety improvements, including a new fire alarm system with in-cell detection and fire dampers. Locally, the establishment has also redeployed staff to support general maintenance tasks, including refurbishment of showers. Alongside this, the clean, rehabilitative, enabling and decent approach is being used to improve in-cell living conditions with improvements delivered on D wing and further work underway on C wing. I acknowledge that significant challenges remain, including issues with air handling, building management systems and decaying flooring, which has resulted in a loss of accommodation spaces. The establishment continues to seek further investment to address these infrastructure pressures. Given the level of demand and available funding, works are prioritised carefully, focusing on risks to life, capacity and decency.

I understand your ongoing concern about the ingress of illicit items and their impact on safety and stability at HMP Garth. I remain focused on these issues by direct oversight of a national LTHSE Taskforce. This is an ongoing challenge, and targeted funding has been used to strengthen the establishment’s ability to prevent and disrupt the entry of illicit items. This includes expansion of the dedicated search team to support intelligence-led searching activity, increased mandatory drug testing, and the use of additional general-purpose dogs to strengthen tactical capability. Investment has also been directed towards addressing drone-related supply routes. Physical security measures, including window grills and anti-drone wires have been installed in areas identified as presenting higher risk, with further protective measures underway and planned. In addition, directorate funding has supported the introduction of dedicated safety roles to strengthen operational oversight and staff capability in managing high-risk situations linked to illicit items. I acknowledge that some of this funding is time-limited and that sustaining progress will require continued prioritisation.

Staffing stability remains central to the delivery of a safe and consistent regime at HMP Garth. Retention has improved and is currently at its strongest position for over two years, reflecting sustained local and national action to improve staff experience, wellbeing and resilience. Operational delivery has been strengthened through enhanced induction arrangements and the New Colleague Mentor scheme, which place greater emphasis on local training, expectations and practical skills. These measures are intended to support staff confidence, reduce early attrition and promote more consistent practice on residential wings. To maintain stability during periods of operational pressure, detached duty arrangements and attendance measures remain in place and are monitored at a national level. In addition, the establishment has benefited from the long-term high security estate (LTHSE) transfer scheme, with experienced officers reinforcing capability, leadership presence and mentoring capacity. The Enable programme continues to be embedded to support relational practice and contribute to longer term workforce stability. The staff well being work completed at Garth through having a dedicated lead has been identified as best practice and is being rolled out now to all prisons in the LTHSE.

The management of segregation at HMP Garth is subject to regular multidisciplinary oversight to ensure that its use remains necessary, proportionate and justified. All prisoners held in segregated conditions are reviewed routinely, with continued separation authorised only where no viable alternative exists. Within the LTHSE, the Pathways to Progression initiative provides specialist operational, psychological and mental health support aimed at reducing reliance on prolonged segregation and promoting psychologically informed practice. The central Pathways to Progression team supports establishments through advice, supervision and training, as well as case specific consultancy when prisoners present with complex needs. Staff working in the care and separation unit are carefully selected and are supported through structured psychological supervision. Designated psychologists provide input for prisoners requiring additional support, and neurodiverse needs are addressed through individualised management plans. Where a prisoner may require transfer to an alternative secure environment, including hospital, cases are progressed with healthcare partners. While decisions regarding admission rest with the National Health Service, HMPPS continues to work collaboratively to improve access and manage risk during periods of delay.

HMP Garth acknowledges the limitations of an estate that was not designed to accommodate an aging and physically infirm population. While structural constraints remain, a range of operational measures are in place to support access to essential services and mitigate barriers for disabled and older prisoners. Healthcare provision has increasingly shifted towards wing-based delivery. Clinicians routinely conduct clinics on residential units, and prisoners can be contacted directly in their cells where mobility or access is restricted. Treatment hatches on residential wings support timely access to medication, and a wing-based medication model improves accessibility for prisoners with reduced mobility and contributes to good levels of compliance. Operational support is further provided through a staffed buddy scheme delivered with voluntary sector partners, enabling trained prisoners to assist with daily tasks such as collecting meals. Regular older prisoner forums, chaired by senior leaders, provide a structured opportunity for prisoners over the age of 50 to raise concerns and influence local response. Two on wing clinical rooms are used in a planned and prioritised manner to support chronic disease management, routine health reviews and longer appointments where clinically appropriate. Older prisoners are treated as a priority cohort, with healthcare structured around scheduled clinics, monitoring of long-term conditions and individualised care planning. At an estate level, accessibility and infrastructure needs are informed by condition data and considered alongside wider demands across the prison estate. In relation to HMP Garth, a number of bids have been submitted to support improvements to infrastructure and access. These are prioritised against available funding, with focus given to risks to life, capacity and decency.