Isle of Wight

The delays in transferring prisoners to secure hospital settings remain a longstanding system wide issue with constraints primarily linked to the availability of secure beds and the coordination between custody and health services. Responsibility for arranging transfers sits with health partners and these challenges are regularly escalated at both regional and national level. Locally, the prison continues to work closely with healthcare providers to identify and escalate urgent cases. As you will be aware, legislative reform through the Mental Health Bill will introduce a statutory 28-day transfer time limit. Work is ongoing across government and with NHS partners to support implementation of this change. Alongside this, cross system oversight arrangements are in place to improve accountability and address barriers to timely transfer.

You raise concerns regarding the extent of local flexibility available to Governors in relation to staffing and budget decisions. Workforce planning and resource allocation are managed through regional and national frameworks to ensure consistency across the estate and to respond to wider system priorities. While this approach is designed to balance competing demands, it can limit the ability to respond quickly to emerging local pressures. At HMP Isle of Wight, there have been improvements in probation staffing levels during the year with additional qualified officers and trainees joining the establishment, alongside strengthened delivery through increased visibility of offender managers and the introduction of a dedicated pre-release role. Further clarity on roles, responsibilities and resourcing will be set out through the Custodial Sentence Management Model, which is due for publication.

Probation workforce planning is managed through regional and national controls to support delivery across the estate. At HMP Isle of Wight, this has limited the ability to recruit in advance of anticipated staffing shortfalls, reducing local resilience and increasing operational pressure during the reporting period. Since that time, probation resource has strengthened. The establishment has recruited trainee probation officers who will remain in post during training, alongside additional qualified probation officers and probation service officers. This has increased capacity and stability within the team. Delivery has also been strengthened through the introduction of a full time pre-release role and increased visibility of offender managers through regular wing-based engagement.

Funded gate security enhancement projects are progressing at both Albany and Parkhurst sites. At Albany, works are scheduled to commence summer 2026. At Parkhurst, works are planned between September and October 2026. These projects will improve access control and strengthen physical security infrastructure. In advance of these works, additional mitigation has been introduced. This includes increased searching activity, deployment of dedicated gate searching resource, and the introduction of new detection technologies including X-ray equipment, archway metal detectors and specialist search tools. Additional mobile phone detection capability is also being deployed to support the identification and disruption of illicit communications linked to drug ingress. These measures form part of a wider approach to managing illicit items, which continues to rely on intelligence-led searching activity, disruption techniques and joint working across security functions.

A range of infrastructure projects are in development across both sites, reflecting the scale and complexity of estate requirements at HMP Isle of Wight. Funded works currently in delivery include gate replacement and fire safety programmes. Further projects, including roof replacements and CCTV upgrades are progressing through design, assurance and business case stages. These proposals are supported by condition surveys and long term maintenance planning, which inform prioritisation across the estate. While demand for capital investment exceeds available funding, projects are assessed against risk, with priority given to safety, operational capacity and decency. Infrastructure challenges at the establishment reflect wider estate pressures, including historic underinvestment, and continue to impact operational delivery and management capacity.

Programme provision across the LTHSE is managed on a national basis, with prioritisation applied across the overall population rather than individual establishments. At HMP Isle of Wight, delivery of the Healthy Sex Programme has increased from three to five places during the current year through reallocation of resources within the estate. A further increase in provision is planned for 2026/27. Allocation to programmes is determined through national prioritisation criteria and is not linked to prison location. While demand continues to exceed available places, provision is kept under review and adjusted where possible. Alongside this, programme delivery is evolving through the transition to new interventions, including Building Choices, which aims to broaden rehabilitation opportunities.

The central laundry refurbishment project is scheduled to commence in August 2026, with completion expected during 2027. In the interim, alternative arrangements remain in place, including the use of wing laundry facilities and limited workshop provision. These arrangements allow continuity of service but continue to place pressure on existing infrastructure and operational delivery.

The delays in transferring prisoners to secure hospital settings remain a longstanding system wide issue with constraints primarily linked to the availability of secure beds and the coordination between custody and health services. Responsibility for arranging transfers sits with health partners and these challenges are regularly escalated at both regional and national level. Locally, the prison continues to work closely with healthcare providers to identify and escalate urgent cases. As you will be aware, legislative reform through the Mental Health Bill will introduce a statutory 28-day transfer time limit. Work is ongoing across government and with NHS partners to support implementation of this change. Alongside this, cross system oversight arrangements are in place to improve accountability and address barriers to timely transfer.

Funded gate security enhancement projects are progressing at both Albany and Parkhurst sites. At Albany, works are scheduled to commence summer 2026. At Parkhurst, works are planned between September and October 2026. These projects will improve access control and strengthen physical security infrastructure. In advance of these works, additional mitigation has been introduced. This includes increased searching activity, deployment of dedicated gate searching resource, and the introduction of new detection technologies including X-ray equipment, archway metal detectors and specialist search tools. Additional mobile phone detection capability is also being deployed to support the identification and disruption of illicit communications linked to drug ingress. These measures form part of a wider approach to managing illicit items, which continues to rely on intelligence-led searching activity, disruption techniques and joint working across security functions.

Probation workforce planning is managed through regional and national controls to support delivery across the estate. At HMP Isle of Wight, this has limited the ability to recruit in advance of anticipated staffing shortfalls, reducing local resilience and increasing operational pressure during the reporting period. Since that time, probation resource has strengthened. The establishment has recruited trainee probation officers who will remain in post during training, alongside additional qualified probation officers and probation service officers. This has increased capacity and stability within the team. Delivery has also been strengthened through the introduction of a full time pre-release role and increased visibility of offender managers through regular wing-based engagement.

A range of infrastructure projects are in development across both sites, reflecting the scale and complexity of estate requirements at HMP Isle of Wight. Funded works currently in delivery include gate replacement and fire safety programmes. Further projects, including roof replacements and CCTV upgrades are progressing through design, assurance and business case stages. These proposals are supported by condition surveys and long term maintenance planning, which inform prioritisation across the estate. While demand for capital investment exceeds available funding, projects are assessed against risk, with priority given to safety, operational capacity and decency. Infrastructure challenges at the establishment reflect wider estate pressures, including historic underinvestment, and continue to impact operational delivery and management capacity.

The DLO [disability liaison officer] officer on HB [houseblock] 17 monitors social care assessment referrals with support from the equality SO [senior officer] and CM [custodial manager]. A monthly meeting with the Isle of Wight Council is in place to monitor prisoners under care plans. Guidance will be drafted and placed on all residential units and through safety and equalities newsletters to ensure that prisoners are aware of how to self-refer.

The new-in-post head of safety and equality has taken responsibility of equality at HMP IoW. Age UK will be contacted to explore what support is available and at what cost.

Any drug/alcohol-related intelligence will be considered as part of the ‘intel’ triage process. SMS referrals form part of the daily Monday to Friday meetings. MDT [mandatory drug testing] teams also submit referrals following any positive MDT results. UTI [under the influence] referrals, again, are captured by way of IR [incident report] triage process, ensuring dissemination of this information. Primary healthcare also attends UTI incidents, which further supports the sharing of this information with SMS partners.

We actively encourage and support prisoners and their families to maintain contact through social visits and video calls, recognising the vital role this plays in rehabilitation and wellbeing. The Barnardo’s team is a valuable partner in this process, providing essential support to families and helping us deliver a positive visiting experience. The Governor holds regular meetings with the Barnardo’s head and the head of rehabilitation and reducing offending to review provision and address any issues or concerns promptly. This collaborative approach ensures that any emerging needs are managed effectively and without delay. The prison will continue to monitor this closely and explore opportunities to enhance provision where possible, including reviewing unmet needs and assessing available technologies as part of future planning. At present, houseblocks 23 and 24 share video call monitors. The prison is, however, actively exploring the introduction of an additional monitor so that each wing has dedicated access. Increasing the number of devices will significantly reduce waiting times, improve booking flexibility, and help to ensure that those who struggle with travel, because of distance, have reliable and timely means of maintaining family contact. Alongside this, the prison will undertake a review to identify any unmet demand for video calls and assess what technological or operational improvements could help increase the number of daily and weekend video call slots available. This will include looking at current usage levels, identifying any groups who may be missing out and exploring how scheduling could be expanded or adapted to meet need more effectively, expanded or adapted to meet need more effectively.

The Big Word is available for use on all staff phones. The head of safety and equality will ensure that clear guidance is shared with the IHU [inpatient healthcare unit] and reception staff to ensure they understand how and when to access.

When a prisoner does not meet the SARU mental health algorithm, the psychiatrist is informed and decides on whether they should transfer to the IHU. IHU staff, including the complex care lead, CM and IHU Governor are notified and, if a bed is available, the prisoner is admitted promptly. A mental health nurse reviews them as soon as possible and an IHU-specific care plan is added to System One, alongside any existing plans. A one-page plan is completed and shared with relevant staff and the psychiatrist discusses the immediate clinical approach, including medication. Nurses visit at least three times a week and more, if needed, to assess mental state, medication adherence, hygiene, diet, sleep risk and activity engagement, noting if the prisoner declines to participate. Reviews also depend on prison risk assessments, including unlock protocols. Nursing staff and officers provide handovers before each review, and medication issues are communicated between IHU and mental health nurses. The case is discussed in the Monday MDT and the psychiatrist attends the IHU on Tuesdays for reviews and to determine whether external referral is required. The IHU and prison nurses are kept updated on the plan. When the prisoner stabilises, a discharge plan is agreed and communicated and the care coordinator follows up after discharge.