Source · IMB Annual Report
Doncaster
Year: 2020
Published: 15 Nov 2021
Type: Prison · Cat B, local
Recommendations: 4
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Doncaster experienced significant operational challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a restricted regime and impacting IMB monitoring. While staff professionalism was acknowledged and improvements in DIRF and healthcare complaint processes were noted, key concerns included self-harm risks from the restricted regime, persistent drug use, and timely access to adequate healthcare, particularly mental health support. The Board made recommendations for research into the pandemic's impact on prisoners and their families to inform future planning.
Positive findings
The Board commended the professionalism and essential roles of all staff working at HMP Doncaster during the challenging Covid-19 period. They welcomed positive changes introduced by the new Director and noted an improved safety score in the MQPL survey compared to 2015. The report also highlights renewed efforts to encourage Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) submissions and the successful establishment of an improved healthcare complaints process.
Key concerns
Safety
The Board is concerned about self-harm. Although self-harm is a risk that the prison has to address at all times, Covid or non-Covid, the negative impact of a restricted regime (especially reduced contact with family and friends through visits) must create additional risks.
Substance Misuse
There is drug use in the prison. This creates acute and longer-term health issues and, at its most severe, can be an immediate risk to life.
Healthcare
In the 2019 / 20 the Board was concerned that not all of prisoners’ health needs were being met in a timely and effective manner. Our concerns applied to both physical and mental health conditions.
Mental Health
Capacity of mental health staffing ie the number of professional on-site staff available for prisoners in a timely manner
Healthcare
Access/agency – the ability of all prisoners (including those less confident with appointment-making systems) to get the care they need when they need it.
Complaints/Property
Complaints – in 2019/20 it was the Board’s view that the prison/healthcare were not receiving all complaints about health issues that should have been made. Some prisoners were unaware of healthcare complaints procedures and some were raising complaints informally (and less effectively) eg making verbal complaints to officers.
Safety
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) findings in reports into deaths in custody. There have been recommendations included in PPO reports into deaths in custody during the 2019 /20 year. It is important that all learning from such findings and recommendations is taken and this has been discussed by the board with prison and healthcare senior management.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our Board recommends that work be done to research the impact of Covid and Covid precautions on prisoners and on their families to make sure that their experiences are fully understood and their voices on the impact of Covid and Covid precautions are captured. We would particularly emphasise the need to understand impact on prisoners’ families, for example, on limited in-person contact by children with their parent. We believe research should include contact with a representative sample of those prisoners who have since been released from prisons. | Ministry of Justice | |
| 2 | We would make a similar recommendation to that above but with the scope being research with people in prisons. | HMPPS | |
| 3 |
All lessons to be learnt from the findings of internal investigations and the reports of the PPO into deaths in custody to be actioned.
Response
Note – the following have already been discussed with the Director and work is in hand. Further comments will be included in the 2020/21 report. |
Governor / Director | |
| 4 |
Improved DIRF procedures to be implemented and progress on improvement to be assured.
Response
Note – the following have already been discussed with the Director and work is in hand. Further comments will be included in the 2020/21 report. |
Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 10 | 12 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 2 | 6 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 10 | 12 |
| Equality | 8 | 3 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 5 | 2 |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 5 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 32 | 39 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 18 | 4 |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 5 | 0 |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 6 | 9 |
| Property within this establishment | 17 | 29 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 7 | 9 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 14 | 19 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 48 | 35 |
| Transfers | 3 | 9 |
Related inspections & investigations
Other reports for Doncaster
Report details
- Establishment
- Doncaster
- Type
- Prison · Cat B, local
- Report year
- 2020
- Published
- 15 November 2021
- Responsible body
- HMP Doncaster
- Recommendations
- 4
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 2 — Concern
Population
| Operational capacity | 1,145 |
| CNA (designed for) | 738 |
Service providers
Prison Operator
Serco Limited
Resettlement
Community Rehabilitation Company