Lewes

The Board is concerned that illicit drugs are too readily available in the prison. What additional measures might the Minister consider to help reinforce and strengthen the prison’s responses to this ongoing problem?

The Board is concerned that too many prisoners are released to no fixed abode. Will the Minister work with colleagues across government to help improve community provision and support for such prisoners?

The Board is concerned that the prison at times is required to accept prisoners arriving late in the evening and about the safety risks and stress that this can cause. What new measures might the service consider to help alleviate this ongoing problem?

The Board considers that practice with regard to ACCT processes, designed to better support at-risk prisoners, could be strengthened. Will the Governor consider new measures to help improve practice in this area?

Will the Minister work with government colleagues to ensure that the forthcoming Mental Health Bill identifies appropriate measures to improve care for prisoners with severe mental illness, including more provision in secure units, and ensure that these measures are resourced and delivered with the minimum of delay?

I acknowledge the Board’s concerns: prisons are not appropriate environments for individuals with severe mental illness. The proposed expansion of mental health services within custodial settings is primarily driven by the increasing number of individuals entering detention with complex mental health needs and comorbid conditions. In response, the Commissioning Team and Health Provider are collaborating to strengthen support, specifically through the Early Days in Custody model. Additionally, the recommendations of the 2024 review by the Centre for Mental Health Studies inform discussions with the Health Provider regarding staff increases. The Mental Health Bill introduces a statutory time limit of 28 days for the transfer of individuals from prison and other places of detention to hospital. To support this, NHS England is implementing measures to overcome barriers, while the Mental Health and Justice Strategic Advisory Group offers clinical leadership, advice and oversight across the pathway to enact this reform. The plan is expected to be rolled out 18-24 months following Royal Assent.

Will the service explore all options to enable the quickest possible replacement of the prison’s heating and hot water system and ensure, in the interim, that the Governor receives adequate resources to keep prisoners warm in winter?

A study is underway to determine the most effective solution, whether replacing the gas main or installing a centralised boiler plant, based on sustainability, efficiency and speed of delivery. However, maintenance demands significantly exceed the funding available and HMPPS must prioritise works, focusing on risks to life, capacity and decency. In the interim, Government Facilities Services Limited (GFSL) has upgraded the initial emergency installations with more efficient temporary boilers, ensuring a more consistent supply of heating and hot water at HMP/YOI Lewes.

Will the service work with NHS colleagues to boost investment in mental health services in the prison and review the adequacy of psychiatry provision?

The unexpected departure of the previous Consultant Psychiatrist led to a temporary gap in service provision. However, a substantive Consultant Psychiatrist commenced work in October 2024. During the interim, Consultant cover was provided, with urgent cases prioritised to ensure continuity of care. When in post, the newly appointed Consultant undertook a review of the waiting list, which had grown during the interim. This led to a reduction in waiting times, with urgent cases now seen within two working days. Service delivery is now meeting the standards of the service specification. Additionally, NHS commissioners are scheduled to undertake a health needs analysis to assess whether the current mental health provision aligns with the needs of the prison population at HMP/YOI Lewes.

Will the Governor renew efforts to reduce incidents of self-harm which have gone up by around one third over the past two years?

From 1/2/25 to 31/1/26, the prison reduced self-harm by 221 incidents compared with the previous reporting period (432 incidents compared with 651). This is a 34% reduction in self-harm in 2025/26.

Will the Governor prioritise the development and implementation of the prison’s remand strategy to better support the needs of remand prisoners?

The remand strategy is fully implemented at HMP Lewes and was recognised in the HMIP inspection (June 2025) as positive practice: ‘…remanded prisoners could now expect help on arrival for their immediate needs, from dedicated oversight by a prisoner offender manager, an initial meeting with a pre-release team representative, assistance from third sector providers and support leading up to their release… these changes marked a clear and positive shift since the previous inspection.’

Will the Governor act to reverse the fall in prisoner attendance at education that’s been seen since the improvement in the prison’s regime in late 2024?

The new regime introduced in November 2024 created some conflicts in the regime that impacted the attendance into education. These have been reviewed and attendance has steadily improved, averaging to just under 70% for the year against allocation. We have seen proactive work in identifying prisoners’ educational needs and a much-improved picture in progressing prisoners in English and maths.