Independent Monitoring Boards annual report

Rye Hill

Report year 2026 Published 14 Aug 2026 Type Prison, category C Population 1,119 Responsible body HMP Rye Hill 4 recommendations

Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response, 2 Sep 2026 ↗ imb.org.uk ↗

The summary and positive findings below were written from the report by an AI model. The Board's own wording is in the report linked above.

Summary

Summary written by this site (AI-generated)

HMP Rye Hill, a Category C training prison for men convicted of sexual offences, successfully completed an expansion, increasing its population to 1119. The report highlights reductions in self-harm and use of force incidents, and a strong community ethos. However, it raises concerns regarding the management of IPP prisoners, persistent issues with access to timely healthcare appointments, and the need for better resettlement opportunities for PCoSOs.

Positive findings

Summary written by this site (AI-generated)

Admissions significantly reduced after the expansion. Violent incidents remained low, and self-harm incidents decreased, possibly due to violence-free initiatives. Use of force incidents also reduced considerably. The prison's expansion and recategorisation were managed with minimal disruption, and the use of the care and separation unit (CSU) remains low. Over 500 enrichment activities have taken place, fostering a positive community ethos. Education attendance and course completions are very good, with increased vocational training opportunities and successful one-to-one work with IPP prisoners leading to progress and releases. Staff and prisoner relationships appear good, and Prisoner Led Initiatives are a strength.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Recommendation 2Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Recommendation 3Addressed to HMPPS

All 4 recommendations

Key concerns

Key concern 1Mental Health
Key concern 2Resettlement/Release
Key concern 3Healthcare

All 8 key concerns

Recommendations 4 items · 3 repeated

Recommendations were extracted from the report by AI, and responses and their status from the ministerial response by AI. Each recommendation shows whether its wording has been checked against the report.

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Mental Health · Repeated from a previous year

Recommendation (the Board's words)

The Board remains concerned that there is no centrally directed, long-term solution to the injustice of the IPP sentence and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of affected prisoners. What specific actions from the HMPPS’s IPP annual report will be taken forward at HMP Rye Hill, given the increased number of IPP prisoners held there following this year’s expansion?

Source text verified

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation (the Board's words)

The Board recognises the work undertaken in education and vocational training within the prison. It also recognises the desire to build relationships with external partners to support prisoners’ integration on release into the community. Are there any initiatives the Government is able to facilitate to enable prisons that hold prisoners convicted of sexual offences (PCoSOs) to build meaningful national partnerships with employers and charities? The Board is also interested in what actions the Government can take to encourage appropriate employment opportunities on release?

Source text verified

Recommendation 3

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Healthcare · Repeated from a previous year

Recommendation (the Board's words)

What immediate steps will HMPPS take to ensure that prisoners at HMP Rye Hill can access timely and clinically appropriate healthcare, given the persistent missed appointments and delays in obtaining GP appointments, mental‑health assessments, and specialist referrals that are placing prisoners at risk and undermining statutory equivalence of care?

Source text verified

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Healthcare · Repeated from a previous year

Recommendation (the Board's words)

With a disproportionately older population at HMP Rye Hill, coupled with the increasing difficulties accessing appropriate healthcare, the Board remains concerned that this is becoming an area that needs closer attention to avoid risk of harm. Are there any additional steps you can take to avoid the cancellation of hospital appointments related to prison staffing issues?

Source text verified

Key concerns 8 items

Key concerns were extracted from the report text by an AI model.

Key concern 1

Mental Health · Repeated from a previous year

The Board remains concerned that there is no centrally directed, long-term solution to the injustice of the IPP sentence and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of affected prisoners.

Key concern 2

Resettlement/Release

Key concern 3

Healthcare · Repeated from a previous year

Key concern 4

Healthcare · Repeated from a previous year

Key concern 5

Safety

The physical demands of the work, the noise levels, and the lack of protective equipment were raised by prisoners as concerns.

Key concern 6

Equality/Diversity

Some individuals, particularly those with disabilities, neurodiversity, or limited dexterity, stated entry level roles may be disproportionately difficult, with limited scope for progression if additional support is not effectively implemented.

Key concern 7

Complaints/Property

Complaints responses where the explanation has been overly brief, and the tone, at times, curt. Particular concerns about responses have been raised by the Board to secure better understanding and clarity for prisoners.

Key concern 8

Other

12 of these applications related to property being lost during a prisoner's transfer from another prison to HMP Rye Hill.

Safety statistics

Incidents during the reporting year.

Indicator	This year	Previous
Deaths in custody	8	5
Self-harm incidents	190	235
ACCT cases opened	223	169
Prisoner assaults	33	27
Use of force	94	145

Population

Population	1,119
Operational capacity	1,122
CNA (designed for)	1,058 (106% occupied)
Time out of cell	11.5h/day

Applications to the IMB

Category	Current	Previous
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions	5	0
Canteen, facility list, catalogues	4	0
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions	5	1
Equality	3	6
Finance, including pay, private monies, spends	3	2
Food and kitchens	0	0
Health, including physical, mental, social care	30	11
Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions	7	2
Miscellaneous	8	3
Property during transfer or in another facility	10	3
Property within the establishment	12	9
Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell	13	7
Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation	10	5
Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying	22	5
Transfers	4	1

Report details

Establishment: Rye Hill
Type: Prison, category C
Report year: 2026
Published: 14 August 2026
Responsible body: HMP Rye Hill
Recommendations: 4
MoJ rating (2025/26): 3, Good

Service providers

Service	Provider
Catering	Aramark
Education	Novus Foundation for Change
Healthcare and social care	Practice Partnership Group (PPG)
Support	Samaritans

Rye Hill

Summary

Positive findings

Recommendations

Key concerns

Recommendations 4 items · 3 repeated

Key concerns 8 items

Key concern 1

Key concern 2

Key concern 3

Key concern 4

Key concern 5

Key concern 6

Key concern 7

Key concern 8

Safety statistics

Population

Applications to the IMB

Report details

Service providers

Related inspections and investigations

HMIP inspection, 20 Aug 2024

HMIP inspection, 1 Sep 2019

Other reports for Rye Hill