Key concern 1
Delays in opening refurbished blocks (Cedar, Phoenix, sports hall) reducing purposeful activity and resettlement opportunities.
Source wording under review
Independent Monitoring Boards annual report
Cookham Wood
Report year 2026
Published 4 Sep 2026
Type Prison, category C
Population 135
Responsible body HMP Cookham Wood
Original IMB report page ↗ Ministerial response, 28 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 Cookham Wood, an adult male Category C prison, experienced a transition period from a YOI, with its population increasing to 135 by March 2026. While prisoners generally reported feeling safe with good time out of cell and staff interactions, significant challenges remain. These include erratic healthcare provision, chronically under-utilised purposeful activity due to shared services and staffing issues, delays in estate refurbishment, and concerns around resettlement, property, and complaints handling.
Positive findings
Summary written by this site (AI-generated)Prisoners have reported feeling safe. Time out of cell has consistently been good, averaging 5.5 hours daily, with very little violence. The prison is overall clean and tidy, with good food options including self-cooking. Family days are a highlight, well-managed with positive impact on morale. Reception and induction are smooth, with officers being welcoming and compassionate. The main houseblock is well-kept, and adjudications are infrequent and fair. Faith and pastoral support is good, and most officers maintain positive interactions and rapport with prisoners.
Key concerns
- Key concern 1Estate/Conditions
- Key concern 2Healthcare
- Key concern 3Education/Purposeful Activity
Key concerns 10 items
Key concerns were extracted from the report text by an AI model.
Key concern 2
Erratic healthcare provision, long waiting times for specialists (e.g., pain nurses), and issues with medication, compounded by shared contracts with HMP Rochester.
Source wording under review
Key concern 3
Chronically under-utilised vocational training and purposeful activity facilities due to shared contracts and staffing pressures, leading to insufficient skill development for release.
Source wording under review
Key concern 4
Staffing challenges including inadequate training for the transition from YOI to adult prison, loss of experienced staff, and some officers' reluctance to engage in key work.
Source wording under review
Key concern 5
Inadequate reasonable adjustments for disabled prisoners and long delays in minor cell repairs.
Source wording under review
Key concern 6
Frequent issues with lost property during transfers and delays in compensation.
Source wording under review
Key concern 7
Significant delays in complaint responses and poor communication with prisoners.
Source wording under review
Key concern 8
Resettlement failures, with some prisoners leaving unprepared (e.g., no ID, accommodation), leading to quick returns to custody and adjournments of parole hearings.
Source wording under review
Key concern 9
Lack of a dedicated segregation unit, posing a future challenge as population increases.
Source wording under review
Key concern 10
The IMB Board is under-complement and under-resourced, impacting its ability to monitor effectively.
Source wording under review
Safety statistics
Incidents during the reporting year.
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 3 | not recorded |
Population
| Population | 135 |
| Operational capacity | 180 |
| Time out of cell | 5.5h/day |
Report details
- Establishment
- Cookham Wood
- Type
- Prison, category C
- Report year
- 2026
- Published
- 4 September 2026
- Responsible body
- HMP Cookham Wood
- MoJ rating (2025/26)
- 3, Good