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Millsike

AI-generated report summary HMP Millsike, a newly opened Category C prison run by Mitie Care & Custody, experienced a chaotic first year due to a reduced mobilisation period, design flaws, and an inexperienced and short-staffed workforce. Despite an interim Director's efforts leading to improved stability and staff morale, significant challenges persist with staffing, unpredictable regimes, and the prevalence of illicit items. The Board escalated concerns to the Prisons Minister regarding the unacceptable impact on prisoners and systemic issues with new prison openings.

Year: 2026 Published: 3 Sep 2026 Type: Prison · Cat C Population: 988 Recommendations: 19 Key concerns Positive findings
Original IMB report page ↗

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody1—
Prisoner assaults104—
Assaults on staff85—
Use of force488—

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The Board is pleased to note a significant improvement in staff morale since the arrival of the new Director and that some improvements have been observed by the end of the reporting year. Prisoner-on-staff assaults dropped towards the end of the year, and weekly Use of Force scrutiny meetings have been introduced. The Board welcomes additional resources for property management. The library is a positive, inspirational, and enthusiastic place, and over 100 education courses and 340 vocational courses were successfully completed. The number of work and education places has increased, and staff and prisoners are being treated with respect. The new arrangements for visits are preferred by all prisoners, and the Fixed Term Recall 56 process was managed well. Rule 45 boards have been rectified and adjudications are fair.

Key concerns

14 items
Safety The prison was not a safe place for prisoners and staff as soon as it was opened, caused by the reduction of the mobilisation timescale and Mitie Care & Custody's lack of preparedness.
Staffing The inexperience and lack of staff meant that the prison seemed to be being run by the prisoners.
Safety The number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (104) and prisoner-on-staff assaults (85) has been high, attributed to inexperience and lack of officers. Source wording under review
Food/Catering Significant concerns exist about the quality, quantity, distribution, and serving of food.
Mental Health There were no Listeners at HMP Millsike throughout the reporting period due to a delay in agreeing the service level agreement with the Samaritans, which does not include private prisons. Source wording under review
Complaints/Property The complaints process has been ineffective for over a year, with late, inadequate responses and a significant backlog, due to lack of staff and experience. Source wording under review
Other The handling of property has been a major challenge since opening, with numerous complaints, reflecting a wider national problem. Source wording under review
Healthcare The healthcare service was initially affected by staff shortages, vetting delays, an unpredictable regime, high self-harm, and numerous ACCTs. Source wording under review
Regime/Time Out of Cell The shortage and inexperience of staff significantly restricted the regime, causing unpredictability and major frustrations for prisoners. Source wording under review
Safety Repeated New prisons are being opened knowing it will take years to stabilise, with significant implications for safety and humane treatment, especially in remote locations with recruitment challenges. Source wording under review
Staffing Delays in the vetting process are affecting recruitment of IMB members and staff across all organizations at HMP Millsike. Source wording under review
Estate/Conditions Design faults highlighted in similar prisons (HMP Fosse Way and HMP Five Wells) were not addressed in HMP Millsike's design. Source wording under review
Overcrowding The prison is still opening new houseblocks despite a shortage of trained staff and the continuation of a restricted regime.
Substance Misuse Illicit items remain readily available, contributing to bullying, debt, and violence, with entire wings sometimes locked down due to prisoners under the influence. Source wording under review

Recommendations

19 items · 2 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

The Board continues to be concerned that new prisons are being opened knowing that it will take two or three years for them to stabilise, with significant implications for the safety and humane treatment of prisoners during that period. This concern is further exacerbated when prisons are built in remote locations, where recruitment and retention challenges can be particularly acute. At what point will this be recognised as unacceptable, and what steps are being taken to ensure that more effective arrangements are put in place before new prisons open?

Repeated Source text verified

Response
The Prisons Minister stated: 'Our experience from other prison openings is that it can take up to four years to meet its full potential, but during this period they should maintain stability and be making incremental improvements.' The Minister also acknowledged the compressed mobilisation but cited unprecedented demand for prison places. The Minister stated that the issue of vetting is being addressed.

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

The Board is concerned about delays in the vetting process, which are affecting the recruitment of IMB members, as well as staffing across all organisations working at HMP Millsike. What action is being taken to address these delays, and by when does the Minister expect vetting times to return to a level that no longer hinders recruitment and the effective operation of the prison?

Source text verified

Response
The Prisons Minister stated: 'I can assure the IMB that the issue of vetting is being addressed.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 3

Addressee: HMPPS

Despite the fact that design faults had been highlighted following the builds at HMP Fosse Way and HMP Five Wells, no changes were made to the design at HMP Millsike. Whilst the Board was informed that a ‘lessons learnt’ exercise was taking place in 2025 (and provided some limited input), no details have been received of the outcome Have any changes been made, or are any changes planned, to the design of future prison builds, including the next new prison being built by the Prison Service?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Estate

Recommendation 4

Addressee: HMPPS

Given the fact that it was clear to the Board very early on that the mobilisation team had not completed all the work required before the prison was opened, why wasn’t the opening postponed? Whilst the Board was aware of the capacity problems in the prison estate at that time, opening the prison at that time resulted in prisoners being treated inhumanely, in our view.

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'I fully acknowledge that the mobilisation for HMP Millsike was compressed... However, the MoJ was facing unprecedented demand for prison places... There was a significant risk that postponing the opening could have worsened the overcrowding crisis.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 5

Addressee: HMPPS

The Board is concerned about the impact of the continued use of improvement notices. In the Board's view, senior leaders and managers are focusing on meeting action plan requirements rather than embedding stable day-to-day operations, which is contributing to a number of the issues raised in this report. How will the Prison Service ensure that improvement requirements support, rather than hinder, the long-term stability and development of new prisons?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Other

Recommendation 6

Addressee: HMPPS

How will the Prison Service ensure that HMP Millsike has sufficient time to recruit, retain and train staff, and establish effective resettlement services, before increasing capacity further, particularly given the implications for the Mitie Care & Custody contract?

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'Mitie has committed to ensuring that the current regime can be maintained as the prison continues to populate and that further regime enhancements will be implemented only once sufficient staff are in place.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 7

Addressee: HMPPS

How is the Prison Service working with Mitie Care & Custody to balance commercial considerations with the safe ramp-up of the prison, and to ensure that prisoners are treated humanely throughout this process?

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'HMPPS will continue to work closely with Mitie to ensure that the ramp-up of the prison is managed safely and humanely.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 8

Addressee: HMPPS

The Board remains concerned about delays in the vetting process, which appear to be affecting both the recruitment of IMB members and staffing across organisations working at HMP Millsike. Could you the Prison Service provide an update on whether any steps are being taken to improve the situation, particularly given the Ministry of Justice’s contractual six-week timeframe for the vetting of Millsike staff?

Repeated Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'HMPPS remains committed to reducing the current delays in vetting and returning to the contractual six-week timeframe.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Staffing

Recommendation 9

Addressee: HMPPS

The Board is concerned that the service level agreement between the Samaritans and HMPPS for the delivery of Listener training does not include private prisons. This has resulted in a significant delay in the deployment of Listeners at HMP Millsike, which the Board finds unacceptable. Why are private prisons excluded from these arrangements, and what action will be taken to ensure timely access to Listener training in future?

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'I am pleased to inform you that HMPPS and Samaritans have agreed on a way forward to ensure that private prisons are included in the Listener scheme.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Mental Health

Recommendation 10

Addressee: HMPPS

When planning new prisons, how is consideration being given to the implementation of the Crime in Prison Referral Agreement, given concerns that the current process may present particular challenges for private prisons?

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson acknowledged concerns regarding the CiPRA for private prisons and stated HMPPS is working with providers.

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 11

Addressee: Other — other

The Board considers that the mobilisation process was inadequate in several key areas, contributing to confusion and operational problems. In our view, weaknesses in mobilisation were a significant factor in many of the issues experienced at HMP Millsike. Has Mitie Care & Custody reviewed the successes and failures of the mobilisation process, and what changes have been made as a result?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Other

Recommendation 12

Addressee: Governor / Director

Provision of equipment and supplies was, and still is, disorganised, on the Board’s view. What is the Director planning to do to ensure that orders and supplies are sent to the required departments with no delay?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 13

Addressee: Governor / Director

What action is being taken to resolve the issue with privacy keys on the wings and to ensure that all prisoners are issued with a key without further delay?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Safety

Recommendation 14

Addressee: Governor / Director

When will Listeners be trained and deployed at the prison?

Source text verified

Response
Lord Timpson stated: 'Listener training is scheduled to commence at HMP Millsike shortly, with the first cohort expected to be fully deployed by June 2026.'

Recorded status:

Topic: Mental Health

Recommendation 15

Addressee: Governor / Director

What is planned to improve the processes required as part of the Incentives Policy Framework?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Regime

Recommendation 16

Addressee: Governor / Director

How will the Director ensure that the recent improvements in complaint handling and response times are sustained?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Complaints

Recommendation 17

Addressee: Governor / Director

When will the backlog of property and residential complaints be cleared, and how will progress be sustained until then?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Complaints

Recommendation 18

Addressee: Governor / Director

As staffing levels improve, what steps will be taken to ensure that resettlement is given the priority expected of a resettlement prison?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation 19

Addressee: Governor / Director

When will a full-time IMB clerk be put in place to carry out all aspects of the role set out in the MoU between HMPPS and the IMB, including raising staff awareness of the Board and its work?

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Other

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions 6 —
Canteen, facility list, catalogues 2 —
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions 5 —
Equality 1 —
Finance, including pay, private monies, spends 6 —
Food and kitchens 7 —
Health, including physical, mental, social care 9 —
Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions 21 —
Miscellaneous 50 —
Property during transfer or in another facility 27 —
Property within the establishment 32 —
Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell 7 —
Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation 21 —
Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying 27 —
Transfers 5 —

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