Independent Monitoring Boards annual report

North Sea Camp

Report year 2026 Published 29 Sep 2026 Type Prison, category D open resettlement Population 294 Responsible body HMP North Sea Camp 6 recommendations

Original IMB report page ↗ 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 North Sea Camp generally provides a safe and humane environment, with low violence and good staff-prisoner relationships. The IMB is satisfied with most aspects, including healthcare and purposeful activity. However, significant concerns remain regarding inadequate accommodation space, a substantial reduction in education provision, delays in offender management processes, and a lack of dedicated end-of-life care facilities for an ageing population.

Positive findings

Summary written by this site (AI-generated)

The IMB is satisfied that HMP North Sea Camp generally provides a safe environment for prisoners, with very low levels of violence and a positive emphasis on humane treatment. There are continuous efforts to improve cleanliness and appearance, and the prison offers a wide range of programs to prepare men for release. Staff-prisoner relationships are generally positive, and prisoners compliment healthcare services. The education department plans ambitious curricula and collaborates well with external providers, while the OMU shows strong leadership. A new public protection framework was rated good, and family contact is effectively facilitated.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Recommendation 2Addressed to Governor / Director
Recommendation 3Addressed to HMPPS

All 6 recommendations

Key concerns

Key concern 1Estate/Conditions
Key concern 2Healthcare
Key concern 3Resettlement/Release

All 7 key concerns

Recommendations 6 items · 5 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: Education

Recommendation (the Board's words)

Given the 58% reduction in education provision that North Sea Camp has been on the receiving end of, can the Minister reassure the Board that this government takes the rehabilitation of prisoners seriously?

Source text verified

Recommendation 2

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

Recommendation (the Board's words)

The Board recommends that the Governor continues to work with and support the IPP population at North Sea Camp.

Source text verified

Recommendation 3

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

Recommendation

Community Offender Managers (COMs) can take a considerable time to complete paperwork that enables prisoners to attend ROTL boards. This can affect their ability to attend parole boards and to re-engage with their community and rehabilitation.

Response (as published)

While there has been some improvement, prisoners continue to talk to the Board about the time it can take to receive ROTL boards.

Wording differs from source

Recommendation 4

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

Recommendation (the Board's words)

Those prisoners who are subject to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, are included in all aspects of prison life, but remain an insecure category of prisoner.

Response (as published)

It is expected that the new sentencing procedures may have an effect on some of these prisoners.

Source text verified

Recommendation 5

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

Recommendation (the Board's words)

It has been acknowledged that the quality of some accommodation at HMP North Sea Camp is poor and that the sharing of accommodation by prisoners is not ideal. A budget needs to be provided to aid the building of more suitable and up-to-date accommodation.

Response (as published)

It is acknowledged that most prisoners are either in full-time employment or engaged in meaningful activity during the day, and that the prisoners are only expected to be in their rooms from 11.00 pm to 5.00 am; however, there have been some improvements, which are ongoing, regarding new showers, and a greater ability for prisoners to have access to cooking equipment.

Source text verified

Recommendation 6

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

Recommendation (the Board's words)

There are still concerns regarding ‘contracted out’ services; in particular, the time it takes to complete some routine maintenance work, and the continuing problem when property is transferred.

Response (as published)

Whilst the IMB has received fewer complaints regarding property this does still create some frustration for all concerned.

Source text verified

Key concerns 7 items

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

Key concern 1

Estate/Conditions · Repeated from a previous year

The size of the double rooms in all the main accommodation units is, in the Board’s view, inadequate, in that it is often impossible to fit a chair or a table, let alone two of each, into a room.

Key concern 2

Healthcare

There is no facility within HMP North Sea Camp where prisoners can be suitably cared for during an end-of-life period, as there are no on-site residential healthcare facilities.

Key concern 3

Resettlement/Release · Repeated from a previous year

the offender management unit (OMU) is encountering problems in getting information from community offender managers (COMs). Prisoners should arrive at North Sea Camp with information to allow the establishment to complete an offender assessment (OASys), which is used to measure the risks and needs of prisoners. This does not always happen and, in some cases, delays the process.

Key concern 4

Education/Purposeful Activity

Concerns regarding the reduction in provision of 58% has had an effect on what the prison is able to deliver. This is the highest reduction in any prison in the country.

Key concern 5

Resettlement/Release · Repeated from a previous year

Whilst there has been some improvement, prisoners continue to talk to the Board about the time it can take to receive ROTL boards.

Key concern 6

Estate/Conditions · Repeated from a previous year

There are still concerns regarding ‘contracted out’ services; in particular, the time it takes to complete some routine maintenance work, and the continuing problem when property is transferred.

Key concern 7

Equality/Diversity

The site is not easy to negotiate for those with disabilities, and it is often necessary for another prisoner to be willing, and then trained, to assist.

Safety statistics

Incidents during the reporting year.

Indicator	This year	Previous
Deaths in custody	2	not recorded
Self-harm incidents	7	10
ACCT cases opened	13	10
Prisoner assaults	4	not recorded
Assaults on staff	0	not recorded
Use of force	0	not recorded
Drug finds	7	not recorded

Population

Population	294
Operational capacity	300
CNA (designed for)	300 (98% occupied)

Applications to the IMB

Category	Current	Previous
A - Accommodation	0	not recorded
B - Adjudications	0	not recorded
C – Equality and diversity including religion	0	not recorded
D – Education, employment, training including IEP	3	not recorded
E1 – Family visits	6	not recorded
E2 – Finance and pay	1	not recorded
F – Food and kitchen related	0	not recorded
G – Health related	0	not recorded
H1 – Property with current establishment	3	not recorded
H2 – Property during transfer/in another establishment	6	not recorded
H3 – Canteen facilities, catalogue shopping	0	not recorded
I – Sentence related including HDC, ROTL, Parole, release dates, recategorization	4	not recorded
J – Staff/Prisoner concerns including bullying	3	not recorded
K - Transfers	0	not recorded
L - Miscellaneous	5	not recorded

Report details

Establishment: North Sea Camp
Type: Prison, category D open resettlement
Report year: 2026
Published: 29 September 2026
Responsible body: HMP North Sea Camp
Recommendations: 6
MoJ rating (2025/26): 4, Outstanding

Service providers

Service	Provider
Drug and alcohol support and counselling	We Are With You
Education and training	People Plus
Facilities management	Amey
Family services	Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT)
Healthcare	Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Library service	Greenwich Leisure Ltd on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council
Resettlement services	Probation Service

North Sea Camp

Summary

Positive findings

Recommendations

Key concerns

Recommendations 6 items · 5 repeated

Key concerns 7 items

Key concern 1

Key concern 2

Key concern 3

Key concern 4

Key concern 5

Key concern 6

Key concern 7

Safety statistics

Population

Applications to the IMB

Report details

Service providers

Related inspections and investigations

HMIP inspection, 22 May 2023

HMIP inspection, 27 Apr 2021

Other reports for North Sea Camp