Recommendations 11 items · 9 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.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Mental Health · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Significant delays in the transfer of prisoners with severe mental illnesses continue. As the Mental Health Act (2026) raises expectations of the 28-day target being met, it is difficult to see how this will be achieved without an increase in mental health bed provision, especially medium secure provision. What specific plans are in place to increase capacity, and when does the Minister expect there to be enough beds for the 28-day target to be met consistently?
Response (as published)
Mental Health Bill is in its final stages. MOJ working with key government departments to create and deliver operational improvements within 18-24 months following Royal Assent.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Resettlement · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
The findings of HM Inspectorate of Probation Annual Report 2026 and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report 2026 on the efficiency and resilience of the probation service highlighted the following concerns: ongoing staff shortages, high levels of sickness absence and staff turnover, excessive caseloads, inadequate risk assessment, high numbers of recalls and performance issues with electronic tagging. The PAC concluded that the Our Future Probation Service programme will not be sufficient to address these concerns. Given these findings, and the concerns raised by this IMB over the past two years regarding the lack of community support for prisoners on release, this situation is likely to be exacerbated by the early releases planned for the autumn as a result of the Sentencing Act. What action will (i) the Minister and (ii) HMPPS take to address the already identified shortfall in community probation support, and when do you expect services to have enough capacity to meet demand?
Response (as published)
4% increase in staffing in London region. Further 1,300 trainees in 2025-2206.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Resettlement · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Oversight of the probation managed pre-release team is still inadequate (see 7.5.1), despite assurances that such oversight had been implemented. Key tasks and mandatory assessments were not being completed and, for most of the reporting year, prisoners’ resettlement queries on CMS went unanswered. What steps will the Prison Service take to ensure that better scrutiny of the probation managed pre-release team’s performance is in place and is robustly carried out on a regular basis?
Response (as published)
No national infrastructure was in place for overseeing work of PRTs. As a result of the identified gap, London Regional Probation developed a local monthly reporting system, whereby managers submit data. Local team performance is reviewed at monthly senior leadership team meetings.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Resettlement · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
See above to the Minister regarding the lack of community probation support (bullet point 2).
Response (as published)
Response as above in the Minister’s section.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Education · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Distance learning support in the prison is inadequate (see 7.1.1). What oversight is there within the Prison Service to ensure that prisoners at Thameside can access the distance learning support to which they are entitled?
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Staffing
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Recruiting staff for the prison is severely hindered by long delays in vetting processes. What steps has the Prison Service taken to investigate the cause of these delays and what plans are there to resolve the issue?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
For the second year running, the Board has highlighted concerns regarding the lack of secure storage for visitor property, including mobile phones, money and keys (see 7.4). Despite repeated assurances that new lockers were being purchased, this has not been actioned. Can the Director explain the reasons for this delay, what steps are being taken to ensure the project is delivered and provide a clear timetable for when the lockers will be installed?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Other · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
While the Board recognises the improvements during the reporting year to processes and outcomes for prisoner property, this remains a significant concern and the highest single source of complaints to the prison (see 5.8). What action will the Director take to ensure continued progress towards more effective and efficient property processes?
Response (as published)
A review of prisoner property processes will take place in 2026, given its importance within the prison setting. There are clear opportunities to implement processes to reduce prison property exchanges, improve property card quality. AD Residential to lead on this in the first Quarter of 2026, to have an action plan to go live in the second part of 2026. We are also reviewing contract Courier service providers to improve an enhanced same day delivery service.
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Over the reporting year, there have been frequent reports of delays in ordering/receiving equipment, such as radios, TVs and phones (see 5.1) due to supply issues. What action can the Director take to minimise these delays?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Estate · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Improvements planned in the last reporting year to the physical environment of the IPU, including the outdoor area, appeared to have stalled (see 6.1.1). Can the Director say when these much needed improvements will be completed?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Weekly monitoring reports by the Board over the reporting year show an inconsistency across the wings in relation to a number of areas, such as noticeboards, staff supervision at mealtimes, availability and use of appropriate catering equipment, prompt reporting of broken wing and in cell CMS systems (see 5.1). What action will the Director take to ensure there is consistency of practice across all wings?