Styal

Too many vulnerable and very mentally unwell prisoners have been sent to prison due to a lack of suitable services in the community. What progress has been made to increase the number of secure mental health placements in the region and improve timely access?

New Futures Network (NFN) have facilitated partnerships with a range of employers and organisations, including major brands and specialist support services. These collaborations provide valuable opportunities for skills development, interviews and employment preparation. Recent events and visits have included workshops, interviews and seminars with various partners, alongside active participation in the Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) programme which continues to expand through new employer engagement. In addition, NFN are supporting a tender process to replace The Clink ROTL and training offer, with a programme of training and employment that is more suitable to the establishment profile of HMP/YOI Styal. A significant proportion of eligible prisoners at HMP/YOI Styal are engaged in employment or education, predominantly on a part-time basis. Efforts to increase engagement include a review of workspace suitability and risk assessments, particularly for women with complex needs. A revised employment policy and weekly activities meetings with the Deputy Governor aim to improve participation and outcomes. The upcoming launch of The Marsden Academy is expected to enhance employment opportunities and accredited learning, helping to offset the impact of recent reductions in the education budget. To further mitigate this, a new Community Hub will be introduced, focusing on mentoring and support for individuals with additional needs, including life skills development. Successful completion of the academy will lead to job opportunities on ROTL and release.

Are there any plans to expand the reach of the New Futures Network in order to enable more employment opportunities?

The call centre has been closed since March 2024. Recycling Lives has been closed for several months since the supervisor moved on but is due to re-open in May 2025. New short-term qualifications available in waste management, cleaning and recycling are useful for shorter term sentenced prisoners. A reliance on outside providers for supervision can be a limitation. The construction course (Procure Plus) is very well received, with good job prospects. The gardens do not currently offer accredited training and are undersubscribed. Challenges exist in obtaining sufficient open categorised prisoners for The Clink restaurant, as prisoners prefer Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) opportunities in the wider community.

What additional supervision is being provided at weekends and at night times to ensure safety and security, including Bollinwood House, which is outside the prison perimeter?

The IMB observed that the current resourcing position makes the facilitation of regular and high-quality key work inconsistent. Whilst keywork is routinely scheduled, prisoners report it often lacks depth/meaning.

What additional support can be provided in terms of technology and enhanced security measures to help prevent the ingress of drugs?

The complexity review process is a detailed one and is initiated by the Job Evaluation and Assurance Team. All reviews take into consideration prisoner population size, staffing group size, complexity and risk profile of the prisoner population, people management challenges, site logistics, categorisation and reconfiguration, stakeholder scrutiny and financial and external management. Each factor is scored according to defined criteria, and the aggregate score determines the site’s complexity. The assigned complexity level directly determines the minimum core structure required for the Senior Management Team (SMT) at each site. HMP/YOI Styal was last reviewed in March 2021, at which time it was classified as a Complex establishment. It is scheduled for review during the 2025/26 financial year. Separate to the existing Prison Complexity ratings, recent work has been completed to review the underpinning staffing model for adult public sector prisons, including HMP/YOI Styal. This review has included consideration of the impact that cohort complexity and physical infrastructure have on daily resourcing requirements. This is currently at the implementation planning stage and remains subject to affordability decisions. Therefore, we are unable to comment on planned resource uplifts at this stage. In the interim HMP/YOI Styal has been supplied with some immediate tactical support equivalent to 8 officers. All health provision is in line with national service specification requirements. There has been significant additional resource provided to the healthcare teams to support and develop provision. Through contract meetings, site visits and ongoing dialogue with providers and stakeholders any gaps in provision are identified and at this point there would be discussions around the best approach to address these gaps – from amending service models to linking to wider commissioned services as appropriate.

What additional resource is planned to reflect the unique physical nature of the prison, the complexity of the current cohort needs, and the additional health requirements of prisoners?

A New Mental Health bill is currently in the Lords, aiming to end the use of police cells and prisons as places of safety. Spectrum is undertaking additional recruitment and retention. There is a statutory time limit for transfer from prison to a mental health facility of 28 days.

What plans are in place to allow the current limited supervision of the houses to be extended, to enable staff to respond to prisoner requests and listen to their concerns?

The IMB observed that the current resourcing position makes the facilitation of regular and high-quality key work inconsistent. Whilst keywork is routinely scheduled, prisoners report it often lacks depth/meaning.

What progress has been made to enable community provision for prisoners, as an alternative to prison?

The number of escorts provided per site are aligned with data provided by the MoJ. Where there is additional need and demand above that of the modelled provision, NHS England are willing to fund this. However, staffing unplanned medical escorts will be dependent upon the number of staff HMP/YOI Styal have available to deploy. HMP/YOI Styal is working with the Prison Group Director to identify potential options to enhance staffing, support and supervision to provide support to prisoners needing medical care when required.

There is an increasing demand for prisoners to attend hospital appointments, and for emergency intakes, which places greater demands for escorts. Are there any plans to increase the staffing contingent for this purpose?

How does the prison intend to provide more access to confidential spaces for discussions with prisoners on the wing?

The Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports on deaths in custody always compare provision in the prison to that in the community – does this accurately reflect the local provision in terms of deprivation, access to mental health support and community support networks?

Digitisation of Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) has been considered, and whilst recognising the benefits it could offer, enabling staff to update records on the go, and allowing for different departments to access and update records remotely, concerns were identified around system integration, access, security and confidentiality. Consequently, it was decided to implement forms that could be completed electronically (for those that did not require a wet signature) to enable staff to type up forms and copy and paste information elsewhere to save time and/or duplication, rather than explore a fully digital process. There are no plans to digitise ACCT documentation currently. Locally, HMP/YOI Styal has implemented an enhanced ACCT Quality Assurance Framework which is designed to improve quality and address concerns relating to duplication and errors. The framework closely monitored and where necessary follow up is provided through group coaching sessions and on a one-to-one basis to provide ongoing development.

Are there any plans to decrease the amount of paperwork required for assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) assessments and observations through digitalisation and possibly the use of hand-held technology, which may reduce potential duplication or human errors?

What progress has been made with the incentives scheme process and how is its impact being monitored?

Given the restrictions and huge costs of repairing Victorian buildings and refurbishing them to meet decency and fire safety standards, is any consideration being given to the total replacement of the existing prison buildings, and their replacement with accommodation and facilities more suited to the 21st century?

The Mini Fire Safety Improvement was completed at the beginning of 2025. Those risk assessed as higher need are located in cells with fixed detection on the residential units, and all cells in the Care and Separation Unit now have in-cell detection. In total 22 cells have been equipped with automatic fire detection under this project. HMPPS has commissioned a trial for a “door screecher” in one residential unit to ensure an effective building fire strategy and address the issue of fire doors being wedged open. If successful, this will be installed in all residential units.

What additional resource will be made available to mitigate the serious fire safety concerns highlighted by the Board?

A Mini fire safety project is out to tender for delivery in 2025.

How does the prison intend to improve opportunities for prisoner voice to be regularly heard and acted upon?

The regime on Valentina is often the first to be disrupted when there are staff shortages, and this can impact on exercise and time outdoors – how does the prison monitor and mitigate the effects of this for some of the most vulnerable prisoners?

What progress is being made to ensure adequate and secure ‘in-possession meds’ lockers in the houses and on the wing?

The monitoring of equalities and protected characteristics has been sporadic, meaning that trends and indications of potential discrimination may have been missed – how does the prison intend to remedy this?