Source · IMB Annual Report
Frankland
Year: 2023
Published: 9 Oct 2024
Type: Prison · Cat Category A, dispersal
Population: 840
Recommendations: 4
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Frankland, a Category A dispersal prison, operated close to its 852 capacity, maintaining a generally safe environment despite some serious assaults. The IMB noted improvements in healthcare provision, reducing a previous 'enhanced surveillance' status, and a 75% achievement rate in education. Persistent concerns include outdated CCTV, ongoing kitchen equipment breakdowns and heating issues causing lost workdays, and long-standing problems with prisoner property during transfers. The Board also highlighted challenges in mental health provision for complex cases and inadequate facilities for older and disabled prisoners.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 2 | — |
Positive findings
The IMB is overall satisfied that HMP Frankland is a safe environment, with wings frequently reported as calm and settled. Staff demonstrate a strong focus on intelligence and risk assessments to minimise conflict, and the establishment compares favourably with other dispersal prisons. The kitchen consistently provides high-standard, nutritious food with six choices daily. Staff and prisoner relationships are generally good, with chaplains providing a visible presence and support for religious festivals. Healthcare provision has improved, leading to the standing down of 'enhanced surveillance'. The education department has fostered positive relationships, resulting in a 75% overall achievement rate for learners, including high-risk prisoners outperforming peers on GCSE English. OMU backlog for OASys reviews was significantly reduced, and family visits are well-organised and popular, with in-cell telephone installation nearing completion.
Key concerns
Safety
The safety of prisoners and staff is compromised by the outdated CCTV provision, which leads to blind spots around the estate.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The frequent issues arising from kitchen equipment breakdown and the time taken to replace or repair it does sometimes affect the provision. This is a consistent issue.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The loss of working days for prisoners at HMP Frankland, due to ineffective heating, has been an issue reported on over a number of years in our annual reports.
Segregation
There is an issue regarding prisoners being held in segregation for a longer period than regulations stipulate.
Other
Repeated
Prisoner transfer to and from Frankland consistently leads to numerous complaints regarding property, as in, late arrival or, in some cases, property not arriving at all. This has been a problem for many years and never seems to get resolved.
Healthcare
Complaints regarding healthcare from prisoners have been a concern throughout the reporting year, especially in relation to medication.
Healthcare
The facilities for pharmacy dispensing on the lower wings are inadequate and in need of upgrading to make them fit for purpose.
Mental Health
Mental health provision for complex cases is a concern.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The cells on wings are unsuitable for these prisoners (with social care needs). Showering provision is also inappropriate. Although provision has been made to use toilets on nearby wings, there are no disabled toilets in the healthcare waiting rooms.
Mental Health
Dementia care services remain a concern.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
The issue of illicit drug availability is still a major concern.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The preparation of food for religious beliefs often challenges an already limited daily prison meal allowance. When will the Minister raise the allowance, in line with the rise in the cost of food?
Response
I appreciate your concerns around food budgets and the challenges of being able to prepare food that adheres to religious beliefs, particularly with an increase in the cost of living. As the Board will be aware, all prison food budgets are determined locally by the Governor in Public Sector Prisons (or the Director in privately managed prisons) and kept under review as part of normal budget allocation planning. Prison Rules require that prisoners are provided with three meals a day that are varied, nutritious and meet the religious, cultural, and medical needs of all. The catering for religious festivals must also be equitable across the faiths. However, it is fair to say that certain specialist food types due to religion and beliefs are becoming more popular and requirements for such come at an inflated cost compared to other general food supplies. Locally at HMP Frankland, more ‘in-house’ cooking of items rather than ‘bought in’ items is the preferred choice to ensure price and nutritional value. |
Ministry of Justice | Noted |
| 2 |
What can be done to replace and /or repair essential kitchen equipment, so that extra costs involved in preparing food do not occur?
Repeated
Response
The Facilities Management (FM) provider has engaged with their specialist subcontractor to deliver all essential repairs. The FM provider has acknowledged that historically, repairs have not been delivered within a timely manner and they are working closely with their subcontractor on a way forward to ensure essential kitchen equipment is repaired on time. In addition to this, the property team will continue to submit capital bids for the continual replacement of ageing catering equipment to support a reduction in future breakdowns. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 3 |
The loss of working days for prisoners at HMP Frankland, due to ineffective heating, has been an issue reported on over a number of years in our annual reports. What are your plans to rectify this ongoing issue?
Repeated
Response
It is regrettable that heating the workshops continues to be an issue. Capital funding has been approved for replacement of some of the heating systems. This work is currently being costed by the FM provider with an aim to deliver before the end of the financial year. This will enable the prison to replace a minimum of two of the workshop heating systems and improve this long-standing situation. Future bids will be submitted to continue this upgrade to the buildings systems and improve the situation within the workshops. In the meantime, mobile/temporary heaters will operate in certain workshops, prisoners will be offered warm clothing, and the heating will now be switched on over the weekend to try and ensure required temperatures are maintained for the working week. |
HMPPS | In progress |
| 4 | With the new band 6 dedicated neurodiversity support manager in position, when will there be an additional training programme to develop specialist wing staff to work with prisoners who have dementia and autism? Repeated | Governor / Director |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 21 | 9 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 4 | 10 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 7 | 4 |
| Equality | 7 | 4 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 7 | 5 |
| Food and kitchens | 10 | 7 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 17 | 13 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 13 | 15 |
| Miscellaneous | 54 | 90 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 4 | 4 |
| Property within the establishment | 11 | 22 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 11 | 12 |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 2 | 18 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 26 | 52 |
| Transfers | 11 | 13 |
Related inspections & investigations
4 Mar 2024
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 3
· Respect 3
· Activity 3
· Release 3
Other reports for Frankland
Report details
- Establishment
- Frankland
- Type
- Prison · Cat Category A, dispersal
- Report year
- 2023
- Published
- 9 October 2024
- Responsible body
- HMP Frankland
- Recommendations
- 4
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 3 — Good
Population
| Population | 840 |
| Operational capacity | 852 |
Service providers
Dental services
Burgess & Hyder Dental Services
Facilities maintenance, cleaning and other small works
Amey
Healthcare (nursing and support, therapy, pharmacy, GP, clinical substance misuse)
Spectrum Community Health CIC (Spectrum)
Learning and skills development
Milton Keynes College Group (MKCG)
Mental health services
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Non-clinical substance misuse
Humankind
Prisoner escort services (non-Category A)
GEOAmey
Security support
Durham Police