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IMB Annual Reports

780 reports 170 establishments 768 with key concerns

780 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 170 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.

Key findings

Patterns across the corpus

98% of IMB reports flag key concerns. Independent monitors cover 170 establishments across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.

Annual reports

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2020 PRISON Concerns Wayland
Published 28 Jan 2021
Assaults: 211 Staff assaults: 85
HMP Wayland experienced a challenging year, marked by reduced violence but ongoing concerns regarding drug entry and a lack of national strategy for vulnerable self-isolating prisoners. Staffing levels were significantly impacted by the pandemic, hindering regime delivery and essential training. The prison's aging infrastructure and the delay in critical projects like a new segregation unit further compound difficulties in providing a rehabilitative and humane environment, though efforts by the Governor to improve conditions were noted.
Key concerns identified
  • The incessant flow of drugs into the prison remains a great concern, despite efforts.
  • The continuing plight of prisoners who self-isolate due to fear, a national problem for which a promised national strategy from HMPPS is still awaited since April 2019.
  • The delay in the provision of the replacement segregation/care and separation/reintegration unit, which has been needed for six years and remains unfit for purpose.
  • The overall accommodation provision in the prison is below acceptable HMPPS standards, with significant remedial work or replacement needed for several units, and issues with heating, ventilation, and lack of secure storage.
  • The severe reduction in frontline staffing to 130 staff daily, coupled with a 12% churn rate and the absence of crucial personal and professional development training for officers.
  • The persistently high rates of missed healthcare appointments (DNAs) across dentistry (55%), nurse practitioners (28%), and GP surgery (24%), indicating a serious waste of resources and missed opportunities.
  • The ongoing problem of property complaints, which account for nearly 30% of Board applications, indicating a systemic issue with property management and a lack of respect for prisoners' belongings.
2020 PRISON Concerns East Sutton Park
Published 27 Jan 2021 · 85 prisoners
HMP East Sutton Park maintained a safe and supportive environment for women prisoners amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully adapting education and family contact. However, significant concerns remain regarding the insufficient time prisoners have to benefit from resettlement, inconsistent transfers from closed establishments, and pandemic-induced disruptions to sentence planning. Staffing issues in key areas and challenges with dental provision and enabling internet access for distance learning were also highlighted.
Key concerns identified
  • Prisoners arriving at East Sutton Park often have insufficient time left to serve, hindering effective resettlement, compounded by inconsistent transfers from closed establishments.
  • The pandemic led to significant disruptions in sentence planning boards and patchy induction quality for new prisoners.
  • A serious safeguarding incident involving a suspended staff member is under police investigation.
  • The dental contract was terminated, and a replacement mobile service has not yet materialised, alongside issues with prescription deliveries.
  • Staffing problems persist in the kitchen and on the farm/gardens, including an unfilled butcher position.
  • Challenges in implementing WiFi for distance learning due to security restrictions.
  • Social visits were significantly curtailed during COVID-19, negatively impacting family contact.
2020 PRISON Concerns Featherstone
Published 26 Jan 2021 · 650 prisoners
HMP Featherstone, a Category C training prison, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic reporting period (Nov 2019 - Oct 2020), leading to a restricted regime with prisoners confined to cells for 23 hours a day. Despite this, staff and prisoners generally cooperated well, resulting in a reported reduction in self-harm, violence, and use of force. Key concerns include the poor state of the prison infrastructure, the consistently underperforming education contract with Novus, and issues with healthcare provision, particularly for mental health and dental services.
Key concerns identified
  • The continued ingress of illicit items, drugs, and mobile phones, leading to pressure on vulnerable prisoners and related debt.
  • The poor fabric of the building, including dark cells, shoddy windows, inadequate heating, and unhygienic showers, with prisoners eating all meals next to toilets.
  • The consistently poor performance of the education provider, Novus, leading to non-delivery of critical programmes and impacting prisoner progression and resettlement.
  • The detrimental impact of prolonged 23-hour cell confinement on prisoners' mental health and the lack of purposeful activity.
  • Inconsistencies and shortcomings in healthcare provision, including an outdated appointment system, uncoordinated mental health referrals, and poor attendance/preparedness of staff at reviews.
  • The lengthy and often inappropriate detention of some prisoners with complex needs in the Care and Segregation Unit (CSU).
  • The inconsistent and inefficient prisoner application system across house blocks.
2020 PRISON Concerns Channings Wood
Published 22 Jan 2021 · 717 prisoners
Self-harm: 477 Assaults: 122 Staff assaults: 52
This IMB annual report for HMP Channings Wood (September 2019 – August 2020) highlights the significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions. The Board commends staff for maintaining a safe and well-run prison, noting reductions in assaults and ACCT cases, and improvements in education and complaint handling. However, key concerns persist regarding the detrimental effect of COVID-19 on prisoners' mental health and self-harm, unacceptably long delays in mental health transfers, the poor condition of the prison estate, and inefficient management of prisoners' property during transfers.
Key concerns identified
  • The impact of COVID-19 on prisoners’ mental health and the continued high incidence of self-harm leading to ACCT placements.
  • Significant and increasing delays in transferring prisoners with serious mental health conditions to secure psychiatric hospitals, especially when requiring placement outside the local NHS Trust area.
  • The poor physical state of the accommodation, including inadequate and lacking-in-privacy showers, with remedial work being persistently delayed.
  • The ongoing inability of the Prison Service and its contractors to efficiently and securely manage prisoners’ property during transfers, causing distress and costs.
  • Slower than desired progress in further reducing self-harm incidents and the availability of psychoactive substances within the prison.
  • The extensive hours prisoners spend locked in their cells due to regime restrictions, and the potential negative impact on their mental health.
2020 PRISON Concerns Hewell
Published 21 Jan 2021
Self-harm: 359
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted HMP Hewell, leading to a full lockdown, 23.5-hour cell confinement, and cessation of most activities. While staff are commended for averting a direct catastrophic impact from the virus and improving cleanliness, concerns remain regarding prisoner welfare, mental health, and rehabilitation. The prison saw leadership changes and continued a journey of improvement after years of poor performance, with some areas showing progress despite ongoing challenges in safety, healthcare provision, and regime delivery.
Key concerns identified
  • Prevalence and treatment of prisoners held indefinitely under IPP sentences, leading to despair and self-destructive behaviour.
  • Difficulties in transferring prisoners with severe mental health and behavioural issues to appropriate treatment environments.
  • Lack of clear articulation of the local prison's role and accommodation of prisoners not fitting this profile.
  • Insufficient access and accommodation for prisoners with physical disabilities due to the prison's outdated fabric.
  • Paucity of effective educational provision, exacerbated by pandemic restrictions.
  • Delays in the PPO report for a death in custody on 14 June 2018.
  • Need for a concerted focus on addressing prisoners’ mental health needs and reducing self-harm incidents.
  • Lack of robustness in addressing equality issues, with insufficient data analysis and influence on practice.
  • Over-reliance on formal systems for problem-solving instead of proactive resolution by frontline officers, leading to issue escalation.
  • Challenges in food preparation and serving, including broken machinery, unappealing food, and poor hygiene.
2020 PRISON Concerns Cookham Wood
Published 19 Jan 2021 · 120 prisoners
Self-harm: 108
The IMB report for HMYOI Cookham Wood covers 1 August 2019 – 31 August 2020, focusing heavily on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown. While staff are commended for their caring approach and efforts to maintain safety and welfare, particularly during initial lockdown, the severe and protracted regime resulted in boys being locked in their rooms for over 23 hours a day, raising significant concerns about inhumane treatment, especially for those in segregation or with mental health issues. Key challenges include the unfit Phoenix segregation unit, national shortages of mental health beds, delays in transferring young adults, and an increasing remand population, all exacerbated by the lack of IT capacity during the pandemic.
Key concerns identified
  • The Phoenix segregation unit is unfit for purpose, inhumane, and its conditions, including lack of individual showers/telephones and brutal exercise yard, have a severe impact on boys.
  • Significant sub-group of the prison population endured extremely long stays in segregation (some for more than 90 days), isolated for up to 23 hours a day, with minimal human contact.
  • Chronic lack of secure mental health hospital beds nationally results in boys with significant mental health issues being held in Cookham Wood's CSU, without necessary therapeutic treatment.
  • Delays in transferring 18+ year-olds with long sentences and complex needs to young adult YOIs, leading to prolonged, inhumane stays, often in segregation.
  • The severe lockdown regime, locking boys in rooms for over 23 hours a day, contravenes Mandela rules and poses a risk of long-term mental health complications.
  • The significantly increased percentage of boys held on remand due to court delays means children endure long periods in prison, potentially to be found 'not guilty'.
  • Cookham Wood's serious lack of IT facilities and telephone capacity greatly inhibited effective communication and planning with external agencies and families during lockdown.
  • Current policy does not allow boys to start apprenticeships while still in a YOI.
2020 PRISON Concerns Deerbolt
Published 19 Jan 2021
HMP & YOI Deerbolt experienced a significant improvement in atmosphere and performance following staff shortages and a change in management, aided by a reduced operational capacity. The COVID-19 lockdown led to a reduction in violence and improved safety perceptions for vulnerable prisoners, but severely curtailed all rehabilitative and educational activities. Key concerns include the lack of rehabilitation during lockdown, the need for better remote learning, and systemic issues around gang-related transfers and appropriate facilities for segregation reviews.
Key concerns identified
  • The loss of most rehabilitative interventions during lockdown and the need for planning to devise regimes and activities that both capture the benefits of lockdown (e.g., reduced violence) and restore targeted reoffending reduction activities.
  • The lack of effort to develop remote learning systems and materials, given the extended suspension of classroom and one-to-one educational interaction.
  • The need to develop video-link technology for regular use in future for visits and funerals, to build on its demonstrated benefits during lockdown.
  • The absence of arrangements to identify gang issues immediately after sentencing to facilitate prisoner dispersion and avoid gang culture impacts on prisons like Deerbolt.
  • The need for a national system for transferring vulnerable prisoners at risk due to gang issues or reputation, rather than relying on individual prison 'trades'.
  • The repeated request for a larger room for Rule 45 and Rule 49 segregation reviews to ensure safe social distancing for all attendees.
2020 PRISON Concerns Feltham
Published 6 Jan 2021 · 336 prisoners
Assaults: 140 Staff assaults: 170
HMYOI Feltham's report (Nov 2019-Aug 2020) highlights a challenging period dominated by COVID-19 lockdown. While staff were commended for their dedication and a reduction in violence and self-harm was noted, concerns persist regarding the long-term impact of extreme confinement on prisoners' mental health. Significant issues include deteriorating accommodation, delays in mental health transfers, and insufficient purposeful activity for young adults.
Key concerns identified
  • The potential long-term mental, emotional or physical health problems resulting from extreme confinement (up to 23 hours a day) during lockdown.
  • The continued deterioration of living accommodation across the site, particularly in Feltham B, with issues of condensation, poor ventilation, mould, rainwater ingress, and open toilets.
  • Unacceptable delays in transferring young prisoners with acute mental health problems to more suitable secure settings, exacerbated by the withdrawal of psychology services during lockdown.
  • The lack of sufficient education, workshop, and training opportunities for young adult prisoners in Feltham B, despite its designation as a category C training prison.
  • The ongoing challenge of contraband, including drugs and mobile phones, entering the prison even during lockdown.
  • The serious and unresolved issues surrounding the handling of prisoners’ property, leading to significant delays and losses during transfers.
2020 PRISON Concerns Warren Hill
Published 5 Jan 2021 · 237 prisoners
HMP Warren Hill is a Category C adult male prison known for its therapeutic environments and progression regime. The IMB found it to be a safe establishment with strong staff-prisoner relationships and a wide array of purposeful activities. Key concerns include the persistent national issue of property transfer, outdated telephony infrastructure impacting family contact and parole hearings, and the lack of funding as a resettlement prison. The delay in completing on-site approved premises and high recall rates are also noted as challenges to successful resettlement.
Key concerns identified
  • The apparent failure to deal with the national issue of property transfer between establishments causes significant distress to prisoners.
  • Telephony and data lines are not up to modern standards, impacting visits and parole hearings, particularly during lockdown.
  • The high cost of calls inhibits family contact and the Board reiterates the need for in-cell telephony.
  • Warren Hill is not funded as a resettlement prison despite its focus on preparing prisoners for release.
  • Funding for creative experiences providing developmental opportunities for prisoners is at risk due to the COVID-19 emergency.
  • Recall rates for prisoners released on parole remain disappointingly high.
  • The planned on-site approved premises remain unfinished, hindering resettlement efforts and having been idle for several years.
2020 PRISON Concerns Wormwood Scrubs
Published 17 Dec 2020 · 1,066 prisoners
Self-harm: 379 Assaults: 254 Staff assaults: 198
HMP/YOI Wormwood Scrubs, a Category B local male prison and YOI, held 1,066 prisoners at the end of May 2020, operating at a capacity of 1,279. The report noted a reduction in violent incidents and self-harm, alongside improvements to living conditions and complaints systems. Key concerns included high rates of cancelled hospital appointments, inconsistent use of Body Worn Video Cameras, and significant challenges with the Key Worker scheme, staffing, and managing prisoner property during transfers.
Key concerns identified
  • The continued high rate of cancelled hospital appointments, and the lack of a policy to prevent prisoners from being returned to the start of the appointments process.
  • The inconsistent wearing and use of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) by staff, which is not mandatory despite recommendations.
  • The inhumane practice of using escort chains for very elderly or seriously ill prisoners during hospital escorts.
  • Persistent issues with the slow rollout and eventual cessation of the key worker scheme, and the delayed implementation of a new Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) policy.
  • The lamentable system for tracking and receiving prisoner property during transfers from other establishments.
  • Significant delays and prolonged stays for some prisoners in the First Night Centre (FNC).
2020 PRISON Concerns Brixton
Published 15 Dec 2020 · 729 prisoners
Self-harm: 201 Assaults: 129 Staff assaults: 2
This report for HMP Brixton (Sept 2019-Aug 2020) highlights continued improvements in safety, with reduced assaults and self-harm, and commends the compassionate management of Covid-19 lockdown. However, the Board raises significant concerns about the severely restrictive regime during lockdown, including the mental health impacts of prolonged cell confinement, the lack of in-cell education, and inadequate family contact. Persistent issues such as cell overcrowding, delays in D-cat transfers, and the need for an older prisoner strategy also remain key areas for development.
Key concerns identified
  • The Board continues to be concerned about the shortage of category D prison places.
  • The Board notes that the Justice Committee report of July 2020 repeated its 2013 recommendation on the need for a strategy for the ageing prison population. The Board considers that this need is very evident in HMP Brixton.
  • that more low-risk prisoners were not released early, even by a week. This would have reduced overcrowding, allowed more men more time out of cell, and thus helped to safeguard the mental and physical health and wellbeing of prisoners and staff. The Board would ask that this be reviewed as the pandemic continues;
  • the inadequate emphasis on continuing some form of in-cell education tailored towards qualifications later, and access to library services;
  • the inadequate emphasis on maintaining family ties, especially in prisons like Brixton without in-cell telephony.
  • considers that the size of cell considered adequate for two men sharing, in normal conditions and even more so in lockdown, is neither decent nor humane;
  • regrets that the OMIC25 changes to give resettlement prisons resources to complete sentence plans have not yet been introduced.
  • the mental health impacts of lockdown be assessed urgently, and action taken to mitigate them;
  • a mechanism to provide some education and training, and better access to books, be considered a priority as lockdown continues;
  • mandatory drug testing be reintroduced as soon as possible;
  • more importance be placed on transferring prisoners to establishments where courses required in their sentence plans are offered, and not to resettlement prisons;
  • the canteen and telephone contracts be reviewed to make goods and calls more affordable;
  • the introduction of the long-promised property tracking scheme be expedited, not least to save costs;
  • a strategy for older prisoners be produced as a priority;
  • a commitment is made to retain free ‘purple visits’ video calls after lockdown;
  • as prisons return to a more normal regime, it is made a priority and funding is made available to provide all men in resettlement prisons with an activity that will reduce their risk of reoffending on release.
2020 PRISON Concerns Bristol
Published 11 Dec 2020 · 550 prisoners
Self-harm: 1,026 Assaults: 333
HMP Bristol, a Category B local prison, navigated the reporting year (August 2019 – July 2020) under significant COVID-19 restrictions, which impacted the daily regime but also led to a more settled environment and improved staff morale. Despite efforts, safety ratings remained low, with high levels of self-harm, violence, and increased use of force incidents. Challenges persisted with delayed mental health transfers, unsuitable Victorian accommodation for disabled prisoners, and resource issues affecting key work and healthcare.
Key concerns identified
  • Safety ratings remain low (level 1), with persistently high levels of self-harm, violence, assaults on staff, and a significant increase in use of force incidents.
  • Victorian prison conditions are unsuitable for modern standards, particularly for prisoners with physical disabilities, impacting access to all areas including healthcare clinics.
  • Delayed transfers to specialist mental health units are an ongoing issue, with prisoners waiting many weeks, straining prison resources and negatively impacting vulnerable individuals.
  • Insufficient resources for key work and high staff vacancies in physical healthcare compromise the delivery of essential support and routine activities.
  • Concerns persist regarding the management of drug misuse, including officer involvement in trafficking, lack of supervision at serveries for food, and poor property management leading to lost items.
  • There are a significant number of prisoners held who are unsuited to a local Category B prison, including those with minor offenses or complex needs, for whom community or specialist placements would be more appropriate.
2020 PRISON Concerns Bedford
Published 9 Dec 2020
Assaults: 198 Staff assaults: 184
Conditions at HMP/YOI Bedford generally improved over the reporting year, with commendations for the Governor's leadership, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. While prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and self-harm incidents reduced, staff assaults and use of force remained worryingly high. Significant concerns persist regarding the ACCT process, the physical state of the segregation unit, and the high number of prisoners released without stable accommodation. Healthcare was satisfactory, but the mental health team's working practices require review, and issues with the Victorian estate infrastructure and the perceived unfairness of the IEP scheme need addressing.
Key concerns identified
  • High prisoner-on-staff assaults and use of force incidents remain a problem.
  • The ACCT process is conceptually flawed, procedurally weak, and not considered 'fit for purpose'.
  • Persistent issue of prisoners being released with no fixed accommodation.
  • The mental health team's focus on assessments over wider group work and collaboration.
  • Unfit physical conditions and limited activity opportunities for prisoners in the Segregation Unit.
  • Slow and inconsistent repairs to the Victorian estate infrastructure, indicating a lack of corporate commitment to maintenance.
  • Inconsistent application and perceived unfairness of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme.
2020 PRISON Concerns Chelmsford
Published 4 Dec 2020 · 690 prisoners
Assaults: 305 Staff assaults: 163
HMP/YOI Chelmsford experienced a challenging year, with the latter half dominated by a restrictive COVID-19 lockdown which successfully prevented prisoner infections but curtailed regime activities. The Board raised significant concerns including overcrowding, the poor condition of A-wing, insufficient post-release accommodation, and issues with equality and mental health provision. Despite these failings, often attributed to government policy, the Board commended staff dedication and professionalism.
Key concerns identified
  • The poor condition of A-wing, particularly the segregation unit, which needs major refurbishment.
  • Overcrowding, with 288 of 690 prisoners in shared cells, contravening decency and UN minimum standards.
  • The lack of permanent accommodation for prisoners on release, with only 28% having an offer by year-end.
  • Insufficiently proactive maintenance by Gov Facility Services Limited (GFSL) for essential equipment.
  • Equality not being given a sufficiently high priority, with the equalities sub-group not meeting regularly.
  • The use of healthcare beds to house prisoners with significant mental health problems better suited for other institutions.
  • Three deaths in custody, with a repeated PPO criticism regarding ACCT assessments focusing too much on presentation over known risk factors.
2020 PRISON Concerns Dartmoor
Published 2 Dec 2020
HMP Dartmoor, a Category C training prison, faces significant challenges due to uncertainty about its 2023 closure, leading to under-investment in infrastructure and impacting staff morale. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, reducing time out of cell and exacerbating mental health issues, despite staff efforts to maintain safety and welfare. Key concerns include inadequate mental health provision, substance misuse, and deficiencies in resettlement support, as Dartmoor is not funded as a dedicated resettlement prison.
Key concerns identified
  • Uncertainty over the prison's future closure in 2023, impacting capital investment in infrastructure and staff morale.
  • Lack of investment in living conditions, in-cell telephony, resettlement budget, and laundry, leading to the prison not being fit for purpose.
  • Serious level of substance misuse without adequate capital investments like portals and itemisers.
  • Extensive periods prisoners with severe mental health issues spend in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) awaiting transfer to specialist facilities (over 100-140 days in some cases).
  • Mental health unit is inadequately resourced and commissioned to provide the full range of services required by the prison's evolving population profile.
  • Lack of in-cell telephones, with unreliable on-wing phones and poor privacy shielding.
  • Dartmoor not being funded as a resettlement prison, leading to inadequate preparation for release for over 220 prisoners annually.
  • Long waits for Category D prisoners to transfer to appropriate facilities designated in their sentence plans.
2020 PRISON Concerns Manchester
Published 1 Dec 2020
Self-harm: 787 Assaults: 236 Staff assaults: 112
HMP Manchester is undergoing a transition from a local to a Category B training prison, leading to a reduced population and staff restructuring. The Board expresses significant concerns over persistent regime curtailments, a substantial increase in self-harm incidents, and the prolonged retention of prisoners with severe mental health needs due to transfer delays. While some improvements like in-cell telephones and a new Governor boosting staff morale are noted, challenges persist with an aging estate, vermin infestation, and staffing shortages.
Key concerns identified
  • Persistent regime curtailments and lack of purposeful activity, resulting in prisoners spending excessive hours in their cells.
  • Significant increase in self-harm incidents and a proportional rise in prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults.
  • Prolonged retention of prisoners with severe mental health issues awaiting specialist transfers in an unsuitable prison environment.
  • Deteriorating state of the aging estate, including vermin infestation, outstanding repairs, and inadequate dining facilities.
  • Ongoing staff resourcing challenges, high staff sickness, and a largely inexperienced workforce impacting regime delivery.
  • Recurring issues with lost prisoner property and the unsatisfactory quality of responses to prisoner complaints.
2020 PRISON Concerns Bronzefield
Published 27 Nov 2020 · 482 prisoners
Self-harm: 2,100 Assaults: 168
HMP/YOI Bronzefield, a local female prison, effectively managed the initial COVID-19 lockdown, maintaining a nearly virus-free environment, but the sustained restricted regime led to a significant rise in self-harm and mental health concerns. Key issues included a high proportion of prisoners released without stable accommodation, persistent challenges with timely mental health transfers, and a shortage of cell keys affecting prisoner property security. Despite these, the Board noted positive developments in food quality, key worker implementation, and effective education provision during the pandemic.
Key concerns identified
  • A consistently large percentage of prisoners continue to leave the prison with no permanent home, increasing the risk of short recall sentences.
  • The government’s early release and special licence schemes have failed, in large part, owing to the requirement to tag a prisoner to an address.
  • The ongoing severe lockdown restrictions in prison are impacting the mental health of the prisoners.
  • There is an ongoing problem with a lack of cell keys, leading to prisoners being unable to lock their cell doors and property going missing.
  • The availability of accommodation for women leaving prison with no fixed abode remains inadequate.
  • There is a concerning number of prisoners with serious enduring complex mental health problems and personality disorders who need to be transferred more quickly to secure inpatient mental health facilities.
  • The limited equipment for video-links causes delays in court hearings and prevents confidential lawyer-prisoner discussions.
2020 PRISON Concerns Werrington
Published 27 Nov 2020
Self-harm: 95
HMP/YOI Werrington's IMB report for 2019-2020 highlights a year of significant operational changes, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the young people's regime. The Board commended strong leadership and improvements in child-focused care, equality, and in-cell communication, along with effective healthcare provision and a 100% post-release accommodation rate. Key concerns remain around rising assaults, persistent challenges in education, delays in transferring 18-year-olds, and the need for investment in converting old buildings into secure schools.
Key concerns identified
  • The continued rise in assaults on staff and violence between young people is a significant concern.
  • Challenges in education persist, including low attainment, poor engagement, inconsistent behaviour management, and safety concerns in classrooms without CCTV.
  • Delays in transferring 18-year-olds to the adult estate impede progression.
  • A lack of investment to convert inadequate old buildings into effective secure schools is highlighted.
  • There are limited opportunities to prepare young people for life after custody, specifically regarding financial integration and family days for all.
  • The property disclaimer process is flawed, and lost property issues remain.
2020 PRISON Concerns Sudbury
Published 26 Nov 2020 · 460 prisoners
Assaults: 4 Staff assaults: 2
HMP/YOI Sudbury, an open Category D resettlement prison, generally maintained a safe environment with low self-harm and violence rates during a challenging reporting year ending May 2020, impacted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the prison demonstrated strong commitment to family ties and successful accommodation on release, it faced considerable disruption in education provision and concerns regarding resettlement planning for prisoners with shorter sentences. The Board also highlighted issues around accessibility for disabled prisoners and the need for more robust policies for managing future public health crises.
Key concerns identified
  • Lack of a robust policy on early release under licence to mitigate COVID-19 safety risks.
  • Need for plans and funding to extend single room provision permanently to manage future disease outbreaks.
  • Concerns about the smooth management of probation services returning to the public sector, to avoid disruption to ROTL planning.
  • Ensuring temporary single accommodation introduced for COVID-19 is fully accessible for all prisoners.
  • Disadvantage faced by prisoners with physical and mental health disabilities in accessing employment and educational opportunities.
  • Ongoing problems with education provision, exacerbated by the pandemic and change of provider.
  • The challenge of a significant proportion of prisoners arriving with very little time to benefit from resettlement opportunities due to short sentences.
  • Lack of information, advice, and guidance for prisoners in securing education, training, and employment on release.
2020 PRISON Concerns Bure
Published 25 Nov 2020 · 586 prisoners
Self-harm: 347 Assaults: 37
HMP Bure, a Category C prison, maintained high prisoner and staff morale during the COVID-19 pandemic despite extensive lockdowns. While progress was noted in property management, healthcare staffing, and inmate relationships, significant concerns persist regarding the estate, particularly ventilation and cramped cell conditions in Unit 7. Delays in psychology reports and a lack of palliative care facilities were identified as critical issues, alongside ongoing staffing shortages in the Offender Management Unit.
Key concerns identified
  • Urgent work is required on the ventilation system in residences 1-6 to improve air quality, especially with extended lockdowns.
  • There are significant delays in psychology reports, impacting offending behaviour programmes and prisoner progression.
  • The continued presence of double bunks in Unit 7 cells, despite being single occupancy, results in cramped and unacceptable conditions.
  • The provision of pre-release resettlement facilities for men convicted of sexual offences needs ongoing review.
  • There is a lack of special accommodation and resources for palliative care and better conditions for disabled prisoners.
  • The Offender Management Unit faces significant staffing shortages, impacting resettlement planning.
2020 PRISON Concerns Altcourse
Published 12 Nov 2020 · 1,130 prisoners
HMP Altcourse maintained safety and humane treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with low levels of self-harm and violence. Staff and prisoner morale remained high due to positive staff attitudes and good communication, despite severe regime restrictions. Key concerns include the challenges of housing an aging prison population, delays in mental health transfers, and persistent issues with prisoner property and food quality.
Key concerns identified
  • The increasing age profile of prisoners requires more age-appropriate accommodation and specialised healthcare, but implementation of the prison's strategy is hampered by finite finance and lack of an overarching national strategy.
  • The mixed healthcare inpatient facility creates an uneasy environment due to differing needs of physical and mental health patients, compounded by long delays in transferring mental health patients to secure units.
  • Delays in scheduling Coroner inquests cause anxiety for staff, witnesses, and families.
  • Mislaid personal property during inter-prison transfers remains a persistent national problem, despite being a subject of discussion.
  • Many men convicted of sexual offences continue to be unable to access treatment programmes, as they are considered unfit for transfer to appropriate prisons.
  • Despite recent improvements, food quality lacks consistency, and timely maintenance of kitchen equipment (designed for 750 prisoners, current capacity 1164) remains a concern.
2020 PRISON Concerns New Hall
Published 11 Nov 2020 · 388 prisoners
HMP/YOI New Hall received a generally positive assessment from the IMB for the reporting year ending February 2020, with prisoners treated fairly and humanely. The report highlighted improvements such as reduced self-harm, the introduction of in-cell telephony, and an outstanding education success rate of 96.69%. Key concerns, however, included long waits for mental health transfers, insufficient staffing and resources for vulnerable prisoners, and persistent issues with property transfer and resettlement accommodation.
Key concerns identified
  • Long waiting periods for residents with severe mental health problems to transfer to appropriate external accommodation.
  • Insufficient staffing levels and resources to consistently deliver healthcare, particularly on units housing complex women like Holly House.
  • Buildings and fabric of the prison are at risk of falling below current maintenance levels, with lengthy delays in repairing faulty kitchen equipment.
  • Inadequate process to ensure prisoners and their property are not separated during transfers, compounded by problematic transportation leading to late arrivals and delayed medical care.
  • Lack of consistent engagement with Equalities groups due to staff deployment issues and the DIRF Scrutiny Panel not meeting regularly.
  • The healthcare complaints process requires significant improvement, especially regarding timely feedback on written concerns.
  • Budgetary issues and regime restrictions frequently lead to cancelled education classes and limited purposeful activity, resulting in some residents remaining on wings.
  • Untimely service from Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) causes uncertainty in release planning and can lead to non-UK nationals being held beyond their release date.
  • Limited and difficult-to-find accommodation for released prisoners, particularly for repeat offenders.
2020 PRISON Concerns Stocken
Published 10 Nov 2020 · 1,038 prisoners
Self-harm: 387 Assaults: 132 Staff assaults: 79
HMP Stocken, a Category C training prison, has expanded its population to 1038 with an operational capacity of 1044. The IMB judges the prison to be relatively safe and humane, with excellent education and training. However, key concerns include a critical shortage of secure mental health facilities and Category D places, issues with prisoner transfers, and repeated problems with adjudication paperwork. The Board commends improvements in maintenance, a significant reduction in drug availability, and the successful implementation of the keyworker scheme, while highlighting the need for better funding and management oversight in several areas.
Key concerns identified
  • Pressing need for increased capacity in secure mental health facilities and Category D (Open) prisons.
  • Need to increase capacity in all categories in London and the South East due to too many prisoners being far from home.
  • In-cell telephony should be funded for all Category C prisoners.
  • More active and prompt allocation of re-categorised prisoners to appropriate locations is needed, as movement is often at the whim of officials.
  • Funds should be redirected from prisons reducing resettlement preparation to prisons like Stocken which increasingly fulfill this role without adequate funding.
  • Frequent long delays in financial approval for repairs and refurbishments are unacceptable, requiring closer monitoring of external contractors.
  • Improve prisoners' attendance and punctuality at workshops and education sites.
  • Adjudications continue to cause concern, with too many ending in dismissal for avoidable technical reasons (a repeated issue).
  • Paperwork for Segregation reviews (Rule 45s) needs to be accurate and available in good time to facilitate constructive dialogue.
2020 PRISON Concerns Buckley Hall
Published 4 Nov 2020
Self-harm: 105 Assaults: 54 Staff assaults: 20
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison with an operational capacity of 459, received positive HMIP inspection results and was ranked highly among UK prisons. Staff efforts to keep prisoners safe during the COVID-19 lockdown were commended, with minimal positive cases. Key concerns included high rates of cancelled external medical appointments, under-completion of key worker sessions due to staffing pressures, and the lack of in-cell telephones. The regime was significantly restricted during lockdown, causing boredom, though out-of-cell time increased by the reporting year's end.
Key concerns identified
  • Inconsistent and disrupted regime, including inaccurate roll checks, delays in daily unlock, and limited out-of-cell time during lockdown, impacting access to activities and services.
  • Significant issues with prisoner property transfers, particularly for long-serving prisoners, leading to frustration and IMB applications.
  • High rates of cancelled outside medical appointments (up to 31%) due to insufficient escort staff, forcing difficult prioritisation decisions for healthcare.
  • Pressure on and under-completion of key work sessions due to staff redeployment, sickness, and vacancies, undermining this vital support.
  • Staffing concerns in the security department and for key workers, impacting operational effectiveness and prisoner support.
  • Continued lack of in-cell telephones, hindering communication with families, legal representatives, and support teams, especially for vulnerable prisoners.
  • Unused wing healthcare rooms due to lack of electricity and separate locks, and inadequate dining facilities on wings.
2020 PRISON Concerns Lancaster Farms
Published 3 Nov 2020 · 560 prisoners
HMP Lancaster Farms is largely well-managed, but the Board highlights several areas of concern. Key issues include rising self-harm and violent incidents, inadequate facilities and activities for segregated prisoners, and a shortage of purposeful activity places. While some improvements in healthcare and education were noted, the Board remains concerned about property transfers, accommodation standards, and resettlement provisions.
Key concerns identified
  • Urgent consideration is needed for the increasing number of self-harm incidents, particularly those associated with individuals facing mental health difficulties.
  • The bleak and untidy condition of CSU exercise yards and the lack of in-cell work/education within the CSU are concerning.
  • A shortage of wheelchairs unfairly affects prisoners with reduced mobility, limiting access to activities.
  • The policy of reclassifying individual isolating prisoners as 'refusers' if they do not identify threats needs urgent review.
  • The use of the First Night Unit to accommodate vulnerable and disruptive prisoners alongside first-nighters raises doubts about humane treatment.
  • Continued difficulties with the transfer and loss of prisoners' property between establishments remain a significant issue.
  • The continued use of double cells with unscreened toilets is inconsistent with humane treatment.
  • There was a significant deterioration in the timeliness of complaints handling, raising concerns about resource allocation.
  • The number of reported violent incidents (prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff) increased significantly.
  • The decline in trained Listeners to just two and the lack of access to Samaritans telephones at night are serious concerns.
  • There is a lack of provision for educational courses beyond levels 1 and 2.
  • Overall, there are not enough work and education places available, largely due to budget constraints.
  • Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) is rarely used, despite the prison's designation as a resettlement prison.
  • There is a regrettable lack of ICT provision in learning areas and assistance with ICT-based applications for housing benefit and job searches.
  • The absence of social care staff and serious concerns regarding the provision of palliative care are noted.
2020 PRISON Concerns Ashfield
Published 28 Oct 2020 · 400 prisoners
Self-harm: 68 Assaults: 4 Staff assaults: 0
HMP Ashfield continues to be a well-run Category C prison for men serving sentences for sexual offences, known for its safe environment and humane treatment. Despite the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily regime and programme delivery, staff were highly commended for their support and resilience. Key concerns include the persistent lack of suitable accommodation for release, issues with property management from other establishments, and the growing backlog for intervention programmes due to COVID-19 restrictions, which could hinder prisoner progression and parole.
Key concerns identified
  • Prisoners’ progression to resettlement, particularly the lack of suitable accommodation, including approved premises.
  • Adverse impact on prisoners' wellbeing if HMPPS COVID-19 restrictions continue for a prolonged period.
  • Significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the delivery of intervention programmes, potentially affecting parole and release.
  • Missing property in former establishments continues to be a top cause for complaint.
  • Incomplete or inappropriate contact arrangements for prisoners transferring in, which has worsened.
  • Progression wing plans not advancing sufficiently.
  • Lack of diabetic items available from the prison shop.
  • Irregular attendance of nominated senior managers at equality and diversity forums.
  • Reduction in frequency and lack of in-depth analysis at diversity and equality action team meetings.
  • Limited workshops (e.g., on approved premises, open prisons) compared to previous years.
2020 PRISON Concerns Bullingdon
Published 27 Oct 2020 · 1,057 prisoners
Self-harm: 599 Assaults: 287 Staff assaults: 101
HMP Bullingdon, a local and resettlement prison, experienced high overcrowding and staffing challenges, with a significant proportion of inexperienced officers. While physical health services were generally good and some educational outcomes improved, violence and drug finds remained high, and mental health provision, particularly counselling, was inadequate. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, leading to prolonged cell confinement, but the prison successfully prevented widespread infection. Persistent issues include inadequate reception facilities for vulnerable prisoners, property loss, and maintenance backlogs, while resettlement outcomes remain patchy.
Key concerns identified
  • High levels of violence and increased drug and weapon finds, showing no consistent sign of being brought under control.
  • Chronic overcrowding, with many prisoners sharing single cells, impacting humane treatment and communal facilities.
  • Inadequate and persistent failure to provide proper holding cell facilities for vulnerable prisoners (e.g., sex offenders) in Reception (6th year of reporting).
  • Concerns about the effectiveness and consistency of ACCT procedures and the proper assessment of self-harm/suicide risks, with PPO identifying failings in several self-inflicted deaths.
  • A lack of experienced staff due to past cuts and attrition, impacting safety, de-escalation, staff retention, and training.
  • Systemic loss and damage of prisoners' property during transfers and within the prison (3rd year of reporting).
  • Insufficient resources and backlog in maintenance issues for the prison estate.
  • Limited and unfair provision for older prisoners, with some remaining in healthcare due to unsuitable social care accommodation elsewhere.
  • Mental healthcare needs require more resources, and a significant gap exists in counselling services due to a lack of volunteers.
  • Patchy progress towards successful resettlement, with many prisoners leaving without stable accommodation or employment, and a lack of individual guidance for education/work.
  • Disruption to education (ESOL) and purposeful activity during lockdown, and challenges in fully implementing OMiC/Key Worker model with sustainable caseloads.
  • Concerns regarding the prison's ability to eliminate discrimination.
2020 PRISON Concerns Aylesbury
Published 23 Oct 2020 · 209 prisoners
Self-harm: 197 Assaults: 278 Staff assaults: 4
Aylesbury YOI, operating with a reduced population of 209 due to special measures, successfully improved its safety and operational performance, leading to the withdrawal of its special measures status. Despite positive developments like improved staff-prisoner relationships and infrastructure upgrades, significant concerns persist regarding the amount of time prisoners spend locked in cells, the quality of purposeful activity, and ongoing staffing and estate issues. The report also highlights challenges in addressing equality and diversity, and the impact of long segregation stays on young prisoners' wellbeing.
Key concerns identified
  • Many young offenders remain locked in cells daily, with only 64% out of cell on weekdays, and work/education options are unexciting and poorly accredited.
  • A significant number of prisoners report feeling unsafe, particularly on their first night, and gang culture drives violence.
  • Prisoners, especially those awaiting transfer, spend unacceptably long periods (up to three months) in segregation, impacting their wellbeing.
  • Staff recruitment and retention remain problematic due to local housing costs, low wages, lengthy clearance processes, and high dropout rates.
  • Equality and diversity work was noted as being in disarray by HMIP, with disproportionate use of force and segregation for Black and Muslim prisoners, and a lack of ESOL tuition for foreign nationals.
  • Refurbishment of vacant wings was significantly delayed, and estate deficiencies, such as unserviceable kitchen equipment and inadequate exercise yards, persist.
2020 PRISON Concerns Thameside
Published 22 Oct 2020
Self-harm: 482 Assaults: 165 Staff assaults: 128
HMP Thameside, a Category B/C local prison, faced challenges including high population density and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during the reporting year ending June 2020. The Board highlighted excellent staff cooperation in controlling the virus and positive aspects like strong faith support and a good library. However, significant concerns remain regarding the inhumane regime of 23-hour cell confinement, the lengthy waits for mental health transfers, recurring issues with facilities and property management, high levels of self-harm and everyday violence, and issues with staff complaints and engagement with educational activities.
Key concerns identified
  • Many prisoners continue to face excessive hours locked in their cells (up to 23 hours a day), inflicting mental and physical damage.
  • There is an inhumane wait for secure outside hospital beds for severely mentally ill prisoners, creating bed-blocking in the inpatient unit.
  • The pace of relaxing the prison regime set by HMPPS is too slow, failing to balance caution with a return to humane conditions.
  • There is a concerning increase in incidents of violence, self-harm, and use of force in the summer of 2020.
  • Inadequate management and application of systems and procedures lead to routine unfairness, including casual attitudes towards property, repeated gym cancellations, and endemic facilities failures (in-cell CMS, lifts, virtual campus system).
  • The Board faces difficulties in getting prompt and reliable responses from prison managers when raising concerns on behalf of prisoners, and the prison's handling and recording of complaints are problematic.
  • Investigations into prisoner allegations against staff require an overhaul, with concerns about unreasonable delays and lack of meaningful conclusions.
  • Levels of 'everyday' prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff violence remain too high, despite a decline in serious assaults.
  • There is a stubbornly high level of non-attendance at healthcare appointments, and concerns regarding the quality of nursing interactions in the CSU.
  • The education provider made minimal effort to support learners during lockdown, especially for distance learning, and the virtual campus system remains inadequate.
  • Drugs continue to find their way into cells, contributing to violence, bullying, and debt.
  • There is a chronic lack of suitable accommodation and difficulty in securing employment for prisoners upon release.
  • The Board is concerned by the continuing loss of experienced custodial staff and a current staffing shortfall.
2020 PRISON Concerns Birmingham
Published 20 Oct 2020 · 948 prisoners
Assaults: 394 Staff assaults: 55
HMP Birmingham has demonstrated significant improvements in safety, staff-prisoner relationships, and living conditions following an urgent notification in 2018. The Board commended the prison's effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw reduced violence and enhanced communication, though it also led to a severely restricted regime and mental health challenges. Key concerns include prolonged segregation for mentally unwell prisoners, persistent issues with lost property, and the need to sustain positive changes post-pandemic, particularly regarding staffing and purposeful activity.
Key concerns identified
  • Lengthy and inappropriate stays in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) for prisoners with complex mental health needs or challenging behaviours who do not meet criteria for specialist transfer.
  • The unacceptable frequency of lost or stolen prisoner property, both within the establishment and during transfers, with inadequate compensation and complaint resolution.
  • Over-representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) men and young adults (21-24 years) in adjudications.
  • The negative impact of the severely restricted COVID-19 lockdown regime on prisoners' mental health and time out of cell.
  • Low attendance rates for education, vocational training, and work, leaving too many activity places unfilled.
  • Concerns that improved safety achieved during lockdown may be lost if post-COVID staffing levels and staff-prisoner ratios are not revised upwards.
  • Inadequate regulation of cell temperatures, leading to prisoners being too hot in summer and too cold in winter.
  • Inappropriate housing of an increasingly ageing prisoner population on standard wings with bunk beds and stairs, and insufficient capacity in the dedicated social care wing.
  • Delays by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in progressing decisions on charges following violent offences, leading to a failure of the justice system.
2020 PRISON Concerns Downview
Published 19 Oct 2020 · 287 prisoners
Self-harm: 659 Assaults: 52 Staff assaults: 36
HMP/YOI Downview is considered a safe and humane prison where healthcare needs are largely met. However, the Board identified significant challenges including an unsatisfactory induction process, unsuitable long-term segregation for complex cases, and persistent issues with London weighting affecting staff recruitment. Key working remains unimplemented, and both purposeful activity and resettlement efforts are hampered by short sentences and difficulties accessing performance data from service providers like Weston College and the CRC.
Key concerns identified
  • The induction process remains unsatisfactory, with new arrivals on C wing risking intimidation and a lack of formal induction materials, particularly for foreign nationals.
  • Segregation is unsuitable for long-term rehabilitation, especially for a specific prisoner with brain trauma requiring national-level attention for transfer.
  • London weighting issues persist, negatively impacting recruitment and retention in the education department.
  • Implementation and monitoring of family engagement recommendations from the Farmer Review are half-hearted, with no data collected on dependent children of prisoners.
  • Key working has not been implemented in the women's estate, including Downview, despite the resolution of a national dispute.
  • Heating and electrical supplies for accommodation blocks are unreliable and require sufficient funding for upgrades.
  • Concerns remain regarding the visibility of education success rates, engagement, and attendance data from Weston College.
  • The number of prisoners on working Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) dropped significantly, and a meaningful program is needed.
  • Significant staffing shortages in the offender management unit lead to delays in prisoner responses.
  • The physical conditions and exercise yard on the segregation unit are far from ideal.
2020 PRISON Concerns Wealstun
Published 15 Oct 2020 · 795 prisoners
The reporting year at HMP Wealstun was characterized by three distinct periods: improvements prior to an HMIP inspection, subsequent regime curtailments due to financial pressures, and the COVID-19 lockdown. While the prison generally treated prisoners fairly and humanely and healthcare provision was good, the pervasive availability of drugs significantly impacted safety, leading to violence and self-harm. Staffing shortages caused frequent regime restrictions, limiting purposeful activity, and raised concerns about key worker implementation and PAVA training compliance. The Board highlighted a number of ongoing issues, including inadequate resources for equality and diversity, and challenges in managing IPP prisoners and transfers.
Key concerns identified
  • The pervasive availability of drugs throughout the year undermines safety, leading to debt, bullying, violence, and self-harm.
  • Inconsistent standards in the completion and control of ACCT documents, particularly in the early part of the year.
  • Variability in the management of segregated prisoners due to unstable staffing, resulting in longer stays in the unit.
  • A significant number of adjudications were not proceeded with or dismissed due to a lack of evidence or available witnesses.
  • Insufficient staffing and resources allocated to equality and diversity, a persistent issue.
  • Frequent regime curtailments driven by staffing shortages and financial pressures, limiting purposeful activity and time out of cell.
  • A large proportion of officers were 'out of ticket' for PAVA (incapacitant spray) due to a lack of prioritized refresher training.
  • Concerns about the suitability of placing IPP and life-sentenced prisoners at Wealstun given inadequate programmes and management processes.
  • Delays in transferring recategorised prisoners to category D open prison places due to insufficient capacity across the estate.
  • Care UK's lack of a formal process for timely responses to prisoner healthcare complaints.
  • Issues with wing staff not consistently collecting prisoners' post from the post room, causing delays in important communications.
  • A legacy of OASys assessment backlogs and a lack of regular updates, impacting prisoners' progression and parole eligibility.
2020 PRISON Concerns Wetherby
Published 14 Oct 2020 · 197 prisoners
HMYOI Wetherby, a YOI for up to 360 young people, held 197 at the end of May 2020, with 33% on remand. While the Board welcomed the new Enhanced Support Unit and improvements to the estate and staff morale, significant concerns persist. These include acute shortages of secure mental health beds leading to indefinite waits for transfers, persistent staffing vacancies in healthcare, and the unacceptable lack of daily exercise and time out of cell for young people. Violence and self-harm remain problematic, alongside issues with restraint techniques and BWC usage.
Key concerns identified
  • Lack of secure mental health hospital beds and indefinite waits for transfer for complex YP.
  • Increasing levels of violence among YP nationally.
  • Lengthy delays for YP on remand awaiting trial.
  • Transfers of YP from distant STCs/YOIs to Wetherby, impacting family links and support networks.
  • Protracted delays for 18+ YP awaiting transfer to the adult estate.
  • Increasing number of Restricted Status (RS) YP, with provision almost at capacity.
  • Unacceptable lack of daily exercise and insufficient time out of cell for YP.
  • Inconsistent delivery and prioritisation of Custody Support Plan (CuSP) sessions.
  • Misapplication of Managing and Minimising Physical Restraint (MMPR) techniques and failure to use Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) appropriately.
  • Significant increase in self-harm incidents.
  • Unacceptable late arrivals of YP to reception, sometimes in the early hours, and the continued use of untrained staff in reception.
  • Long waiting times for non-urgent dental appointments (6-8 weeks).
  • High vacancy rates in healthcare (44% primary care, 55% CAMHS), leading to staffing difficulties.
  • Lack of quarterly meetings for the drug misuse strategy, indicating potential oversight.
2020 PRISON Concerns Wymott
Published 12 Oct 2020
Self-harm: 511 Assaults: 116 Staff assaults: 38
Overall the Board considers that prisoners are relatively safe at Wymott, despite increased self-harm and violence. Significant concerns remain regarding the unacceptable standard of accommodation on some wings, persistent healthcare staffing shortages, and long waits for mental health transfers. The closure of the therapeutic community and issues with prisoner property on transfer are also key areas of worry for the Board.
Key concerns identified
  • Increased self-harm and violence, with drugs remaining a key driver of bullying and debt.
  • Unacceptable standard of accommodation on some wings, with repeated failures in heating, hot water, and sanitation.
  • Significant underlying problems in healthcare, especially mental healthcare staffing shortages and long waits for secure unit places.
  • Persistent issues with prisoners' property going missing on transfer between establishments.
  • Closure of the drug-free therapeutic community during the pandemic, impacting support for prisoners trying to come off drugs.
  • Regular cancellation of prisoner forums (e.g., healthcare) and inadequate supervision in the library.
  • The kitchen capacity remains problematic, leading to equipment failure and staff pressure.
2020 PRISON Concerns Usk and Prescoed
Published 9 Oct 2020
Self-harm: 4
HMPs Usk and Prescoed are identified as effective and well-run prisons, providing safe and humane environments with good staff-prisoner relationships, even amidst the initial COVID-19 outbreak. Key concerns include the postponement of the OMiC pilot at Prescoed, a demotivating transfer policy for MCOSO, and slow transfer of prisoner records. The Board also highlights the poor condition of Lester unit, restrictions to the multi-faith room, and the negative impact of the pandemic on education assessments and future employment prospects.
Key concerns identified
  • The OMiC pilot for the open estate at Prescoed has been indefinitely postponed, hindering prisoner development.
  • MCOSO granted Category D status must reside in Usk for three months before moving to Prescoed, a policy seen as perplexing and demotivating.
  • Prisoner records are often slow in reaching the open estate, causing delays in transition, risk assessment, ROTL planning, and prisoner discontentment.
  • Lester, a prefabricated unit at Prescoed, remains dreary with unreliable plumbing and drainage, needing complete replacement.
  • The multi-faith room is now locked and only accessible during services due to property damage, restricting prisoner access.
  • Further development of social care provision at Usk is on hold due to funding challenges.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic affected education success rates, with learners unable to complete final assessments.
  • There is anxiety about the post-COVID-19 economic situation impacting prisoner employment on release.
  • The absence of an observation process in education evaluation makes it difficult to judge prisoner progress effectively.
2020 PRISON Concerns Winchester
Published 6 Oct 2020 · 500 prisoners
Self-harm: 1,365
HMP/YOI Winchester made consistent progress in improving performance during a turbulent year, moving from 'serious concern' to 'concern'. The Board commended efforts in operational grip, cleanliness, and staff-prisoner interaction, alongside improvements in self-harm management and a new reception scheme. However, the dilapidated Victorian infrastructure, especially the CSU, posed significant safety and humane treatment challenges, while high rates of violence and issues with healthcare access due to staff shortages and escort availability remained key concerns.
Key concerns identified
  • The dilapidated and intrinsically unsafe Victorian building fabric, particularly the Care and Separation Unit (CSU), which remains unfit for purpose and without secured funding for replacement despite repeated promises.
  • High rates of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff, reflective of endemic violence in local male prisons.
  • Insufficient provision of escorts and runners for healthcare appointments, leading to high 'did not attend' (DNA) rates for GP and dental services and compromising medical provision.
  • Overcrowding, with many cells designed for single occupancy housing two prisoners, leading to cramped conditions and lack of privacy.
  • Continued issues with drug misuse, including parcels thrown over walls and letters soaked in new psychoactive substances.
  • Lack of accessible facilities for physically disabled prisoners, including reception, education classrooms, and only one wheelchair-accessible cell.
  • Lengthy and indefinite detention of an immigration detainee in the CSU, with inadequate support for asylum applications due to language barriers and lack of legal aid.
2020 PRISON Concerns Woodhill
Published 6 Oct 2020 · 499 prisoners
Self-harm: 637
HMP/YOI Woodhill underwent a significant re-roling during the reporting year to become a Category B training prison for long-sentenced prisoners. While the Board noted positive developments such as no deaths in custody and improved healthcare complaint response times, significant challenges persisted. Key concerns included high levels of violence, self-harm, and drug use, staff shortages, and an inadequate mental health service with transfer delays. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime in the latter part of the year, further impacting time out of cell and purposeful activity.
Key concerns identified
  • Levels of violence, self-harm, and assaults (prisoner on staff and prisoner on prisoner) are too high.
  • The quality of ACCT processes and documentation is variable, and reviews are not always held on time.
  • There is a large proportion of inexperienced officers, contributing to high wastage and sickness rates.
  • The prison continues to experience very high levels of psychoactive substance and other drug use, and mobile phones are readily available.
  • Too many prisoners are held in segregation for long periods with no clear progression plan.
  • Significant difficulties with prisoners’ property during re-roling, including delays, losses, and the arrival of contraband.
  • Persistent delays in repairing prison accommodation and equipment, resulting in a high number of cells out of action.
  • The mental health service is inadequate, with unacceptably long delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities.
  • Insufficient offender behaviour programmes, workshops, rehabilitation programmes, and education/library services for the long-sentence population.
  • Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) provide slow and inadequate services due to understaffing.
  • The prisoner complaints system consistently fails to meet target response times.
2020 PRISON Concerns Belmarsh
Published 5 Oct 2020 · 802 prisoners
Self-harm: 444 Assaults: 267 Staff assaults: 105
HMP Belmarsh faced a challenging year, dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to significant regime restrictions. Despite this, the prison demonstrated good infection control, and staff were commended for their dedication and innovative approaches. Key concerns remain the dilapidated shower areas, persistent triple occupancy, and inadequate facilities management. While violence decreased, self-harm incidents increased, and purposeful activity and educational provision continue to need improvement, particularly in high-security and segregation units.
Key concerns identified
  • Deplorable and unacceptable condition of shower areas, a concern for several years.
  • Persistent triple occupancy of cells designed for two, raising safety and decency issues.
  • Poor facilities management by GFSL, leading to unacceptable delays in repairs.
  • Significant concerns regarding mental health issues and the cessation of face-to-face psychology work during the pandemic.
  • Inadequate provision of purposeful activity and education, especially for prisoners in the HSU and segregation unit, hampered by conflicts.
  • An unfortunate increase in self-harm incidents compared to the previous year.
  • Challenges in managing conflicts due to extensive gang activity, particularly during prisoner movements to and from court.
2020 PRISON Concerns Whitemoor
Published 1 Oct 2020 · 457 prisoners
Self-harm: 286 Assaults: 29 Staff assaults: 46
HMP Whitemoor faced a challenging year marked by grave acts of violence and the COVID-19 lockdown, demonstrating skill in crisis management but struggling with increased self-harm and assaults. Key concerns include an over-reliance on segregation, high rates of education class cancellations due to staff shortages, and persistent issues with prisoner property transfers. The Board noted positive developments in family contact technology and efforts to foster a community spirit, while highlighting the need to fully establish the key worker scheme and improve facilities for vulnerable prisoners and visitors.
Key concerns identified
  • The over-reliance on the segregation unit due to a lack of appropriate alternative accommodation, leading to continuous regime restrictions and long periods of confinement.
  • A significant increase in violence and self-harm incidents, including prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults, and a 31% rise in ACCT cases.
  • The lamentable performance in delivering basic education programs, with 52% of classes cancelled due to staff shortages.
  • Persistent issues with the management and transfer of prisoner property between establishments, causing significant anxiety.
  • The failure to fully establish the key worker scheme, hindering its potential positive impact on staff-prisoner relationships and progression.
  • Inadequate provision for older and disabled prisoners, as well as poor facilities for families visiting, including lack of hot food and safe play areas for children.
2020 PRISON Concerns Stoke Heath
Published 30 Sep 2020 · 700 prisoners
Self-harm: 328
HMP/YOI Stoke Heath is largely considered safe, with strong violence reduction strategies and improved healthcare services. However, the report highlights significant concerns regarding the use of segregation for mental health cases and long waiting times for transfers. Persistent issues include inadequate telephone access, poor accountability for lost property, and a severe lack of purposeful activity and employment opportunities due to insufficient funding.
Key concerns identified
  • The segregation unit is being used to hold prisoners with severe mental health issues.
  • The small number of communal telephones limits prisoners' contact with family, causing anxiety.
  • There is a longstanding lack of accountability for prisoners' lost property.
  • Low rates of purposeful activity and employment on release persist, compounded by insufficient budget for education and vocational training.
  • Purposeful activity provided often does not help prisoners with suitable employment upon release.
  • Unacceptably long waiting times for mental health transfer assessments to inpatient beds.
2020 PRISON Concerns Coldingley
Published 29 Sep 2020 · 438 prisoners
Self-harm: 86 Assaults: 37 Staff assaults: 34
HMP Coldingley, a Category C prison, faced significant operational challenges during the reporting period, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. While staff-prisoner relationships remained positive and healthcare provision was generally well-regarded, serious concerns persisted regarding the chronic absence of in-cell sanitation in older wings, the ongoing influx of illicit items contributing to violence, and severe disruption to education. The Board highlighted efforts to manage the pandemic's impact on the regime and welcomed planned investments to improve the estate.
Key concerns identified
  • The persistent volume of illicit drugs, mobile phones, and alcoholic liquid (‘hooch’) entering the prison, which contributes to violence and bullying.
  • The unsafe fabric of the four older wings, with slow repairs to broken windows and heating problems.
  • The glaring and long-standing absence of in-cell sanitation and hand washing facilities on older wings, affecting nearly 400 prisoners, especially highlighted during Covid-19.
  • The disarray in education, marked by staff losses, shortages, and the suspension of classes, even before the Covid-19 outbreak.
  • The continued concern about the number of IPP prisoners serving many years beyond their tariff.
  • A perceived lack of ‘joined-up thinking’ to detect trends and reliably evaluate the scale of violence and bullying, despite a wealth of statistics.
  • A loss of prisoner confidence in the Key Worker scheme since the previous year's survey.
2020 PRISON Concerns Preston
Published 23 Sep 2020 · 700 prisoners
The Board found HMP Preston to be a well-run prison with good staff-prisoner relationships, despite the challenges of its Victorian infrastructure. Key concerns include the need for capital investment in reception and visits facilities, securing the adjacent museum building for security, improving body-worn camera usage, and investigating the unexpected lack of impact of the key worker scheme on IMB applications. The prison adapted well to the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key concerns identified
  • Additional resources for capital projects, particularly improvements to reception and air conditioning in visits halls.
  • Securing resources for the purchase of the adjacent county museum building to enhance perimeter security and prison structure.
  • Body-worn video cameras not being switched on early enough in incidents.
  • The key worker scheme has not reduced IMB applications as anticipated, requiring further investigation.
2020 PRISON Concerns Wandsworth
Published 22 Sep 2020 · 1,450 prisoners
Self-harm: 774 Assaults: 352 Staff assaults: 270
HMP Wandsworth, a Category B local prison, reported significant challenges during a year heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a rapid lockdown response. The Board found the prison's overcrowded, 169-year-old Victorian buildings created inhumane living conditions for prisoners. Key concerns included high levels of violence and self-harm, poor resettlement outcomes, and persistent delays in mental health transfers, with the Addison unit deemed unfit for purpose.
Key concerns identified
  • The inhumane living conditions, stemming from overcrowding and the dilapidated 169-year-old Victorian buildings.
  • High levels of violence (prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults) and self-harm incidents.
  • The poor quality and effectiveness of resettlement provision, resulting in very low rates of prisoners securing employment, training, or housing upon release.
  • Persistent, long-standing delays in transferring mentally ill prisoners to secure psychiatric accommodation.
  • The unsuitability and inadequacy of the 12-bed Addison mental health unit, compounded by insufficient adapted cells for wheelchair users.
  • Unreliable CCTV system and significant issues with missing prisoner property.
2020 PRISON Concerns Ranby
Published 21 Sep 2020 · 1,092 prisoners
Self-harm: 624 Assaults: 408
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, is considered reasonably safe with generally fair treatment, though issues in communication and specific processes exist. The healthcare service is satisfactory, but challenges remain with mental health transfers and long-term care, often involving segregation. While efforts are made for resettlement, 36% of prisoners are released without accommodation. Key concerns include overcrowding, mental health provision in segregation, property transfers, and ensuring access to purposeful activity for all prisoners.
Key concerns identified
  • The continued practice of housing prisoners with mental health problems in the segregation unit, a concern raised previously, with no apparent action taken.
  • The use of single cells for two prisoners, leading to overcrowding (population 200 over CNA) and issues with decency.
  • The high percentage (36%) of prisoners released with no fixed abode, and suitable prisoners not being allowed home release for the same reason.
  • Ongoing issues for IPP prisoners, including delays in Parole Board decisions and discrimination in accessing training.
  • Prisoners being transferred from other prisons or returned from Category D prisons without all their property or adequate paperwork.
  • The level of violence within the prison.
  • The prevalence of illegal substances and mobile phones in the prison.
  • The number of missed healthcare appointments.
  • Ensuring all prisoners have access to purposeful employment and qualifications to aid release.
2020 PRISON Concerns Swinfen Hall
Published 18 Sep 2020 · 556 prisoners
Self-harm: 881 Assaults: 312 Staff assaults: 63
HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall, a YOI and Category C prison, had a population of 556 at the end of the reporting period. The Board noted significant improvements during the COVID-19 lockdown, with reduced self-harm, ACCT cases, and violence. Key concerns remain around the poor state of accommodation, persistent racial imbalances across various aspects of prison life, and the ongoing backlog of OASys assessments hindering prisoner progression.
Key concerns identified
  • Poor accommodation standards, including eating meals in cells near toilets, mouldy showers, and an endemic rat infestation.
  • Persistent racial imbalances across all aspects of prison life, including officer diversity, adjudications, segregation, employment, and IEP status.
  • The ongoing loss of prisoner property and related complaints.
  • A significant backlog of OASys assessments, severely hindering sentence planning and rehabilitation.
  • An increase in self-harm incidents.
  • An increase in drug finds within the establishment.
  • Inadequate implementation of the key worker programme.
  • Declining education performance, marked by increased withdrawals, decreased success rates, poor mathematics results, high lost learning hours, and frequent library session cancellations.
  • Insufficient out-of-cell activity and limited space for additional workshops.
2020 PRISON Concerns Berwyn
Published 17 Sep 2020
Self-harm: 1,006 Assaults: 406 Staff assaults: 244
HMP Berwyn is a Category C resettlement and training prison with an operational capacity of 2,106. The Board reports a prison in continuous evolution, marked by improved leadership and several positive initiatives in healthcare and education. However, significant concerns persist, including the availability of illicit substances, unaddressed deficiencies in meeting room facilities, and challenges arising from the double-cell design. High rates of self-harm, assaults, and non-attendance at purposeful activities also highlight ongoing issues within the establishment.
Key concerns identified
  • The ongoing availability of illicit substances within the prison continues to cause concern, leading to violence, aggression, and property damage.
  • A lack of sufficient meeting and interview rooms is a serious, unaddressed concern, particularly as the prison moves towards full capacity.
  • The 70% double-cell occupancy creates significant management challenges, given cell sharing risk assessments and the diverse population.
  • The number of prisoners held in the Care and Separation Unit (CASU) for over 84 days needs urgent attention.
  • Persistent issues with the building's infrastructure, including the reliability of the heating system and latent paint defects leading to peeling paint.
  • A significant number of prisoners fail to attend healthcare appointments (15.8% wasted appointments) and allocated work activities (13% non-attendance).
  • Lack of confidence in the Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) investigation process from both staff and prisoners.
  • Ongoing issues with cross-contamination of food on house serveries and complaints handling processes, including high volumes of Unilink applications and inconsistent responses.
2020 PRISON Concerns Pentonville
Published 9 Sep 2020 · 1,025 prisoners
Self-harm: 682
HMP/YOI Pentonville, a category B/C local prison, faces significant challenges in providing a safe and rehabilitative environment. While staff demonstrated resilience during COVID-19, and some improvements were made in drug reduction and key working, the prison's deteriorating infrastructure, high levels of violence, and persistent issues with regime delivery severely impacted prisoner welfare and resettlement. The Board highlights a lack of investment, poor maintenance, and inadequate staffing as root causes, resulting in concerns about safety, healthcare access, and purposeful activity.
Key concerns identified
  • The prison is unsuitable for 21st-century incarceration with no sign of urgent financial investment in its decaying infrastructure.
  • Hand-made weapons are regularly found, self-harm increased by 14%, and there were six deaths in custody.
  • Use of force governance remains poor, with increased incidents, incomplete reports, and Body-Worn Video Cameras rarely used or failing.
  • Persistent plumbing issues across the prison cause frequent lack of hot/cold water, blocked toilets/showers, and leaks, with many cells having inadequately screened toilets and showers in poor repair.
  • Education and work attendance is dismal at 56% due to persistent problems in delivering prisoners to activities, negatively affecting purposeful use of time and resettlement progression.
  • Healthcare provision faces challenges including cancelled hospital appointments due to escort shortages, inadequate medication supervision, and the award-winning wellbeing centre being underutilised due to regime lockdowns.
2020 PRISON Concerns Stafford
Published 26 Aug 2020 · 734 prisoners
Self-harm: 101 Assaults: 24 Staff assaults: 12
HMP Stafford, a Category C training prison, has maintained a calm and humane environment, receiving commendations for its rehabilitative culture, strong health provision, and significant reductions in safety incidents. While accommodation, education, and staff-resident relationships were positive, the Board expressed ongoing concerns. These include property loss during transfers, slow in-cell phone rollout, inadequate funding for resettlement and resident pay, and issues with medicine management and the delayed Regional Care Facility.
Key concerns identified
  • Persistent loss of prisoner property during transfers between establishments.
  • Slow rollout of in-cell telephones, critical for family contact given the older population and pandemic restrictions.
  • Inadequate budget for resident pay, failing to match rates in private prisons despite high activity attendance.
  • Ineffective model for transferring men convicted of sexual offences to resettlement establishments.
  • Insufficient financial resources for resettlement, despite the prison regularly releasing residents.
  • Lack of adherence to orders regarding supervision of medicine queues and occasional medication errors.
  • Continued delay in the development of a Regional Care Facility for residents with severe care needs.
2020 PRISON Concerns Standford Hill
Published 25 Aug 2020
Self-harm: 2 Assaults: 0 Staff assaults: 0
HMP/YOI Standford Hill is a well-run Category D prison and YOI, commended for its strong emphasis on rehabilitation and an exceptionally low reoffending rate. Despite positive staff and prisoner morale, the Board highlights a need for on-site kitchen facilities, an internet room, and better consistency in property rules. The prison responded effectively to the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key concerns identified
  • The lack of dedicated kitchen facilities, which restricts further development and poses health risks.
  • The need for an internet room to equip prisoners with appropriate skills for resettlement and family links.
  • The temporary C wing has far outlived its projected lifespan, requiring significant investment and dealing with ongoing issues like rats.
  • Slow development of a national vocational qualification in gardens, with unsatisfactory oversight from Government Facility Services Limited.
  • Funding constraints have halted educational initiatives, reversing progress and restricting available options for prisoners.
  • Inconsistent and haphazardly applied property rules, particularly regarding items like X-boxes and music systems, cause prisoner frustration.
  • Prisoners dislike the current roll call system, which they find demeaning.
  • Administrative issues with external probation links leading to serious delays in ROTL clearance, frustrating prisoners.
2020 PRISON Concerns Whatton
Published 21 Aug 2020 · 821 prisoners
Self-harm: 366 Assaults: 52 Staff assaults: 13
HMP Whatton, a Category C prison for sexual offenders, is generally safe and treats prisoners fairly, but faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic with 23-hour cellular confinement. Major concerns include the substandard B wing and healthcare facilities, delayed mental health transfers, and issues with prisoner property and resettlement planning. The Board praised staff's handling of the pandemic and the quality of education and mental health teams.
Key concerns identified
  • Prolonged 23-hour cellular confinement due to COVID-19 is unsustainable and inhumane.
  • Substandard accommodation in B wings, which are tiny, non-compliant, and have retro-fitted toilets close to beds.
  • Healthcare facility accommodation is inadequate, non-compliant, and suffering from a significant maintenance backlog despite repeated rejected funding bids.
  • Delays in mental health transfers to secure hospitals for seriously ill prisoners, with one prisoner held for over 107 days.
  • Frequent loss of prisoners' property during transfers and lack of a reliable tracking system.
  • Untimely notification of approved premises for released high-risk prisoners, hindering resettlement and employment opportunities.
  • Ageing fire and general alarm systems require urgent replacement, and poor condition of roads/pathways poses health and safety risks.
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