Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Holme House
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 5 July 2024
HMP Holme House, a Category C prison, experienced a challenging year ending December 2023, marked by increased violence, use of force, and significant issues with building disrepair and illicit items. While healthcare services notably improved and purposeful activity places expanded, staffing shortages impacted resettlement and Ofsted rated all five inspection areas as 'requires improvement'. The Board highlights the need for urgent attention to infrastructure, safety, and addressing the impact of a growing young adult population.
Positive Findings
The Governor and their team generally delivered a caring and supportive regime during the year. Healthcare services have improved significantly, felt to be equivalent to those outside prison. The Board welcomes the commitment to funding for shower refurbishments. Key worker sessions increased significantly, and the gym saw a substantial increase in use and available courses. Prisoner representatives are welcomed at use of force strategic meetings, contributing valuable perspectives.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The deterioration in the structure of the buildings in the prison, together with slow progress on addressing repairs, has impacted life in the prison.
Safety
The prison appears to be less safe than in previous years, with an increase in disorder, violence and incidents of the use of force. The Board considers the increase in violence to be directly linked to the number of young offenders accommodated and the levels of illicit items, including drugs and phones, entering the prison.
Staffing
Staffing shortages have had some impact on the prison, with shortages in the offender management unit (OMU) resulting in a low number of prisoners leaving prison to a job.
Food/Catering
The quality of food had deteriorated and this deterioration has continued during 2023. There are a significant number of pieces of equipment in the main kitchens that are not working, including bratt pans, which has resulted in increased stress on the prison’s ability to produce good-quality food. Food shortages have continued and replacements are often not suitable. The way in which food is only purchased from one company is very restricting and results in an inflexible process, where better quality and priced food could be purchased.
Overcrowding
There are still many cells that were designed for one person now being used for two. There is, therefore, automatically overcrowding in those cells. Some cells still do not have proper screening to the WC. Prisoners have to eat all their meals in the small space available, including when the cellmate uses the WC. This matter does not comply with Government guidelines for cell-sharing.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The prison was inspected by Ofsted as part of HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) visit in March 2023. In its assessment, Ofsted stated that each of the five main areas ‘requires improvement’.
Substance Misuse
Despite many steps being taken, there are still significant numbers of illicit items, including phones, entering the prison each month.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages, particularly in the Offender Management Unit (OMU), impacted prisoner progression and resettlement. However, the chaplaincy team was well-staffed despite a temporary Imam vacancy, and healthcare staffing improved with very few vacancies, though bank nurses were frequently used. The prison saw a significant emphasis on key worker sessions, leading to over 30,000 meetings during the year, with an average of 156 key workers available.
Healthcare
Healthcare services provided by Spectrum Community Health CIC significantly improved, achieving CQC praise for 'excellent leadership' and good communication. Staffing levels improved with few vacancies, reducing reliance on agency nurses. While informal complaints decreased, medication issues on arrival remained a concern. The 16-bed in-patient unit and palliative care suite continued as regional resources, and the mental health team had no vacancies with a caseload of 297 patients. Dental waiting times improved to six weeks.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was challenged by the deterioration of building structures and slow repairs, impacting daily life, with specific issues like leaking roofs disrupting workshops and causing contract losses. Despite this, the prison operated its full mandated regime, ensuring most prisoners were out of their cells for more than the two-hour minimum, except in SIU. There was a significant increase in purposeful activity places, reaching over 900, and gym usage dramatically increased from 4,000 to 11,000 hours monthly.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 20 | 7 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 9 | 10 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 0 | 2 | |
| Equality | 2 | 8 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 10 | 8 | |
| Food and kitchens | 12 | 13 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 38 | 17 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 19 | 20 | |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | 0 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 29 | 29 | — |
| Property within the establishment | 19 | 33 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 15 | 18 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 23 | 37 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 18 | 32 | |
| Transfers | 16 | 9 |
Recommendations (5)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 2
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Why is funding for essential repairs (both minor and capital works) being delayed or not made available?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Response
The Board will be pleased to note that a commitment has been made to make funding available for the refurbishment of cell residential shower recesses. An ongoing programme of refurbishments will also continue through the current financial year 2023-24. These projects are to the value of approximately £3 million and include the replacement of the electrical switchgear and upgrading the perimeter lighting. A further agreement has been reached to upgrade the internal lighting across house blocks one to four when the wings are made available for the works.
Recommendation 2
Can the vetting process be speeded up to ensure that new staff are in post without unnecessary delay?
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 3
Why is the Prison Service tied into a contract to purchase food from a company that has shortages, is inflexible and provides poor-quality items on occasion? When will this contract be up for re-tender?
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 4
Despite many steps being taken, there are still significant numbers of illicit items, including phones, entering the prison each month. Does the Governor think that staff, contractor and prisoner security can be improved?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 5
Although the ambience within the prison is generally good, disrepair is evident throughout the establishment. What is the Governor doing to improve this?
Governor / Director
Estate
Other IMB Reports for Holme House
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
6 Mar 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 4
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.