Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Guys Marsh
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 10 April 2024
The Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Guys Marsh noted positive developments including sufficient organisational support for safety, the appointment of a neurodiversity support manager, and a seamless transition to a new healthcare provider. However, significant concerns remain regarding persistent drug and alcohol use driving violence, ineffective risk management plans, and unacceptably high prisoner-on-prisoner assaults. The Board also highlighted issues with accommodation standards, a long dental waiting list, and underutilised education and work provisions.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomed the findings that the prison's organisational support was sufficient to protect prisoners and staff, noting the safer communities team's resolute focus on improving safety. The appointment of a neurodiversity support manager and the establishment of Listeners and the THREADS team were positive developments. The transition to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust for healthcare was seamless, and the new Governor's vision for a working culture was supported. The Board also commended improvements in use of force paperwork, fair adjudications, and a new prisoner-run shop.
Key Concerns
Safety
Persistent drug and alcohol use as drivers of debt and increasing violence, as well as furthering the influence of organised crime groups (OCGs) within the establishment. Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, although fewer than the previous year, were still much higher than in comparator establishments.
Safety
The use of a challenge, support and intervention plans (CSIPs) to manage prisoners who pose an increased risk of violence was, at times, ineffective and needed to be more rigorously implemented. Assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) documents were opened to help ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable prisoners (those at risk of self-harm and suicide), so it was disappointing to see some documents being poorly developed. This tended to occur when a wing was required to manage multiple prisoners on ACCTs at any one time.
Overcrowding
The increased operational capacity for the prison put pressure on all wings to ensure maximum cell use. This inevitably led to multiple conflicts with prisoners who refused to share a cell. The Board noted the comments made by the safety audit, that cell sharing risk assessments (CSRAs), used to identify prisoners at risk of seriously harming someone they share a cell with, were not made in a rigorous enough manner for prisoners arriving at HMP Guys Marsh.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Board received several complaints about mildew in cells and its effects on asthma sufferers, in particular. The multi-faith room in the chaplaincy was not fit for purpose, given the amount of water ingress when it rained heavily. It requires urgent investment.
Healthcare
The waiting list for dental treatment was unacceptably long and needed to be urgently addressed.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Education provision was underutilised at HMP Guys Marsh. The Board would welcome greater incentives for attending courses. The culture of attending work was not embedded in prison life. Attendance at work on some wings was unacceptably low. The number of work placements available needed expansion.
Safety
Repeated
The Board regretted the refusal of HMPPS to deal with drone incursions in what we would consider an appropriate manner. Wings were generally unkempt in appearance, with rubbish bags near exit doors being left to fester for days at a time. The whole issue of decency across the estate showed a further decline during the reporting period. The Board had considerable misgivings about the levels of hygiene in some servery areas.
Other
Repeated
Property continued to be the principal subject of complaints and applications to the Board...Internally, the biggest factor affecting the loss of property was cell clearance, where a prisoner had been removed from his cell without the opportunity to bag up his property, leaving it to the wing staff to complete...The Board has concerns about the high number of compensation payments to prisoners as a consequence of incomplete cell clearances.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The reporting year began with staff shortages leading to a restricted regime, with 13 vacancies and over half of officers having less than two years' experience. Key working remained an aspiration that could not be fully implemented due to insufficient staffing resources. Kitchens also experienced staff shortages, indicating ongoing challenges in maintaining adequate personnel across the establishment.
Healthcare
The transition to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust as the healthcare provider was seamless, with good clinical staffing for general healthcare, including three days of GP cover. However, the mental health team faced initial staff shortages, leading to longer waiting times for psychiatrists. The waiting list for dental treatment remained unacceptably long, requiring urgent attention.
Regime & Daily Life
The reporting year began with a restricted regime due to staff shortages, causing restlessness and confusion. Later in the year, a new regime was introduced to promote a working culture and reward prisoners for attendance. Despite this, education provision remained underutilised, and attendance at work was unacceptably low. The Board suggested expanding work placements and reviewing pay incentives to encourage greater participation in purposeful activities.
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 transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Food, diet, canteen | 6 | 23 | |
| Health (including mental health and dentistry) | 39 | 36 | |
| Other | 12 | 10 | |
| Property | 114 | 118 | |
| Safety (including bullying/self-harm) | 24 | 19 | |
| Security, privileges, discipline and charges | 79 | 91 | |
| Staff behaviour/staff attitude | 8 | 17 | |
| Work, education, activities | 16 | 21 |
Recommendations (11)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 4
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
A total of 16 of the 22 prisoners serving IPP sentences at HMP Guys Marsh have been recalled to prison because of licence breaches. Does the Minister have concerns that there may be insufficient support for these prisoners in the community, given the human and financial costs of such recalls?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
It is vital for public protection that those serving the IPP sentence in prison, whether not yet released or recalled following release, are released only where the Parole Board determines that they may be safely managed in the community. There are 22 prisoners serving IPP sentences at the establishment, 16 of whom are on licence recall.
Recommendation 2
Given the rise in age demographics across the estate, will the Minister consider early release for those prisoners who have reached the age of 70 and no longer present a danger to the community?
Ministry of Justice
Humane treatment
Recommendation 3
Will the Minister work with his colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care to find further ways mental health provision can be extended into the Prison Service in order to avoid lengthy incarceration in isolation of troubled prisoners and those with challenging behaviour?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 4
Will the Minister consider recommending the severest of sanctions for those involved in supplying illicit items into prisons?
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Recommendation 5
Records of prisoner learning achievements can be piecemeal and inaccurate. Has the Prison Service conducted any quality assurance on these records and if so, is the Prison Service confident that these records are fit for purpose?
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Loss of property on transfer between establishments continues to undermine prisoner progress, as well as being costly to the Prison Service in terms of personnel time and compensation payments. Can the transfer process be made more rigorous to avoid these all too frequent events?
HMPPS
Other
Response
This continues to be explored, but the nature of that work means that any such changes are longer-term and, as a result, it was not possible to include it in the new Framework. The introduction of digitally recorded Person Escort Records, including property tags, will assist with investigations for property that is lost in transit with Prisoner Escort and Custody Services’ suppliers.
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The use of drones to drop illicit items into the prison establishment from outside continued to undermine good order in the prison. The Prison Service needs to significantly invest in countering drone activity. What action will the service take to support prison staff with appropriate technology in order to counter the sophisticated and lucrative trade of using drones to deliver drugs and mobile phones to the establishment with such ease?
HMPPS
Safety
Response
Operational Security Group is working closely with partners across government in support of the HMPPS Counter Drone Strategy, with legislative means being explored through the Ministerial office and cross Government leads. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) continues to test counter drone Detect, Track and Identify technology and work with prison staff to complete vulnerability assessments to assess the local risks and seek effective mitigations against the threat of drone intrusions and the subsequent conveyance of illicit items.
Recommendation 8
The Board welcomes and entirely supports the recently appointed Governor’s refreshing vision for the prison, particularly with reference to purposeful activity. At what point can the Governor envisage that positive changes to work provision and attendance will become evident?
Governor / Director
Purposeful Activity
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Are there any ways the Governor and the senior leadership team can further support the provision of education in the establishment to make it more attractive to prisoners?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 10
Out of a population of 500, 300 prisoners are on Enhanced status. Only 80 prisoners can be accommodated in accommodation wings for Enhanced prisoners. Can the Governor see ways of rewarding Enhanced prisoners other than increased gym time and yearly clothes parcel allowances, incentives that are already in place?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the refurbishment of the multi-purpose faith room be given a high priority for investment considering the negative message it sends out to faith groups, which have to use it in a damp condition whenever it rains?
Governor / Director
Estate