Prison
Cat Female Local YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Bronzefield
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 10 January 2024
HMP/YOI Bronzefield is a privately run local prison for female remand and sentenced prisoners, with an average population of 471 and Certified Normal Accommodation of 542. The reporting year saw concerns over staffing shortages impacting regime, increased healthcare complaints following a contract change, and a significant number of prisoners released without safe accommodation. Positive developments included the implementation of PPO recommendations, a new Employment Hub, and re-established gardening team.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomed the implementation of recommendations following the tragic death of Baby A, a new Employment Hub for pre-release prisoners, and the re-establishment of the gardening team which improved external spaces. Other positive developments included a new diversity and inclusion action plan and efficient management of discrimination incident reporting forms (DIRFs). Staff and prisoner relationships were generally positive, and the Board found no excessive use of force. Healthcare provision for antenatal care was thorough, and a mobile breast screening van visited for the first time since the pandemic.
Key Concerns
Healthcare
The lack of a physically present GP at weekends, and only a substance misuse doctor on Mondays, causes particular concern in the assessment of vulnerable new arrivals.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The late arrival of SERCO vans results in some prisoners not receiving the care and attention expected.
Safety
The high, and at times extremely high, incidence of self-harm is mainly attributable to a few prolific self-harmers.
Safety
There has been an increase in violent incidents, mainly deriving from canteen trading (and resultant debt), bullying relating to vapes and poor mental health.
Staffing
Staffing shortages (particularly of experienced officers), coupled with staff training, sickness, leave and the need to deploy staff on bed watches or as escorts, has adversely affected prisoners’ regime, especially at weekends and bank holidays. This has also led to a large number of property related complaints and an increase in prisoner on staff violence.
Complaints/Property
The lengthy delays in dealing with prisoner complaints has led to increasing scepticism as to the point of using the complaints system.
Healthcare
Since the transition of all healthcare services to CNWL, there has been a significant increase in the number of healthcare complaints.
Mental Health
The continued use of the healthcare in-patient facility to house prisoners awaiting transfer to secure psychiatric hospitals, as well as others for whom prison is considered a place of safety, imposes a significant strain on capacity and on staff.
Substance Misuse
The severe and sustained shortage of The Forward Trust’s substance misuse staff has resulted in the number of weekly therapeutic group sessions being cut by two-thirds and a significant reduction in alcohol misuse services.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Almost a year after the closure of the call centre training facility, no alternative is in place. A bicycle repair shop was agreed in December but is still not up and running which is a lost opportunity for prisoners.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The number of prisoners being released without safe and sustainable accommodation remains a significant concern.
Staffing
The shortage of Probation Service staff within the prison continues to hamper the effective management of high-risk prisoners.
Food/Catering
Repeated
Higher canteen prices at HMP/YOI Bronzefield than at other, comparable prisons.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages, particularly of experienced officers, adversely affected the prisoners' regime, especially at weekends, and contributed to increased prisoner-on-staff violence. High staff turnover, doubling for senior officers to 13.6%, exacerbated the issue. The key worker scheme suffered, with only 61 sessions per week against a target of 400 due to low staffing. Additionally, a significant shortage of Probation Service staff hampered the effective management of high-risk prisoners.
Healthcare
The transition of all healthcare services to CNWL in April 2023 led to a significant increase in healthcare complaints and concerns from doctors and nurses about the lack of a physically present GP at weekends. The healthcare in-patient facility was consistently at capacity, strained by housing prisoners awaiting mental health transfers or those considered places of safety. Furthermore, a severe shortage of substance misuse staff resulted in significant cuts to therapeutic group sessions and alcohol misuse services. During the year, 58 prisoners arrived acutely mentally unwell, with 56 transfers to secure psychiatric hospitals, averaging 38 days wait.
Regime & Daily Life
Regime restrictions were frequent throughout the reporting year, primarily due to reduced staffing levels and the need to manage a controlled return to a pre-pandemic regime. Prisoners often experienced lockdowns, particularly at weekends, being locked up for most of the day. A split regime was introduced during the working week, confining purposeful activity to either mornings or afternoons, with limited evening association. A significant concern was the lack of an alternative training facility after the closure of the call centre, with a planned bicycle repair shop still not operational.
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 | |
| Adjudications | 22 | 23 | |
| Canteen/Property/Pay/Money | 93 | 44 | |
| Discrimination | 7 | 8 | |
| Education/Work/Purposeful activity | 14 | 12 | |
| Family contact (including visits) | 26 | 21 | |
| Healthcare | 83 | 68 | |
| Legal | 31 | 30 | |
| Mental health (referrals/transfers) | 16 | 20 | |
| Other | 38 | 29 | |
| Progression/Resettlement | 33 | 24 | |
| Regime/Time out of cell | 27 | 25 | |
| Safety (including self-harm) | 39 | 36 | |
| Staff issues/Treatment by staff | 24 | 22 |
Recommendations (11)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 3
Other: 2
NHS / Healthcare Provider: 2
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What are the Minister’s plans to address this issue?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
The full complement of pre-release officers should be 10. Following the unification of the Probation Service the remaining two members of the pre-release team left the prison in December 2022. No replacements started until May 2023 and by the end of the reporting year there were still only three full time posts being covered. The accommodation worker provided by the women’s service for urgent accommodation referrals was in post for seven/eight months. The post has since been vacant for about four months. As a consequence, the shortage of probation staff at or serving the prison has continued to hamper the provision of accommodation for prisoners throughout the reporting year.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
What are the Minister’s plans to address the number of prisoners coming into prison having been identified as acutely mentally unwell and either requiring section under the Mental Health Act or admission to a secure hospital?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How does the Prison Service plan to provide support to manage these prisoners?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Response
The YA unit has been set up and prisoners are resident there. However, to date no therapeutic services have been put in place and general population overflow issues are impacting the dedicated space. The Sunrise project was launched as a short-term pilot and ran one programme for six prisoners. It is no longer in place. The prison has implemented some of the taskforce recommendations including proposals for a training programme for staff working with prisoners who self-harm.
Recommendation 4
Will the Prison Service support the prison in working with SERCO to address the issues and impact of vans arriving late at the prison?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 5
What plans are in place to re-introduce User Voice or a similar provision?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 6
How does the prison plan to ensure that complaints are handled in line with the Prisoner Complaints Policy Framework?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 7
What plans does the prison have to increase the allocation of key workers to prisoners and the number of prisoner/key worker meetings?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What has the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime done in the last year to increase the availability of accommodation for those prisoners who leave prison with no fixed abode? The Mayor will note from the ‘Progress’ column in paragraph 3.3 below, that none of the initiatives in the ‘Summary Response’ have had any material or lasting positive impact on this issue. The Board has raised this issue annually since 2017.
Other
(other)
Resettlement
Response
The accommodation worker provided by the Women’s Service for urgent accommodation referrals was in post for seven/eight months. The post has been vacant for about four months. No impact to date from women’s prison release practice briefing. No impact to date from working with a local authority to explore dedicated accommodation.
Recommendation 9
How does NHS England plan to address the Board’s concern regarding the lack of a GP physically present at the prison during the weekends, and the fact that there is only a substance misuse GP at the prison on Mondays?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare
Recommendation 10
The Board has noted that there has been a severe and sustained shortage of staff provided by The Forward Trust for recovery services. How does NHS England plan to address this issue as a matter of urgency?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How does Sodexo plan to address the issue of higher canteen prices at HMP/YOI Bronzefield than at other, comparable prisons?
Other
(other)
Food
Other IMB Reports for Bronzefield
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.