Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Buckley Hall
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 6 December 2023
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C prison, reported a population of 465 against an operational capacity of 469 for the year ending July 2023. The Board observed positive staff-prisoner relationships, new mental health initiatives like 'The Hive', and an employment hub aiding resettlement. Key concerns included low establishment stability, delays in prison maintenance and transfers, the negative impact of the IPP resentencing decision, and persistent regime disruptions due to staffing shortages and roll call errors.
Positive Findings
The Board observed staff treating prisoners well and building good working relationships. Use of force incidents are professionally carried out and scrutinised. The morning briefings are positively reviewed and observed by other establishments. A new neurodiversity service and a new psychologist have been introduced, and the mental health 'Hive' provides opportunities for learning and socialising. An employment hub has opened to assist with resettlement, and the prison visitors scheme has improved uptake significantly. The drug strategy has also improved with more prisoners engaging with DARS.
Key Concerns
Safety
The stability at Buckley Hall is low throughout the establishment.
Safety
CCTV has still not been installed within the healthcare building, resulting in additional staff being allocated to manage the risk during the dispensing of medication.
Mental Health
The decision to reject the resentencing recommendation for IPP prisoners has had a very negative impact, especially on those men who have never been released.
Resettlement/Release
There is a long wait for recategorisation and signing off by the minister to enable those who are ready to progress to a category D prison.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
There is a great inconsistency across the prison estate for prisoners as to what they can and cannot have as property items and the quantity they can store/transfer.
Overcrowding
An increase in new prisoners arriving to Buckley Hall, who would not normally be placed there, is causing disruption.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There has been very slow progress in both the maintenance of the prison, in particular the installation of new showers and repairs, as well as the delay in transfers taking place promptly as a result of the overcrowding within the prison population.
Healthcare
Issues with medication dosages being reduced too often, with changes not thoroughly explained to the patient.
Mental Health
Prisoners with severe mental health issues are kept in the segregation unit for far longer than they should be as places at secure hospitals are difficult to secure.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Roll call is too often wrong and needs recounting, leading to a stand fast which disrupts gym sessions, health appointments, and work.
Staffing
Wings are regularly locked down on rotation because of staffing levels and staff training.
Healthcare
There is a long waiting list for physiotherapy, as there was no service available for some time.
Safety
Concerns were raised about an elderly, stooped prisoner who needed a walking stick being handcuffed to an officer for a hospital visit.
Resettlement/Release
Parole board recommendations appear to be not implemented promptly if at all, with only 3 out of 9 recommended transfers granted as of July 2023.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staff have generally good relationships with prisoners, and additional key workers have been employed, some focusing on young, IPP, and care leaver prisoners. However, wings are regularly locked down due to staffing levels and staff training, and there was a high dependency on agency staff during the year. Staffing issues also prevent the gym from restarting accredited courses.
Healthcare
Nurse-led and triage clinics are held on the wings, and a new neurodiversity service has been introduced. A new psychologist has started, and the mental health team has opened the 'Hive' for prisoner activities. Waiting times for GP appointments are 7-8 days and dental appointments are 6 weeks. However, issues with medication dosages being reduced without thorough explanation are causing problems, and a long waiting list exists for physiotherapy. The lack of CCTV in healthcare requires extra officers during medication dispensing.
Regime & Daily Life
Buckley Hall combines enrichment activities with employment and education to encourage purposeful activity, aiming to get all prisoners occupied daily. However, the establishment reports low stability. Frequent errors in roll calls lead to stand fasts, disrupting gym sessions, health appointments, and work. Wings are regularly locked down due to staffing levels and training, though attempts are made to provide extra time out of cell when possible. Personalised timetables are planned to ensure full-time occupation for most prisoners.
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 | 36 | 35 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 4 | 2 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 24 | 24 | — |
| Equality | 5 | 6 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 15 | 11 | |
| Food and kitchens | 6 | 5 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 53 | 32 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 42 | 38 | |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | 0 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 31 | 52 | |
| Property within the establishment | 41 | 50 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 29 | 21 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 48 | 77 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 7 | 7 | — |
| Transfers | 10 | 7 |
Recommendations (7)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 4
Recommendation 1
When are these men (IPP) going to be allowed the opportunity to prove that they do not pose a risk to the public and what support will be put in place to assist their reintegration into society?
Ministry of Justice
resettlement
Recommendation 2
Is there a plan to improve the recategorisation and signing off by the minister to enable those who are ready to progress to a category D prison?
Ministry of Justice
resettlement
Recommendation 3
Are there any intentions of streamlining property policies and introducing a standard policy applicable to all prisons, given the significant issues during transfers due to inconsistency?
HMPPS
regime
Recommendation 4
When will CCTV be installed in Healthcare?
Governor / Director
safety
Recommendation 5
What measures are being implemented to review any poor performance with the Amey contract?
Governor / Director
estate
Recommendation 6
When will the handyman scheme be rolled out?
Governor / Director
estate
Recommendation 7
The Board would recommend that the existing configuration of chairs for prisoners and visitors is maintained.
Governor / Director
regime
Other IMB Reports for Buckley Hall
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
12 Feb 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 4
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.