Prison
Cat B local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Leeds
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 6 September 2023
The IMB report for HMP Leeds covering 2021-2022 found the prison to be generally safe, although expressing concern over 24 deaths in custody and incidents of unsecured doors. While staff-prisoner relationships were mostly satisfactory, issues with staff conduct and an inability to deliver key worker sessions due to shortages were noted. Accommodation remains unsatisfactory, particularly due to cell sharing, and the lack of external mental health places means many prisoners with severe needs are held inappropriately. Positive aspects included healthcare provision, commended catering staff, and successful prisoner engagement in projects like the Lock-In cafe and bird of prey care.
Positive Findings
The IMB generally considers HMP Leeds to be a safe place, with the prison seriously addressing self-inflicted deaths and implementing PPO recommendations. Staff generally treat prisoners with care, dignity, and respect. Healthcare provision compares favourably with community services, receiving positive CQC inspections, and the IMB notes good working relationships with healthcare staff in resolving prisoner concerns. Catering staff are commended for providing over 3000 meals daily despite budget constraints and rising costs. The segregation unit staff are praised for their positive attitude and robust approach, and transgender prisoners are well and sensitively managed. The use of in-cell phones has improved healthcare appointment efficiency, and Q Branch and the bird of prey project demonstrate successful prisoner engagement and therapeutic value. The Lock-In cafe, run by trusted prisoners, and its new take-away service are popular successes. The charity Jigsaw positively supports family contact.
Key Concerns
Safety
The number of self-inflicted deaths in custody during the reporting period is of concern.
Safety
There has been an uncommonly high number of incidents, particularly throughout 2022, where doors and gates have been left unsecured by staff, which poses a risk to the security of the establishment.
Staffing
A significant number of applications received by the IMB are related to the perceived behaviour of staff towards prisoners (e.g., staff being indifferent to their concerns, not responding to requests, speaking to prisoners inappropriately etc.).
Staffing
IMB members have observed staff members swearing both at prisoners and in general conversation. It does not set a good example to prisoners and falls short of the stated aim of treating people with respect.
Overcrowding
Repeated
Sharing of small cells originally built for one and with limited access to fresh air, where prisoners must eat, sleep and use the toilet facility is both undignified and unhygienic.
Resettlement/Release
Prisoners who are sentenced to indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) remain in limbo regarding release dates and the ever present concern regarding recall to prison if they are released. They are often bottom of the pile when it comes to undertaking offence related work or educational or vocational training.
Mental Health
There remain a significant number of men remanded or sentenced to prison with severe mental health issues. Prison staff, who are not trained mental health nurses, deal with these prisoners as best they can but prison is arguably not the right place in which these prisoners should be held. The continuing shortage of mental health places in the community indicates that this problem will not go away.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The pressures of the prison population and Operation Safeguard have meant that B wing has reverted to being a mainstream wing. Consequently the plight of short-term prisoners has not improved.
Estate/Conditions
A big problem in 2022 was that a number of the washers and dryers on the wings were out of use, either needing replacement or new parts.
Staffing
In respect of key workers, planned sessions may be lost as staff are required to cover other duties due to staff shortages as a result of bed watches, training, leave, sickness, deployment etc.
Equality/Diversity
It is of concern that some of the lifts and stair lifts for those with restricted mobility or wheelchair users do not function due to breakdown and the unavailability of parts to repair them. Also, a limited number of cells have been adapted for wheelchair users, with issues like narrow doors and floor 'lips'.
Complaints/Property
Property continues to be a significant issue for prisoners, whether it is in respect of property lost on transfer, property misappropriated by fellow prisoners or misplaced in cell moves, property sent in which does not arrive, property in stored property which cannot be accessed, or compensation claims for property.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board's monitoring capabilities were severely limited due to a low number of IMB members, with only three at the end of the reporting period. There was an uncommonly high number of incidents in 2022 where staff left doors and gates unsecured, posing security risks. A significant number of prisoner applications relate to perceived staff indifference, unresponsiveness, or inappropriate language, with IMB members observing staff swearing at prisoners and in general conversation. Planned key worker sessions are often lost due to staff shortages caused by bed watches, training, leave, sickness, and redeployment, while staff absences also affected routines in chaplaincy. Healthcare employs 85 staff and has introduced wellbeing initiatives like breakfast clubs for its team.
Healthcare
Healthcare at HMP Leeds is provided by Practice Plus Group, employing 85 staff including GPs, pharmacists, nurses, mental health workers, and a dentist. The service compares well with community provision, and a recent Care Quality Commission inspection was positive with no recommendations. In-cell phones have significantly improved the efficiency of triage appointments, reducing DNAs and allowing for more effective use of clinic time. However, there is an increasing and overwhelming number of prisoners with severe mental health issues, many of whom would be better placed in community facilities, which are in short supply. Medication issues are a frequent subject of IMB applications, though healthcare managers are responsive. The prison also operates a 16-cell social care wing (H3) with 24-hour nursing and palliative care, establishing close connections with local hospices.
Regime & Daily Life
Accommodation at HMP Leeds is dated and unsatisfactory, with prisoners often sharing small cells originally built for single occupancy, which lack adequate fresh air and privacy for toilet facilities, and can be unhygienic. The plight of short-term prisoners has not improved, as the dedicated unit was reverted to mainstream due to population pressures. Work to replace the leaky roof on E and F wings only began in 2022 after years of issues. A significant problem in 2022 was the widespread unavailability of working washers and dryers on wings. Purposeful activity in workshops is often repetitive, and prisoners attending work or education for only half-days have reduced opportunities for skill development and lower wages.
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 | 23 | 5 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives, sanctions | 11 | 6 | |
| Equality | 8 | 9 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 9 | 9 | — |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 2 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 46 | 27 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 15 | 11 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 23 | 15 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 16 | 6 | |
| Property within this establishment | 29 | 5 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 9 | 5 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorization | 8 | 6 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 37 | 24 | |
| Transfers | 7 | 0 |
Recommendations (4)
Ministry of Justice: 3
Governor / Director: 1
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Yet again, the IMB must raise the issue of inappropriate accommodation for prisoners. Sharing small cells that were built for single occupancy is difficult at the best of times. Prisoners sharing a cell with someone they do not get on with or have different values or beliefs from is often a recipe for trouble and prisoners have little or no choice about who they share a cell with. In some cases, this leads to threats, fights or assaults and prisoners can feel very fearful. Of course, this is the minority of prisoners and most do accept that this is how it has to be. Added to this is the ignomy of sharing toilet facilities within the confines of a small cell where meals are eaten.
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Recommendation 2
Prisoners who are sentenced to indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) remain in limbo regarding release dates and the ever present concern regarding recall to prison if they are released. The IMBs at Leeds and other prisons in the Yorkshire and Humber region have done some work looking at the overall situation for IPPs who are often bottom of the pile when it comes to undertaking offence related work or educational or vocational training because others with fixed release dates take priority. Thus, there is often little evidence to indicate a prisoner’s reduction in risk, which adversely affects their chances of gaining release.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
It is noted that during the preparation of this report, the government has looked at the situation of IPPs in prison and has concluded that, at this time, there will be no significant change to the current system, leaving IPP prisoners feeling that there is very little hope for them.
Recommendation 3
Is the Minister able to confirm whether or not there are any plans for further diversion schemes to ensure that prisoners with mental health needs get the treatment and care they need outside of the prison system?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 4
In respect of self-inflicted deaths in custody, is there more that could be done to reduce the likelihood of such incidents happening again?
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Leeds
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
23 Mar 2026
IRP
14 Jul 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.