Prison
Cat B
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Rye Hill
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 24 August 2023
HMP Rye Hill, a Category B training prison primarily for men convicted of sexual offences, housed 661 prisoners at the end of the reporting year. The Board noted positive developments in prisoner-led initiatives, low violence, and improvements in healthcare provision and education efficiency. However, significant concerns persist regarding the progression and anxiety of IPP prisoners, the lack of compassionate releases, inconsistent medication transfers across the prison estate, and inadequate support for sexual offence prisoners transitioning to release.
Positive Findings
The induction process and prisoner-led initiatives promoting community and relationships were well-run. Violence and illicit item finds remained low. The new incentives policy is embedded and effective, and key worker sessions met targets. Healthcare saw the introduction of a new integrated provider (Practice Plus Group) and improvements such as a new palliative care cell and a proposed on-site dialysis unit. Purposeful activity was significantly enhanced by a successful Media Hub, and education delivery efficiency improved to 82%. Pilot projects like the 'Building Future Network' are supporting long-sentence and IPP prisoners.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
IPP progression and anxiety due to rejected re-sentencing and licence reduction recommendations, particularly for those with complex needs and without dedicated budget provision.
Healthcare
Inconsistent application of processes across the prison estate for ensuring prisoners have sufficient prescribed medication when transferring to Rye Hill.
Healthcare
Repeated
Lack of compassionate releases being agreed despite a number of applications and an increase in terminally ill prisoners dying in custody at Rye Hill.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Challenges faced by prisoners convicted of sexual offences with movements from Category B to C and then to D prisons, often leading to release without specialist support.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Older prisoners are required to retake English and Maths level 1 qualifications to obtain work roles because they cannot prove prior attainment, despite being proficient.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Key worker sessions initially faced staffing difficulties due to staff supporting HMP Five Wells, but improved to meet targets by the end of the reporting period. The key worker process includes allocation during induction, enhanced support for individuals in the CSU, and clear training for new staff. Healthcare experienced some staff vacancies, but multiple applications are being received, and efforts are underway to streamline security clearance processes.
Healthcare
Practice Plus Group became the new integrated healthcare provider in November 2022, commissioned directly by the NHS. Waiting times for GP appointments (2 weeks) and dental appointments (5 weeks) are comparable to community services, though optician waits (10 weeks) are under review. The prison population includes a high percentage of older prisoners with complex and life-limiting conditions, leading to an increasing need for palliative and end-of-life care. A new palliative care cell has been commissioned, and an on-site dialysis unit is being pursued. A review of painkiller prescribing is underway to ensure compliance with 'safer prescribing in prisons 2019' guidance and reduce misuse, prompted by prescription medication being the primary drug found in positive tests.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime has not fully returned to pre-Covid-19 procedures, with association time split on a 50% basis for each unit. However, all prisoners, unless retired, are engaged in meaningful activity during the week and receive structured association in the evenings and weekends. The gym and library have reopened normally, and new gym equipment has been installed in outdoor exercise yards. Purposeful activity hours fluctuated throughout the year, reaching a high of 29.16 hours per week in February 2023.
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 | 3 | 9 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 2 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 7 | 3 | |
| Equality | 6 | 5 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 3 | 5 | |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 1 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 22 | 15 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 9 | 10 | |
| Miscellaneous | 4 | 11 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 8 | 1 | |
| Property within the establishment | 7 | 10 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 14 | 5 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 8 | 24 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 23 | 21 | |
| Transfers | 4 | 1 |
Recommendations (5)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 1
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board is aware of the Justice Select Committee’s IPP review and announcements at the end of the reporting period and also the new initiatives Rye Hill is putting in place to support this cohort. However, we are still concerned that they will make little material difference to those with complex needs without dedicated budget provision. The issue of IPP progression has been repeatedly raised in annual reports and the recent decision to not accept the recommendations around re-sentencing and reducing licence periods has increased the anxiety for these prisoners.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
The Board is concerned that processes designed to ensure prisoners have sufficient prescribed medication with them when transferring to Rye Hill are not being consistently applied across the prison estate.
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board is still concerned that not one compassionate release has been agreed despite a number of applications and despite the increase in the number of terminally ill prisoners dying in custody at Rye Hill.
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board remains concerned that the movements from Category B to Category C and then to Category D prisons represent a particular problem for prisoners convicted of sexual offences and with the increasing number of direct releases (54 this year against only 20 in 2019/2020 reporting year) frequently leaves them being released with no specialist support.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 5
The Board is concerned over the number of older prisoners who have complained to the IMB about being required to retake English and maths level 1 qualifications to obtain a particular work role because they have no way to prove their qualification/s. We would like to see a balanced approach taken when prisoners are clearly proficient in the skills even when formal certificates cannot be produced.
Governor / Director
Education
Other IMB Reports for Rye Hill
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
20 Aug 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 4
Activity: 3
Release: 4
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.