Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Erlestoke
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 16 August 2023
HMP Erlestoke, a Category C training prison, held 467 prisoners with an operational capacity of 468 during the reporting year ending March 2023. The prison experienced a reduction in self-harm incidents to 215 and violent incidents to 102 (65 prisoner-on-prisoner, 37 prisoner-on-staff), with no deaths in custody. Key improvements included enhanced gate security and the introduction of in-cell laptops for prisoners. However, significant challenges persist, notably chronic staff shortages across healthcare, education, and key working, persistent issues with illicit substances, and an inadequate constant watch cell. Delays in essential building works and national issues like parole restrictions for IPP prisoners continue to impede progression and resettlement efforts.
Positive Findings
The Board observes that prisoners remain relatively safe, with a decrease in both violent incidents and self-harm. Improved security measures, including metal detection arches and x-ray scanning, have been a positive addition. The introduction of in-cell telephones and laptops has significantly enhanced prisoners' lives, aiding communication and access to services. The Employment Hub is well-established, offering practical help and job opportunities to those nearing release. Chaplaincy provides a high standard of faith and pastoral support, easily accessible via laptops. The digital team and various art and music programs provide welcome distraction and skills development, contributing positively to prisoners' wellbeing.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
What solutions can be offered to prisoners who have done everything possible to prove eligibility to move to open prisons but who are now being denied this due to a more restrictive approach to parole?
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
What hope can be given to IPP prisoners, some 10% of Erlestoke’s population, now that the recommendation by the Justice Committee for resentencing has been rejected?
Mental Health
Repeated
What long term strategy is in place to address the chronic shortage of suitable mental health provision?
Food/Catering
Repeated
When will the non-pay budget be increased to allow the local governor to set a sensible and realistic food budget (despite the slight rise in April 2023), given that food prices have risen more than 20% over the past three years?
Estate/Conditions
How will the lack of a long-term maintenance plan and GFSL’s performance be addressed?
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
What reassurance can be given that the revised dates for occupation of the replacement wings will not be delayed yet again, thus impacting the delivery of the PR?
Healthcare
Repeated
What action is being taken to ensure that additional healthcare facilities and staff will be provided when the prison’s operational capacity increases?
Substance Misuse
What additional long term strategies can be put in place to substantially reduce access to illicit substances?
Safety
What immediate actions will be taken to address the inadequate and potentially dangerously deficient constant watch cell?
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
What steps will be taken to increase the number of meaningful job opportunities for prisoners?
Regime/Time Out of Cell
What plans are in place to increase time out of cell at weekends?
Estate/Conditions
What actions will be taken to improve first night accommodation?
Regime/Time Out of Cell
What steps will be taken to make the induction programme more concise?
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
How will the lack of suitably adapted cells for disabled people be addressed?
Healthcare
Repeated
Over 40% of first assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) reviews do not have the benefit of healthcare input, which impacts on the safety of prisoners – how will this issue be addressed?
Healthcare
Repeated
What is the solution to improve the IT infrastructure so medical records can be accessed by healthcare staff across the estate to ensure prisoners are not put at risk?
Mental Health
What plans are in place to recruit additional staff to the mental health team?
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Erlestoke has experienced persistent difficulties in filling staff vacancies, particularly in education, vocational supervision, and healthcare. While staffing levels were generally maintained and turnover was stable, the need to deploy officers to other prisons with staff shortages created local impacts, leading to reduced key working sessions. Healthcare teams faced resignations during a provider change and ongoing recruitment challenges, relying on bank staff and contingency plans. The mental health team also required rebuilding and continues to operate with unfilled vacancies due to the prison's remote location, affecting service provision.
Healthcare
A change in healthcare provider from Avon & Wiltshire to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust created initial disruption, staff resignations, and unsettlement, though careful planning ensured patient appointments were not cancelled. Persistent issues include inadequate IT infrastructure in reception, impeding proper health screening, and low healthcare attendance (57.5%) at first ACCT reviews, especially out-of-hours. The healthcare building itself is not fit for purpose, with a leaking roof and insufficient clinic rooms, and there are no plans for improvements or increased staffing despite projected population growth. Dental services faced an eight-month delay due to a broken suction machine, creating a significant backlog, while the mental health team, despite dedicated work, is under-resourced to meet the needs of a caseload representing 40% of the population, including many complex prisoners unsuitable for a Category C environment.
Regime & Daily Life
After Covid-19 restrictions eased, the prison returned to a more normal weekday regime, but two hours of evening association were removed from October 2022. From December 2022, the weekend regime was significantly reduced due to staff shortages, leaving prisoners on standard wings in their cells for up to 21 hours on alternate weekend days. Delays in replacing residential wings have severely impacted the delivery of the Progression Regime, leaving participants frustrated by dispersed housing and a lack of dedicated facilities. Furthermore, staff shortages in education and vocational training have limited purposeful activity, contributing to enforced idleness, particularly during the two-week induction program. While in-cell laptops offer positive engagement, the Drug Recovery Wing struggles with discontent over restricted out-of-cell time and limited 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 | |
| Adjudications | 1 | 1 | — |
| Discrimination | 2 | 2 | — |
| Food | 2 | 4 | |
| Healthcare (including dental) | 10 | 12 | |
| Other | 35 | 31 | |
| Property | 13 | 14 | |
| Total | 111 | 107 | |
| Work/Activities/Education | 3 | 5 |
Recommendations (17)
Other: 4
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 10
10 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What solutions can be offered to prisoners who have done everything possible to prove eligibility to move to open prisons but who are now being denied this due to a more restrictive approach to parole?
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Response
Minister: Additional 660 category D places to be created. 89% of category D moves from Erlestoke.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What hope can be given to IPP prisoners, some 10% of Erlestoke’s population, now that the recommendation by the Justice Committee for resentencing has been rejected?
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Response
Minister: Commitment to IPP Action Plan. Refurbished Kennet wing to offer more places on the Progression Regime.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What long term strategy is in place to address the chronic shortage of suitable mental health provision?
Other
(minister)
Mental Health
Response
Minister: NHS England working to 28-day timeline for transfers.
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will the non-pay budget be increased to allow the local governor to set a sensible and realistic food budget (despite the slight rise in April 2023), given that food prices have risen more than 20% over the past three years?
Other
(minister)
Food
Response
Minister: Budget delegated to Governors; sufficient to meet prison rules.
Recommendation 5
How will the lack of a long-term maintenance plan and GFSL’s performance be addressed?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What reassurance can be given that the revised dates for occupation of the replacement wings will not be delayed yet again, thus impacting the delivery of the PR?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
HMPPS: Completion of Kennet by 31 December 2022; no mention of date for Avebury Unit.
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What action is being taken to ensure that additional healthcare facilities and staff will be provided when the prison’s operational capacity increases?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Response
HMPPS: Population only increasing by 10 so infrastructure can cope.
Recommendation 8
What additional long term strategies can be put in place to substantially reduce access to illicit substances?
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 9
What immediate actions will be taken to address the inadequate and potentially dangerously deficient constant watch cell?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What steps will be taken to increase the number of meaningful job opportunities for prisoners?
Governor / Director
Purposeful Activity
Response
Governor: Action noted
Recommendation 11
What plans are in place to increase time out of cell at weekends?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 12
What actions will be taken to improve first night accommodation?
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 13
What steps will be taken to make the induction programme more concise?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 14
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will the lack of suitably adapted cells for disabled people be addressed?
Governor / Director
Equality
Response
Governor: Action noted
Recommendation 15
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Over 40% of first assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) reviews do not have the benefit of healthcare input, which impacts on the safety of prisoners – how will this issue be addressed?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Response
HMPPS: Healthcare attends if not out of hours; SMT to monitor at performance meetings.
Recommendation 16
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the solution to improve the IT infrastructure so medical records can be accessed by healthcare staff across the estate to ensure prisoners are not put at risk?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Response
HMPPS: Fibre optic connection in May 2022; IT connections in Reception from October 2022
Recommendation 17
What plans are in place to recruit additional staff to the mental health team?
Governor / Director
Mental Health
Other IMB Reports for Erlestoke
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
10 Jun 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.