Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Northumberland
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 10 August 2023
HMP Northumberland generally provides a safe and humane environment, with improvements in regime and education post-Covid, and promising employment initiatives like The Recruitment Junction. However, significant challenges persist concerning mental health support and transfers, unreliable healthcare provision, and poor resettlement outcomes, especially regarding post-release employment and housing. These issues, particularly mental health and homelessness, remain areas of repeated concern for the Board.
Positive Findings
The Board notes that the prison is generally safe and treats prisoners fairly and humanely. Post-Covid, the regime has improved access to workplaces and out-of-cell time. Positive initiatives include a partnership with The Recruitment Junction for employment and the creation of a Prison Employment Lead post. Education provision is extensive, well-staffed, and offers good opportunities for skills development up to degree level. The Board also commends the respectful treatment reported by new arrivals and the low self-harm rate for a Category C prison.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
The Board remains concerned about the availability of mental health support for prisoners and the delay in identifying appropriate placements for prisoners with serious mental health conditions.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
men were being released into homeless situations and we sought an assurance that the agencies charged with the responsibility for housing men on release were fulfilling those duties. There does not appear to have been any improvement in this area.
Safety
The general interview at reception to identify potential vulnerabilities needs more privacy.
Safety
HM Inspectorate of Prisons felt that too many ACCTs were closed without adequate exploration of the causes for self-harm, and use of ‘listeners’ – prisoners who receive specialist training to support mental health and wellbeing – could be improved.
Substance Misuse
Drug availability was stated to be easy in the recent HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ survey of prisoners.
Healthcare
There were difficulties with staffing and leadership throughout 2022, leading to instances of unreliable healthcare provision to prisoners.
Resettlement/Release
The proportion of prisoners who are in employment 6 weeks after release underlines poor rehabilitation and release planning. Against a target of 20%, in October 2022 only 12% of prisoners were in employment 6 weeks after release.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing challenges were observed at times, particularly impacting the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) and regime consistency. Despite this, staff-prisoner relationships are generally good, with staff noted as friendly, helpful, and professional. There has been an increase in key worker sessions, and education staffing is reported as good with 39 members of staff in post.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Spectrum, experienced difficulties with staffing and leadership throughout 2022, leading to unreliable provision. Some improvement was noted after new staff, including a GP locum, were recruited in November 2022. However, the Board remains concerned about the lack of mental health support for prisoners with serious conditions and long waiting times for appropriate placements.
Regime & Daily Life
Following the relaxation of Covid restrictions, a revised core day was introduced in July 2022, restoring a more familiar pre-pandemic routine. Prisoners now have improved access to workplaces, with some lunchtime working, and those not working spend 2.5 hours out of their cells daily. Although staff shortages have occasionally disrupted the regime, the prison has implemented changes to maintain consistency and predictability.
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 | 5 | 4 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 4 | 3 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 3 | 1 | |
| Equality | 3 | 3 | — |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 7 | 5 | |
| Food and kitchens | 5 | 2 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 40 | 28 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 12 | 4 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 24 | 8 | |
| Property within the establishment | 21 | 20 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 15 | 1 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 19 | 20 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 20 | 23 | |
| Transfers | 21 | 5 |
Recommendations (2)
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 1
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board remains concerned about the availability of mental health support for prisoners and the delay in identifying appropriate placements for prisoners with serious mental health conditions.
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
The Board would like to see the continuing development of education and employment opportunities for prisoners during their sentences, as well as identifying opportunities when they leave.
Governor / Director
Education & Employment
Other IMB Reports for Northumberland
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.