Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Onley
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 8 August 2023
HMP Onley, a Category C training and resettlement prison, faced significant challenges primarily due to persistent officer staff shortages during the reporting year. These shortages severely impacted the daily regime, key work delivery, access to education and workshops, and overall purposeful activity, leading to prisoners spending prolonged periods in their cells. The Board also raised concerns about illicit substances, food quality, and delays in prisoner property, while commending positive staff-prisoner relationships and efforts in resettlement and employment on release.
Positive Findings
The Board observed positive relationships between staff and prisoners, and cell bell response times improved during the reporting year. A full shower refurbishment was completed, and in-cell telephony was well received. The complaints process was managed well with 97% of complaints responded to within five working days. The Board commended the achievement of 16% employment on release, despite challenges. Accommodation repairs were effectively managed, and segregation reviews were conducted respectfully by experienced, professional staff. By the end of the reporting year, the kitchen was almost fully staffed.
Key Concerns
Substance Misuse
Illicit substances were still prevalent in the prison despite enhanced security measures.
Safety
The enhanced gate security (EGS) was not always operational due to staff shortages. This meant staff and visitors were not always searched.
Mental Health
Poor mental health, frustration with the regime and debt issues were main triggers for self-harm.
Staffing
Repeated
The key work system was severely affected by officer staff shortages.
Food/Catering
Food supply chain issues and kitchen staff shortages raised concerns over food quality, healthy options, portion sizes and choices.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board was concerned about the amount of time prisoners remained in their cells.
Healthcare
Repeated
There was an absence of in-cell lockers for prisoners taking in-cell prescription (ICP) medicines.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Access to education, library services and workshops was affected by officer staff shortages and a part-time working regime.
Staffing
Repeated
Instructor staff shortages contributed to a lack of available workspaces for the prison population.
Staffing
Repeated
Officer shortages on the wings meant that prisoners did not always receive regular key work sessions.
Staffing
Repeated
Staff shortages had an impact on all areas of the establishment and the daily life of the prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Cell windows remain not fit for purpose and their replacement is needed.
Food/Catering
The food budget appears insufficient to ensure that prisoner meals are of a sufficient quality and quantity.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
The loss or delay of prisoner property is a problem and a main area of complaint despite the introduction of the Prisoners’ Property Framework.
Segregation
Repeated
Recategorised prisoners are still waiting in the CSU far too long prior to a transfer to a B category establishment.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Still some delays in prisoners gaining access to TSP which is delaying D category eligibility.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The poor state of the windows in the older parts of the prison.
Mental Health
Repeated
Lack of access to professional counselling services or talking therapies.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Officer staff shortages severely impacted the key work system, leading to monthly session achievement rates between 12% and 48%. Staff shortages affected all areas of the establishment, with staffing levels still 50+ below required numbers. Officers frequently moved wings, disrupting relationship building. Recruitment and retention remained an ongoing issue.
Healthcare
Healthcare requirements were generally met, but complaints arose regarding medication and appointment access. A change in contract provider led to staff depletion and clinical vacancies, impacting long-term condition management and vaccination programs. Vacancies persisted for practice nurses, an advanced nurse practitioner, mental health leads, and psychologists. Waiting times remained long, with initial dental assessments at 22 weeks and opticians at 18 weeks. The absence of in-cell lockers for ICP medicines remained a concern.
Regime & Daily Life
The Board was concerned about the amount of time prisoners spent in their cells. Staff shortages led to a part-time working regime and significantly affected access to education, library services, and workshops. During weekends and evenings, wings were routinely in patrol state with prisoners behind their doors for prolonged periods, though duty governors worked to redeploy officers. A full-time regime was envisaged for May 2023, but instructor shortages meant fewer than 50% of prisoners would access education or work.
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 | 10 | 18 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 8 | 11 | |
| Confidential Access | 8 | 12 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 3 | 10 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 3 | 3 | — |
| Food and kitchens | 12 | 12 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 34 | 44 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 17 | 17 | — |
| Miscellaneous | 87 | 52 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 107 | 146 | |
| Property within the establishment | 33 | 24 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 11 | 22 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 49 | 67 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 61 | 37 | |
| Transfers | 24 | 34 |
Recommendations (10)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 5
Governor / Director: 4
8 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What further assistance can be given to recruitment in an area where employment levels are high and salaries are slightly above the national average, to address staff shortages that have an impact on all areas of the establishment and the daily life of the prisoners?
Other
(minister)
Staffing
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can a date be given for when the capital bid for replacement windows, approved in 2019, will be carried out?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 3
Will there be any review of the food budget, which appears insufficient to ensure that prisoner meals are of a sufficient quality and quantity?
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What additional support can be made available to increase the number of qualified instructors, given that a lack of instructors has had an impact on available workshop spaces?
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What further support can be provided to ensure key work is delivered consistently and to a high standard for all prisoners despite the shortage of prison officers?
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will you ensure that the situation regarding the loss or delay of prisoner property is improved, given it remains a problem and a main area of complaint despite the introduction of the Prisoners’ Property Framework?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When is it envisaged that a full and sustainable regime will be available to all prisoners in HMP Onley?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What action can be taken to ensure there is improvement in the management and processing of property and that it is issued to prisoners in a timely manner?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 9
When will there be a return to full mandatory drug testing (MDT)?
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What local actions are underway to improve officer staffing levels, given that prison officer shortages impacted on the daily life of prisoners and on the implementation of key work as intended in the offender management in custody (OMiC) model?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Other IMB Reports for Onley
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.