Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
The Mount
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 2 August 2023
HMP The Mount faced a challenging year ending February 2023, marked by a severe drug crisis involving Fentanyl-laced Spice, resulting in nine deaths, five of which were drug-related. Persistent staffing shortages led to a restrictive regime, limiting prisoners' access to education, work, and purposeful activity. Key concerns included overcrowding from cell doubling, significant healthcare waiting times exacerbated by escort shortages, and a failure to deliver adequate resettlement and offending behaviour programmes, contributing to an increase in prisoner complaints.
Positive Findings
The Board observed improvements in prisoner treatment as lockdown eased, noting good staff-prisoner relationships and the appreciation for in-cell technology aiding family contact. The estate was generally clean, with prisoner-painted murals and fresh produce from the farms and gardens. The quality of food was often complimented, and healthcare staff were noted for providing good care in the CSU. The Offender Management Unit consistently met deadlines for reviews and Parole Board hearings despite challenges.
Key Concerns
Substance Misuse
The prison is in the midst of a crisis caused by the ready availability of a particularly pernicious form of Spice laced with Fentanyl. Code Blues are common and sadly there were nine deaths in custody, five of which were apparently of drug overdoses.
Staffing
Repeated
As last year, staffing levels are a major concern, particularly as the number of prisoners increases. The continued loss of experienced officers means that there are fewer opportunities for mentoring when new recruits arrive, and too often they have to go straight into the front line, due to staff shortages.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Education programmes have not improved during the reporting period, due to the lack of investment. Too few prisoners are enabled to access programmes to help them on release. During the year 50% of workshops stood empty due to the lack of instructors or any meaningful activities leading to qualifications to improve employment opportunities on release.
Overcrowding
A major concern is the conversion of single-person cells to two-person cells, and the total lack of any form of privacy and storage capacity for personal property.
Healthcare
Unfortunately, the cancellation of hospital appointments has got worse during the year. Appointments in healthcare are also now hugely affected by the lack of escorts. While the prison agrees that health should be a priority, they always seem to be asked to cancel escorts because of officer shortages.
Resettlement/Release
It is disappointing that, with the number of prisoners waiting for category D transfer, the prison still fails to provide release on temporary license (ROTL) opportunities, despite a number of local companies being interested.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels at HMP The Mount remained a major concern throughout the reporting period, showing no improvement despite national recruitment efforts. The shortage of prison officers and instructors led to limited access to education, programmes, and activities for prisoners. Experienced officers were leaving, hindering mentoring for new recruits who often went straight to the front line due to shortfalls. This issue also impacted the PE department and the Offender Management Unit, both operating significantly understaffed.
Healthcare
Healthcare services at HMP The Mount, provided by Practice Plus Group, faced significant challenges. Hospital appointment cancellations increased due to a lack of escort staff, and waiting times for various appointments, including dentistry (25 weeks) and optometry (12-24 weeks), lengthened. While mental health referrals rose, access to dentistry was restricted by regime and ventilation issues. The prison also demonstrated limited palliative care and inadequate facilities for disabled prisoners, particularly for wheelchair access in residential units.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime at HMP The Mount was severely impacted throughout the year by staffing shortages and periods of COVID-19 outbreak classification, leading to extensive lockdowns where prisoners were confined to their cells for up to 23 hours a day. While the regime slowly began to relax towards the end of the period, prisoners still experienced very limited time out of cell, particularly if not in work. This restrictive environment significantly hampered access to education, activities, and overall purposeful activity.
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 4
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
The Board is concerned that, as a training and resettlement prison, the prison is failing to provide meaningful education, employment and training. This is made worse by the prison having a number of short-term prisoners arriving. Too many prisoners are released before completing their offending behaviour programmes and with no accommodation on release.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
As last year, staffing levels are a major concern, particularly as the number of prisoners increases. The continued loss of experienced officers means that there are fewer opportunities for mentoring when new recruits arrive, and too often they have to go straight into the front line, due to staff shortages.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 3
Education programmes have not improved during the reporting period, due to the lack of investment. Too few prisoners are enabled to access programmes to help them on release. During the year 50% of workshops stood empty due to the lack of instructors or any meaningful activities leading to qualifications to improve employment opportunities on release.
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 4
There needs to be a complete overhaul of the use of the workshops and how they can better serve the needs of prisoners in terms of training and future employment.
HMPPS
Purposeful Activity
Recommendation 5
Some free flow movement throughout the prison must be introduced to enable prisoners to access education, workshops and other activities.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 6
The use of prisoners in helping to maintain the estate, like the decoration of some wings, was very successful and should be employed much more.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 7
The conversion of single cells to doubles needs to be monitored to ensure that prisoners’ health and wellbeing are not adversely affected.
Governor / Director
Overcrowding
Recommendation 8
It is disappointing that, with the number of prisoners waiting for category D transfer, the prison still fails to provide release on temporary license (ROTL) opportunities, despite a number of local companies being interested.
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Other IMB Reports for The Mount
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
11 Nov 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 3
Activity: 1
Release: 3
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.