Prison
Cat B local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Lewes
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 26 July 2023
HMP Lewes continues to face severe challenges, primarily driven by staff shortages that restrict the regime, leaving many prisoners out of cell for only an hour a day. This has contributed to significant increases in self-harm and assaults on staff, while issues with healthcare provision, mental health support, and the decency of accommodation persist. The Board highlights the disproportionate use of force against BAME prisoners and the ongoing lack of resettlement support for those on remand.
Positive Findings
The Board commends the compassionate response of management and staff following deaths in custody. Improvements were noted in refurbishing C wing showers, redecorating common areas with prisoner participation, and repairing bunk beds. Initiatives to encourage prisoners to return from segregation were successful. Healthcare staffing improved from 49% to 70% filled posts, with better relations between PPG and prison staff. The introduction of a dedicated Patient Engagement Lead significantly improved communication and reduced officer workload. The veterans' forum, supported by SSAFA, provided valuable assistance including benefits and employment aid. The chaplaincy team was praised for their hard work and meaningful contribution to prisoner welfare, and one officer was observed demonstrating excellent negotiation skills in a property transfer situation. Repairs to CSU showers and the Wallgate water system were finally undertaken.
Key Concerns
Safety
There has been a near-40% increase in the incidents of self-harm but no increase in the number of assessment, care in custody, teamwork documents (ACCTs) opened.
Safety
There has been a 46% increase in the number of assaults on staff but no corresponding increase in the number of men referred to a challenge, support and intervention plan (CSIP).
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
There is a disproportionate use of force against black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners.
Safety
The inappropriate allocation of men from reception to the vulnerable prisoners (VP) wing resulted in the bullying of vulnerable prisoners and the potential for the bullying of non-vulnerable prisoners once moved to a main wing.
Safety
There is inconsistent supervision of medicine dispensary hatches on wings by prison officers.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board considers the induction process to be inadequate at HMP Lewes.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Prisoners who do not have a job or are not in education or chaplaincy sessions are out of their cells for little more than an hour a day.
Mental Health
The Board is concerned about the inappropriate use of the care and separation unit (CSU) for men with complex and severe mental health needs and those on constant watch.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Board considers that the inadequate provision of washing and drying machines, together with a shortage of kit throughout the year, is not decent.
Estate/Conditions
The Victorian wing housing vulnerable prisoners is served by a temporary boiler which provides inconsistent heating and hot water, which at times causes damp and black mould in some cells on the wing.
Staffing
Repeated
The key work system does not work as planned.
Equality/Diversity
There is inadequate provision for disabled prisoners and those needing palliative and end-of-life care.
Mental Health
Due to staffing issues, mental health services have struggled to keep up with assessments and there have been long waits to see the psychiatrist.
Mental Health
Prisoners requiring secure mental health care are waiting too long for assessment and transfer to hospitals.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Access to education and library services throughout the year has been severely impacted by shortages of prison staff.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Limited numbers of work training places and the small number of jobs available make progress for the majority of men difficult.
Resettlement/Release
Resettlement for sentenced prisoners was generally fine, however, remand prisoners are given no support in this area.
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Lewes was significantly impacted by staff shortages this year, particularly due to a high number of non-effective staff (sick, annual leave, training). While considered relatively well-staffed compared to other prisons, this created immense pressure on available personnel and contributed to prisoner unhappiness, increased self-harm, and assaults on staff. The key work scheme continued to be non-operational as planned. New staff often lacked experience with full wing unlocks, raising informal concerns. Recruitment and retention issues also affected healthcare and chaplaincy teams.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, primarily provided by Practice Plus Group (PPG), faced major challenges in recruitment, retention, and managing patient care, with a reliance on agency staff. Initial healthcare post vacancy rates were 49%, improving to 70% by year-end, though key leadership roles remained vacant. Relations between PPG and prison staff improved over the year, partly due to increased attendance at wing briefings and the introduction of a dedicated Patient Engagement Lead who enhanced patient engagement and reduced complaints. However, staffing shortages continued to impact clinic attendance, resulting in long waiting times for GPs, dentists, and opticians. Mental health services struggled with assessments and psychiatrist availability, and up to five patients at any one time awaited secure mental health beds, sometimes exceeding the 28-day guideline.
Regime & Daily Life
Due to persistent staff shortages, HMP Lewes operated a highly restrictive regime, leaving prisoners without work or education out of their cells for little more than an hour a day, which the Board deemed inadequate and inhumane. Following the lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions, there were attempts to reintroduce activities like education and workshops. However, staff redeployments, Friday afternoon staff training, and consistent weekend restrictions severely curtailed unlock times throughout the year. Prisoners experienced frustration due to limited opportunities for association, time spent waiting to speak with officers, and a lack of purposeful activity.
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 | 3 | 1 | |
| Conditions of detention | 104 | 102 | |
| Employment and training | 24 | 27 | |
| Equality and Diversity | 15 | 18 | |
| Family contact | 41 | 39 | |
| Food | 23 | 18 | |
| General | 25 | 17 | |
| Health care | 89 | 114 | |
| Legal | 12 | 20 | |
| Other | 11 | 12 | |
| Pay | 4 | 4 | — |
| Personal safety | 64 | 63 | |
| Property | 40 | 23 | |
| Religious/faith | 4 | 7 | |
| Respect | 19 | 12 | |
| TOTAL | 534 | 597 | |
| Vulnerable prisoners | 1 | 2 | |
| Wages/money | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (14)
Ministry of Justice: 5
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 6
8 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Will the Minister improve the funding to enable the prison to recruit and retain an adequate number of staff?
Ministry of Justice
Staffing
Recommendation 2
Will the Minister speak to colleagues to seek to ensure that there are sufficient beds in secure mental health hospitals to speed up the transfer of prisoners and support their rehabilitation?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Will the Minister improve the right to access probation and resettlement services for the large number of prisoners held on remand for long periods?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Minister reconsider the recommendation of the Justice Committee to commission a resentencing exercise for all prisoners on imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences?
Ministry of Justice
Other
Response
HMP Lewes houses up to 16 IPP prisoners at any one time. All have accessed and completed the necessary courses in other prisons. Those that come to the attention of the Board are distressed and traumatised by the hopelessness of their situation. The Board is disappointed that the Secretary of State has rejected the Justice Committee’s recommendation for a resentencing exercise for IPP prisoners.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Given the age of most of the prison wings, will the Minister ensure that there is sufficient funding available to make proper repairs to the infrastructure?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Response
The Board has seen some evidence of redecoration. Industrial washing machines and dryers were sourced early in this reporting year but, at the end of the year, have still not been fitted. Fire safety improvements have been undertaken on F wing but there is still no CCTV on this wing housing vulnerable prisoners. Shower refurbishment is ongoing on C wing but has not commenced on G wing. The facilities management meet regularly with senior management.
Recommendation 6
Will the prison service review the staffing budget in prisons and stop the practice of including non-effective staff in staff numbers?
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Will the prison service ensure that maintenance and repairs are carried out in a timely manner and that sufficient funding is available locally to do this?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 8
The Board is concerned that, in the light of the cost of living crisis, the prisoner food budget will very soon be insufficient. When will the prison service be reviewing this?
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 9
Will the Governor ensure that the induction processes at HMP Lewes are improved and that the vulnerable prisoners wing is not used for new receptions in the future?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor do all in her power to increase the number of hours out of cell for all prisoners at HMP Lewes?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
The staff reprofiling exercise was undertaken but not completed in this reporting year. The regime has been further curtailed due to staff shortages and, although education and work places have been available, they have frequently been inaccessible to prisoners due to lack of staff enablement.
Recommendation 11
Will the Governor ensure that all prison staff are aware of the importance of supervising dispensary hatches?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Will the Governor work towards a restoration of the key work scheme to at least pre Covid-19 standards?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 13
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor increase the number of work and education places to allow more men an increase in time out of cell?
Governor / Director
Education
Response
There has been an attempt to maximise the number of work and education places available. However, if prisoners are not allocated work or education their time out of cell has been little more than one hour a day.
Recommendation 14
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor ensure that there are working washing machines and dryers on all wings to enable men to change their clothes regularly, and that men arriving into reception always receive two sets of kit?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
Industrial washing machines and dryers were sourced early in this reporting year but, at the end of the year, have still not been fitted. (See 5.1.4).
Other IMB Reports for Lewes
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
9 Jun 2025
Unannounced
5 Feb 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 2
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.