Prison
Cat B training
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Lowdham Grange
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 31 May 2023
HMP Lowdham Grange experienced a challenging reporting year (Feb 2022 – Jan 2023) marked by significant contract transition and refurbishment works. This led to a deterioration in safety, increased self-harm and assaults, and a decline in staff morale and prisoner engagement. Despite some positive healthcare developments like a new wellbeing centre, services remained below community standards, compounded by staffing shortages.
Positive Findings
The Board noted several positive aspects including no deaths in custody, a good standard of catering, and the effective management of the segregation unit by dedicated staff. Relationships with local health and social care services developed well, and a new wellbeing centre is operational. There was also the recruitment of a mental health matron. The Board was pleased that no cases of passive or concerted indiscipline occurred during the year.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
Safety in the prison has deteriorated, and notes that this is the second year running that such a judgement has been made.
Safety
Increased number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, an increase in prisoner self-harm, and the significant number of weapons finds.
Substance Misuse
An underlying economy of drugs and other substance misuse is likely to increase the negative impact of gang cultures at the prison, making prisoners feel less safe.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The lack of any meaningful education programme and the limitations in providing full-time work and structured on-wing activity have led to a significant reduction in purposeful activity and to prisoners continuing to spend long periods locked in their cells.
Healthcare
Healthcare services have continued to be under great pressure throughout the period. Prisoners’ physical and mental health have been given due attention, but the Board considers it to be at a lower standard than that available in the community.
Mental Health
The mental and emotional wellbeing of prisoners remains a significant concern because of the effect of prolonged periods of time spent by prisoners in their cells.
Staffing
The shortages of healthcare staff and the removal of the night staffing cover have increased the risk to the wellbeing of prisoners.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The failure to provide an adequate number of offending behaviour and drug treatment programmes, restricted full-time work opportunities and a limited education service has compromised the overall progression of many prisoners in their sentences.
Safety
Repeated
The Board continues to request that priority be given to holding coroners’ inquests for deaths in custody to provide bereaved families with an understanding of the circumstances of the deaths of their relatives.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Board believes there should be a renewed focus and energy on reviewing the sentences of indeterminate sentenced (IPP) prisoners, as this recommendation from the Justice Select Committee was not accepted.
Resettlement/Release
The Board feels that the amendments to the Parole Board rules, which came into force in July 2022, are denying opportunities for prisoners who are seeking transfer to open conditions or moving towards release.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
To find a speedy solution to ensure that reliable remote video-calling is provided for prisoners at HMP Lowdham Grange. This service has been completely unreliable since it was introduced and has caused many remote calls to be cancelled, causing distress for prisoners and their families.
Other
Repeated
To give renewed emphasis to the development of a national system of storage and retrieval of prisoners’ property when prisoners are moved between prisons. The issuing of a revised framework in August 2022 has brought no change, and greater efforts are needed to find a national solution to this problem.
Staffing
The impending contract changes appeared to have a damaging effect on the morale and attitudes of prison staff on the wings and houseblocks.
Staffing
Prison officers appeared to be spending more time inside the wing offices and they were less visible on the landings. Consequently, they had much less interaction with prisoners and various prisoners have complained of staff appearing disengaged.
Equality/Diversity
The Board is disappointed that some of the major faith festival or observance days were overlooked by prison management during the year.
Mental Health
Some prisoners are still held in the unit for extended periods of time... at least three prisoners have not been transferred to secure mental health facilities during the 14-day window
Mental Health
the segregation unit is not the appropriate place for long-term detention because of the national shortage of beds in secure hospitals
Substance Misuse
alcohol treatment engagement is lower in HMP Lowdham Grange when compared with similar establishments and it is not appropriate, especially because the brewing of hooch remains at high levels
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels and morale were significantly impacted by the impending contract transfer, leading to an exodus of over 30 staff and managers. This resulted in inconsistencies, less engagement with prisoners, and a decline in staff-prisoner relationships. Healthcare services were particularly affected by staff shortages, including the removal of night cover, which raised high-risk concerns. Key worker quality also suffered, requiring further intervention and training.
Healthcare
Healthcare services remained under significant pressure and below community standards, exacerbated by staff shortages, particularly the lack of night cover, creating high-risk situations. Access to various treatments like dental and physiotherapy remained difficult, and medication distribution faced delays. The Board welcomed the recruitment of a mental health matron and the opening of a wellbeing centre but expressed ongoing concerns about the long-term detention of mentally unwell prisoners in segregation due to hospital bed shortages.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was negatively impacted by extensive refurbishment works and the operator's decision to retain cohorting, limiting out-of-cell activities and yard access. This, coupled with a lack of meaningful education and work opportunities, resulted in prisoners spending long periods locked in cells. Regime restrictions and perceived staff shortages also led to prisoners being denied access to faith meetings, the gym, library, and full participation in adjudications.
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 | |
| Canteen/Money/Pay | 23 | 17 | |
| Healthcare/Dental | 18 | 10 | |
| Other | 14 | 22 | |
| Property | 38 | 15 | |
| Rule 45/Segregation | 5 | 4 | |
| Safety/Violence | 6 | 5 | |
| Total | 170 | 127 | |
| Visits/Phone Calls | 9 | 6 | |
| Work/Education/Courses | 12 | 10 |
Recommendations (14)
Governor / Director: 7
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 4
7 repeated
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To strengthen the collaborative working arrangements with the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and its commissioners in order to ensure that the levels of service provided in the prison correspond with the services available in the community. The Board also refers to its concerns about the shortages of healthcare staff in the prison and in particular the lack of night healthcare cover.
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 10
To ensure that staffing levels and resources are brought up to and maintained at the required level to operate the full regime effectively and improve safety within the prison. The Board observes that a more effective regime of searching for drugs and prohibited items, which includes all staff, visitors and contractors, will improve safety and reduce risk in the prison.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 11
To lead in the development of a strengthened working relationship between all prison staff and the members of the Board, which is based on mutual respect for their respective roles and which enables the IMB to fulfil its statutory duty.
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board continues to request that priority be given to holding coroners’ inquests for deaths in custody to provide bereaved families with an understanding of the circumstances of the deaths of their relatives.
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Response
While formal responses were received by the Board about all of these issues, very little progress has been made. For example, the government did not accept the recommendation of the Justice Select Committee to resentence IPP prisoners; and the matter of prisoners with severe mental health disorders is still under review. In the matter of delayed inquests, the Board was informed that inquests for deaths in custody prior to 2021 would be prioritised and completed by May 2023. During the reporting year, two of three delayed inquests were conducted, one of which concluded with HM Coroner issuing a prevention of future deaths notice in January 2023.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board believes there should be a renewed focus and energy on reviewing the sentences of indeterminate sentenced (IPP) prisoners, as this recommendation from the Justice Select Committee was not accepted.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
While formal responses were received by the Board about all of these issues, very little progress has been made. For example, the government did not accept the recommendation of the Justice Select Committee to resentence IPP prisoners; and the matter of prisoners with severe mental health disorders is still under review.
Recommendation 6
The Board feels that the amendments to the Parole Board rules, which came into force in July 2022, are denying opportunities for prisoners who are seeking transfer to open conditions or moving towards release. The Board would like to see the opinions and recommendations of prison and probation staff being given due consideration when such decisions are made.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
To find a speedy solution to ensure that reliable remote video-calling is provided for prisoners at HMP Lowdham Grange. This service has been completely unreliable since it was introduced and has caused many remote calls to be cancelled, causing distress for prisoners and their families.
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 8
To give priority in the matter of resourcing the probation services with regard to pre-release management and to support for prisoners after their release back into the community.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To ensure that high-quality and innovative programmes of rehabilitation, mental health provision, education, skills development and self-improvement are available for all prisoners. This must include defined standards and the minimum number of programmes to be delivered.
HMPPS
Education
Response
Positive formal responses were received on all these issues. However, little progress has been made, with the exception of the FLO training request.
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To give renewed emphasis to the development of a national system of storage and retrieval of prisoners’ property when prisoners are moved between prisons. The issuing of a revised framework in August 2022 has brought no change, and greater efforts are needed to find a national solution to this problem.
HMPPS
Other
Response
Positive formal responses were received on all these issues. However, little progress has been made, with the exception of the FLO training request.
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To deliver a fair and consistent regime that gives all prisoners opportunities to progress through their sentences through the provision of high-quality and innovative programmes of rehabilitation, mental health provision, education, skills development and self-improvement. The regime should also include prisoner-led initiatives and structured on-wing activities supported by prison custody officers (PCOs) and other staff.
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
No formal responses were received on any of these issues, apart from verbal assurances given in respect of adjudications. Even so, the Board has noted that the number of prisoners attending their adjudications fell away by the autumn and prisoners reported that they had not been told of their hearings and/or had not been able to attend for reasons related to the prison regime. With regard to the need for high-quality support and learning programmes to help prisoners progress through their sentences, education provision has been at a very low level throughout the year and prisoners who required level one in numeracy and literacy to obtain jobs could not access courses.
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To strengthen the collaborative working arrangements with the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and its commissioners in order to ensure that the levels of service provided in the prison correspond with the services available in the community. The Board also refers to its concerns about the shortages of healthcare staff in the prison and in particular the lack of night healthcare cover.
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Response
No formal responses were received on any of these issues, apart from verbal assurances given in respect of adjudications.
Recommendation 13
To ensure that staffing levels and resources are brought up to and maintained at the required level to operate the full regime effectively and improve safety within the prison. The Board observes that a more effective regime of searching for drugs and prohibited items, which includes all staff, visitors and contractors, will improve safety and reduce risk in the prison.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 14
To lead in the development of a strengthened working relationship between all prison staff and the members of the Board, which is based on mutual respect for their respective roles and which enables the IMB to fulfil its statutory duty.
Governor / Director
Other
Other IMB Reports for Lowdham Grange
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
3 Mar 2025
Unannounced
8 Jan 2024
IRP
15 May 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 2
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.