Prison
Cat C, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Stoke Heath
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 8 November 2022
HMP/YOI Stoke Heath maintained a safe and positive environment during the reporting year ending March 2022, despite ongoing Covid challenges. Key positives included improved in-cell telephony, good routine GP access, and declining use of force. However, significant concerns persist regarding the slow restoration of the key worker scheme, inadequate vocational training and resettlement support, and persistent delays in dental care and access to mental health beds.
Positive Findings
Stoke Heath maintained a safe, positive environment, fostering positive staff-prisoner relationships and helping prisoners feel safe. The introduction of in-cell telephony significantly improved the lived experience, while kitchen staff were commended for their accommodating approach and food quality. Self-harm incidents remained relatively low, and use of force declined year-on-year. Healthcare services showed excellent recovery and restoration with reduced GP waiting times and increased on-site diagnostics. The Board welcomed the return to classroom learning and the Governor's proactive engagement with employers for resettlement, alongside the successful Health and Wellbeing Champions (HAWCs) initiative.
Key Concerns
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Funding for appropriate, high-quality, and employer-driven vocational activity, training, and qualifications remains inadequate, limiting rehabilitation and resettlement opportunities.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Basic maths and English qualifications are not achieved earlier in prisoners’ sentences, limiting focus on vocational training at resettlement prisons.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Prisoners arrive at Stoke Heath without a completed offender assessment (OASys) which includes sentence plan objectives, hindering timely support for resettlement and reoffending risk reduction.
Staffing
Repeated
The full key worker scheme has not been restored to the necessary standard, resulting in insufficient contact and quality support for prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The ageing hot water and heating system is temperamental and its replacement has been delayed until spring 2023.
Healthcare
Unacceptable delays persist for prisoners needing dental treatment, with routine appointments averaging 36 days.
Mental Health
Access to regional in-patient mental health beds is exceptionally difficult due to insufficient spaces, compromising prisoners' mental and physical health.
Mental Health
The Trust providing secondary mental healthcare has been unable to replace the occupational therapist.
Staffing
Recruitment and retention of healthcare staff continue to be a challenge, mainly due to location and NHS pay constraints.
Resettlement/Release
A change of regional service providers (NACRO) has resulted in particularly poor resettlement outcomes, with a significant decrease in the percentage of prisoners securing accommodation on release (only 75% had accommodation, down from 95%).
Regime/Time Out of Cell
No specialised treatment or rehabilitation programme is available for prisoners serving imprisonment for public protection sentences and life sentences on their dedicated wing.
Resettlement/Release
Prisoners in the Clive unit experience a lack of contact with prison staff and access to support with resettlement, such as employment advisers or guidance on banking and future accommodation.
Safety
One life-changing assault on a prisoner occurred in early February.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The full key worker scheme has not been reintroduced quickly enough since its suspension during Covid, with many prisoners not receiving adequate contact or quality support. The Board considers the individual regular support from a key worker critical for prisoner wellbeing, mental health, safety, and rehabilitation. Recruitment and retention, particularly for healthcare staff, remain challenging due to the prison's location and NHS pay constraints.
Healthcare
Healthcare services focused on recovery and restoration post-Covid, with a high vaccination uptake helping manage an early 2022 outbreak without hospitalisations. Routine GP access is very good (2-day wait), but dental waiting times are unacceptably long (36 days for routine appointments). Access to regional in-patient mental health beds is exceptionally difficult due to insufficient spaces, and the on-site decommissioned facility, if refurbished, could be a substantial regional resource. Recruitment and retention of healthcare staff continue to be a challenge.
Regime & Daily Life
Covid restrictions frequently required prisoners to remain in cells for up to 23 hours a day; however, staff and prisoners adapted well, with positive relationships aiding the transition back to a fuller regime. Group activities and services, including chaplaincy and gym sessions, were suspended or limited during outbreaks but have recommenced, though sometimes in a more restricted manner. Education saw reduced class sizes and engagement due to social distancing requirements, impacting accreditation.
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 | 7 | 2 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 2 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives schemes, sanctions | 10 | 1 | |
| Equality | 11 | 17 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 20 | 23 | |
| Food and kitchens | 5 | 4 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 54 | 46 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 7 | 10 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 33 | 33 | — |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 36 | 24 | |
| Property within this establishment | 25 | 34 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 11 | 2 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 57 | 46 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 49 | 50 | |
| Transfers | 31 | 20 |
Recommendations (6)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 3
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Increase funding and prioritise appropriate, high-quality and employer-driven vocational activity, training and qualifications to help reduce reoffending.
Other
(minister)
Education
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Basic maths and English qualifications should be achieved earlier in prisoners’ sentences to allow more focus on vocational training and qualifications at resettlement prisons such as Stoke Heath.
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners coming to Stoke Heath should be accompanied by a completed offender assessment (OASys) which includes sentence plan objectives assessing the risk of harm, risk of reoffending and educational needs.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
The prison should continue to furnish prisoners with the skills that are currently in demand in the workplace. This should include working closer with industry to encourage training within the prison and meaningful employment upon release.
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 5
Repeated
A full keyworker scheme should be restored to give the prisoners the best chance of success.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The prison should continue to prioritise the replacement of the heating and hot water system, to start in early 2023.
Governor / Director
Estate
Other IMB Reports for Stoke Heath
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
9 Jan 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 3
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.