Prison
Cat Category B (Long-term Training), Category A
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Woodhill
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 22 September 2022
HMP Woodhill faced significant challenges during the reporting year, primarily driven by severe staffing shortages which restricted the regime and impacted prisoner safety, wellbeing, and access to services. While there were positive efforts in areas like Covid-19 response and family contact initiatives, high levels of violence, prolonged segregation, and inadequate progression opportunities remained key concerns. The IMB judges that the prison requires improvement, particularly in addressing staffing, regime delivery, and resettlement support.
Positive Findings
The integrated Covid-19 response led to only one outbreak, and the introduction of window bars positively impacted the prevention of illicit items. Staff in segregation and CSC units demonstrated caring and engaged approaches, fostering good relationships with challenging prisoners. The restart of the prison council and wing forums led to domestic improvements. Chaplaincy services are highly regarded, and the refurbished visitor suite, along with new initiatives like father and child sessions and Storybook Dads, promotes family contact. Art therapy and music groups offer positive therapeutic activities, and the library was restocked and effectively coordinated with education.
Key Concerns
Safety
the high levels of all types of violence
Staffing
Repeated
the high proportion of inexperienced staff, which results in delicate situations being mishandled, inadequate knowledge of rules and processes, and safety being compromised
Staffing
Repeated
the high number of redeployed staff who, whilst bringing much-needed experience, often do not know the prisoners, their triggers and the best way to approach them
Segregation
Repeated
too many prisoners being held in segregation for long periods. There appears to be a lack of options across the Prison Service to support these men.
Other
Repeated
continuing problems with moving prisoners’ property, principally by prisons transferring property to Woodhill
Regime/Time Out of Cell
the impact of the Covid regime and on going staffing restrictions on prisoners’ wellbeing, essential though they may have been to protect their physical health
Healthcare
the severe difficulties caused by the Covid-19 restrictions during much of the year
Healthcare
the high level of cancellations of appointments due to lack of prison staff
Healthcare
the disruption caused by relocating prisoners partway through a hospital-based treatment pathway, resulting in delays with the new healthcare provider
Resettlement/Release
the case workers based in the prison have too high case loads to be effective.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
there are too few offending behaviour programmes to progress prisoners towards parole release
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Covid-19 restrictions meant that education and library provision was curtailed
Resettlement/Release
social visits cannot take place at weekends, limiting contact with family, particularly for working families
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
there are too few work placements to provide men with meaningful activity
Mental Health
Repeated
delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities are reduced
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels and confidence are a significant concern, with attrition rates exceeding recruitment and reliance on redeployed staff impacting regime delivery. Almost two-thirds of prison officers and one-third of supervisors have less than two years' experience, leading to a lack of confidence and consistency. Due to shortages, key workers are only allocated to prisoners with immediate needs, and weekend staffing is particularly problematic, hindering staff-prisoner relationship development.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by CNWL, are understaffed with recruitment difficulties exacerbated by vetting delays. While the Covid-19 response was effectively managed, a significant number of primary care (24.8%) and hospital (41%) appointments were cancelled in May 2022 due to prison staff shortages. Prisoners transferred mid-treatment often face substantial delays in accessing care, and reduced dental capacity leads to long waits, up to 33 weeks, for appointments. The increasing number of prisoners with severe mental health problems and cases of individuals needing healthcare beds remaining in segregation due to bed shortages are ongoing issues.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 restricted regime risks becoming the norm due to staffing shortages, negatively impacting prisoner mental health. Time out of cell averages only 2.5 hours daily, with no regime offered on Wednesday or Friday afternoons, and frequent cancellations due to staff shortages. Many prisoners spend excessive time locked in cells or unlocked with minimal purposeful activity, leading to frustration, aggression, and boredom. Social visits are restricted to weekdays, limiting vital family contact.
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) | 173 | 107 | |
| Bullying/intimidation | 22 | 20 | |
| Canteen | 28 | 26 | |
| Complaints procedure | 46 | 31 | |
| Conditions | 49 | 39 | |
| Disability | 19 | 13 | |
| Discipline/adjudications | 32 | 29 | |
| Family contact | 20 | 18 | |
| Food | 50 | 47 | |
| Healthcare | 70 | 48 | |
| Legal | 43 | 31 | |
| Money/finance | 15 | 12 | |
| Other | 13 | 11 | |
| Pay/wages | 57 | 52 | |
| Property | 122 | 103 | |
| Regime | 73 | 56 | |
| Religious/faith | 25 | 23 | |
| Remission | 17 | 12 | |
| Segregation | 39 | 34 | |
| Staff-prisoner relationships | 75 | 59 | |
| Total | 1,041 | 802 | |
| Visits | 67 | 43 | |
| Work/education/training | 79 | 78 |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 3
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To work with colleagues across government departments to develop a meaningful plan for the recruitment and retention of prison staff.
Ministry of Justice
Staffing
Response
deterioration of situation
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To review the funding provided to prisons for food in the light of the current rise in the cost of living.
Ministry of Justice
Food
Response
limited progress
Recommendation 3
To review the impact of the current staffing levels on prisoners’ lives and develop innovative responses to mitigate these.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To increase the recruitment and retention of uniformed and non-uniformed staff.
HMPPS
Staffing
Response
deterioration of situation
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To redesign the property system, bringing it in line with 21st century distribution practices.
HMPPS
Other
Response
no progress
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To continue to expand the capacity of education and work placements at HMP Woodhill.
Governor / Director
Education
Response
limited progress
Recommendation 7
To continue to support the development of operational staff to increase confidence and consistency of behaviour.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
To work with operational staff to stabilise the amount of predictable time prisoners have out of cell.
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Woodhill
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
17 Mar 2026
Urgent Notification
14 Aug 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 1
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.