Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Whatton
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 6 September 2022
HMP Whatton, a Category C training prison for sexual offenders, commendably maintained a fair and humane routine amidst Covid-19 restrictions, with staff efforts appreciated. Despite improvements in areas like the complaints system and a decrease in self-harm, significant concerns persist regarding the impact of prolonged 22-hour cell lockdowns on prisoner wellbeing, the substandard B wing accommodation, and backlogs in accredited programmes and transfers. Healthcare faced staffing and facility challenges but delivered community-equivalent services.
Positive Findings
The Board commended the Governor, senior management team, and staff for their fair and humane work during a difficult pandemic period, prioritising prisoner welfare. Staff efforts to adapt work and leisure routines were appreciated, maintaining equilibrium. Healthcare services were under pressure but responded efficiently to vaccination programmes and delivered care equivalent to the wider community. Improvements were noted in the complaints system and a decrease in self-harm incidents, partially due to a less restrictive regime. Education attendance was high, and the library system successfully delivered books to prisoners.
Key Concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Mental and emotional wellbeing of prisoners remains a significant concern due to the effect of prolonged periods of time spent by prisoners in their cells.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The substandard accommodation in the B wings continues to raise concerns. B wing contains some of the smallest cells within the prison estate...Although these cells are unfit for purpose, HMPPS is content to allow prisoners to be held in this sub-standard accommodation.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The IMB is concerned about the backlog of prisoners waiting to complete the accredited programmes for which they have been transferred to HMP Whatton to undertake.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
There continue to be delays in transferring category D prisoners to suitable prisons.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
As we have reported every year, the Board continues to receive applications about the loss of prisoners’ property, usually when being transferred from another prison. Responses to prisoners’ complaints from other establishments are often late or not received at all.
Healthcare
Repeated
The accommodation used by healthcare is inadequate and impedes the healthcare provision for prisoners. This has been mentioned in previous reports, and still remains unsuitable.
Mental Health
Repeated
Transfer to secure mental health hospitals has not always been easy, as the prison refers the prisoner, but it is up to the hospital to assess, agree the need for a bed, and await a bed, before the place is available. This sometimes causes great delay and problems for the prison who must deal with the prisoner and has a serious impact upon the mental health of the prisoner.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels were stretched due to Covid-19 absences, impacting both administration and prisoner management, and training was disrupted. Data showed significant staff isolations and Covid-positive cases, but the senior management team commended staff determination. Healthcare services faced shortages, with two managers handling one hundred patients each and unreliable supply staff. The education department also reported six long-standing vacancies hindering planned progress and vocational training development.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Practice Plus Group (with dental by Time for Teeth), operated under significant pressure but maintained baseline services efficiently, including vaccination programmes. Despite staff shortages, particularly in mental health, physical and mental health were prioritised. However, the healthcare unit's accommodation is described as inadequate, cramped, and suffering from mould and damp, making it unfit for purpose, especially given the aging prisoner population with complex needs. Good working relationships between healthcare and prison staff were noted.
Regime & Daily Life
For most of the reporting period, the prison operated under severe lockdown restrictions, resulting in prisoners spending 22 hours per day in their cells. The Board deemed this undifferentiated and, as community restrictions eased, increasingly inhumane. Time out of cell and for exercise was drastically reduced to 30 minutes, fluctuating with Covid cases. While most prisoners understood the reasons and adjusted well initially, many struggled with prolonged isolation and boredom. By November 2021, gym sessions had reopened, and staff enthusiasm helped improve morale, despite instructor shortages.
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/cell move | 35 | — | |
| Appeal | 252 | — | |
| Bullying/discriminating | 28 | — | |
| Canteen/Argos & game orders | 83 | — | |
| Category | 26 | — | |
| Child protection issues | 22 | — | |
| Complaint/problems with staff | 137 | — | |
| Complaint to other prisons | 158 | — | |
| Confidential access | 138 | — | |
| Decency | 88 | — | |
| Food | 89 | — | |
| Incentives scheme | 24 | — | |
| Labour/work/education/gym | 157 | — | |
| Lifer issues/problems | 0 | — | |
| 73 | — | ||
| Medical | 127 | — | |
| Money/postal orders/pay | 76 | — | |
| Newspaper/magazines | 45 | — | |
| OASys/report | 21 | — | |
| Other | 432 | — | |
| Pre-release/release/ROTL | 25 | — | |
| Prisoners | 70 | — | |
| Privileges taken away | 0 | — | |
| Property | 194 | — | |
| Psychological/sex offender. treatment programme issues | 28 | — | |
| Racial | 2 | — | |
| Regime | 115 | — | |
| Telephone/PIN phone | 54 | — | |
| Transfer prison | 31 | — | |
| Visits | 38 | — |
Recommendations (5)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 4
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We ask the minister to look at the evidence and, again, address this issue directly with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to support prisons in providing reasonable and timely support for these prisoners.
Ministry of Justice
mental_health
Recommendation 2
Will HMPPS allot extra funding to ensure that the backlog is eliminated and those who have lost out have access to those courses that are important to them in a timely programme for their progress through prison?
HMPPS
education
Recommendation 3
Will the Prison Service advise when the energy-saving solar panels will be installed at HMP Whatton?
HMPPS
estate
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Prison Service develop a reliable system of handling and tracking prisoners’ property, to reduce these unacceptable losses and to minimise the number of compensation claims?
HMPPS
complaints
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Prison Service, once again, consider substantial refurbishment or replacement of the healthcare facilities so that they match those expected in the community?
HMPPS
healthcare
Other IMB Reports for Whatton
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
15 Jan 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.