Prison
Cat C resettlement YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Rochester
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 1 September 2022
HMP/YOI Rochester managed to maintain a stable and safe environment despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions during the reporting year. However, this came at the cost of a highly restrictive regime, confining prisoners to cells for 22 hours daily, which the Board considered inhumane. Significant challenges persist, including dilapidated accommodation, severe IMB understaffing, recurring property issues, and a backlog of Category D transfers, all impeding prisoner progression and resettlement.
Positive Findings
HMP/YOI Rochester maintained a stable, safe, and decent environment during a challenging year with COVID-19 restrictions, a considerable achievement. The introduction of an airport-style searching pod and enhanced searching significantly improved contraband prevention, and social video calls were a welcome innovation for family contact. The Board commended staff for swift actions in preventing self-harm and noted good relationships between staff and prisoners. Healthcare provision, including mental health and drug recovery, was found to be good, with praises from NHS England for mass testing initiatives.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Board retains its view that re-offending rates cannot be reduced unless there is suitable accommodation for all prisoners who have completed their sentence or are being released on HDC. Bail accommodation and support service (BASS) accommodation is limited in the south east, and the Board urges the minister to look into this further to see how more accommodation can be provided.
Other
During the reporting year, the Rochester Board reduced to six active members from an establishment of 14. Consequently, it is finding it increasingly challenging to discharge its statutory duties.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The accommodation at HMP/YOI Rochester is very poor, and in the Board’s view, just about providing a minimal standard of accommodation. The Edwardian buildings on the old site are dilapidated and challenging to keep maintained; and the newer pre-fabricated buildings have exceeded their original use dates by several years, and are beset with poor ventilation as well as ongoing water supply and heating issues.
Other
Repeated
Property losses on transfer: yet again, there appears to have been no progress in resolving the problems which occur when a prisoner and their property are transferred between establishments. Frustratingly, items are still going missing and unnecessary delays occurring.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
There continue to be too many category D prisoners in Rochester awaiting transfer to open conditions. More category D accommodation needs to be resourced. It is unfair for prisoners to be encouraged to gain category D status, when the opportunities for transfer to open conditions are so limited.
Safety
Repeated
While there has been some improvement in cell clearance checks, it still remains haphazard and many are not conducted properly, particularly when an individual is moved to the CSU.
Staffing
While additional staffing hours have been profiled for the property office, the Board’s experience is that it is often unmanned. It has found that that those who undertake a shift in the property office have not had the opportunity to learn the job properly.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
For the majority of the reporting period a restrictive regime was in place which allowed for two hours of association per day for each prisoner. In normal circumstances, this form of restrictive regime would be considered inhumane.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Vermin continues to be an ongoing challenge at Rochester, even though the management continues to take active measures to overcome the problem.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
The availability of drugs, especially new psychoactive substances (NPS), at Rochester continues to be the main issue for safety and security management at the prison.
Complaints/Property
The significant increase in the number of healthcare-related applications to the Board is concerning, and it will continue to monitor the position closely during the next year.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison officers at Rochester are noted for dealing with prisoners sympathetically, though staffing issues severely impacted the key worker scheme's continuity. Despite having a full officer establishment, absence levels remained high, with approximately 25 officers down when leave is factored in. Many officers are inexperienced, having not worked in a fully unlocked prison, leading to disruption across various areas, including inconsistent wing staff and escort availability. Healthcare also experienced staffing shortages, although core nursing responsibilities were covered.
Healthcare
Healthcare services at HMP/YOI Rochester are primarily provided by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, with a focus on COVID-19 vaccinations and prison-wide mass testing which received praise. Despite persistent staffing shortages, core nursing duties were maintained, and by April 2022, services improved with the resumption of various clinics. The average wait to see a GP is 4-5 weeks, improving recently, but significant backlogs remain for dental treatments. Mental health services, provided by Oxleas I-Reach and Bradley Therapy Service, offer a high standard of care despite heavy workloads and pandemic restrictions. However, the Board noted a concerning increase in healthcare-related applications.
Regime & Daily Life
For most of the reporting period, a highly restrictive regime was in place due to the pandemic, meaning prisoners spent 22 hours a day in their cells. The Board deemed this inhumane in normal circumstances and strongly advocates for a more normal regime. This restricted regime significantly impacted resettlement efforts, with behavioural programmes, education, and skills training often unable to take place. While in-cell work packs were provided, and activities like waste management and industrial cleaning continued, the limited purposeful activity was a disappointment for prisoners and hindered sentence progression.
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 | 27 | 15 | |
| Complaints (about the prison) | 30 | 14 | |
| Discrimination | 4 | 4 | — |
| Food | 3 | 5 | |
| General matters | 16 | 11 | |
| Health (mental) | 5 | 5 | — |
| Health (physical) | 85 | 58 | |
| Property | 112 | 110 | |
| Safety | 14 | 13 | |
| Staff Conduct | 5 | 1 | |
| TOTAL | 369 | 281 | |
| Unspecified/other | 3 | 4 | |
| Visits | 9 | 5 | |
| Work/education/activities | 11 | 12 |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 3
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
The Board retains its view that re-offending rates cannot be reduced unless there is suitable accommodation for all prisoners who have completed their sentence or are being released on HDC. Bail accommodation and support service (BASS) accommodation is limited in the south east, and the Board urges the minister to look into this further to see how more accommodation can be provided.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
During the reporting year, the Rochester Board reduced to six active members from an establishment of 14. Consequently, it is finding it increasingly challenging to discharge its statutory duties. The minister is urged to assist with appointments to our Board without unnecessary delay.
Ministry of Justice
Other
Recommendation 3
Repeated
The accommodation at HMP/YOI Rochester is very poor, and in the Board’s view, just about providing a minimal standard of accommodation. The Edwardian buildings on the old site are dilapidated and challenging to keep maintained; and the newer pre-fabricated buildings have exceeded their original use dates by several years, and are beset with poor ventilation as well as ongoing water supply and heating issues A complete refurbishment of the site has been proposed, and the Board strongly supports this redevelopment.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Property losses on transfer: yet again, there appears to have been no progress in resolving the problems which occur when a prisoner and their property are transferred between establishments. Frustratingly, items are still going missing and unnecessary delays occurring. This is a transport issue, not necessarily one of volumetric control. Lack of ownership over this reoccurring problem is frustrating. There appears to be an ongoing lack of care in regard to prisoners’ property, illustrated by the 112 applications related to property which the Board has received this year. (See paragraph 5.8.3a.)
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 5
Repeated
There continue to be too many category D prisoners in Rochester awaiting transfer to open conditions. More category D accommodation needs to be resourced. It is unfair for prisoners to be encouraged to gain category D status, when the opportunities for transfer to open conditions are so limited. (See paragraph 7.3.4.)
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
While there has been some improvement in cell clearance checks, it still remains haphazard and many are not conducted properly, particularly when an individual is moved to the CSU. Can this be addressed? (See paragraph 5.8.c.)
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 7
While the Board recognises that staffing levels have been impacted by Covid, and while additional staffing hours have been profiled for the property office, the Board’s experience is that it is often unmanned. It has found that that those who undertake a shift in the property office have not had the opportunity to learn the job properly. Could this be taken into account when the staffing position improves? (See paragraph 5.8.)
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
The VR (violence reduction) gym session that was available prior to Covid restrictions for prisoners who are self-isolating has not restarted, in the main due to staffing issues. This was an effective way of reintegrating vulnerable prisoners, and the Board recommends this is resumed when the situation allows.
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Rochester
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
2 Jun 2025
IRP
30 Aug 2024
Urgent Notification
12 Aug 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 1
Activity: 1
Release: 1
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.