Prison
Cat Women's, YOI, High Security
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Low Newton
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 3 August 2022
HMP/YOI Low Newton provides a generally safe and humane environment with good staff-prisoner relationships and a supportive regime, despite Covid-19 challenges. The Board commended staff commitment to safety and highlighted positive outcomes in education and various support initiatives. However, significant concerns remain regarding the national shortage of secure mental health places for women, the effectiveness of resettlement accommodation, and the consistent implementation of key worker schemes and use of body-worn cameras.
Positive Findings
The Board commended staff commitment to safety, noting low levels of self-harm and violence, and excellent staff knowledge of prisoners. Staff-prisoner relationships are generally good, with fair and humane treatment, and the prison is kept very clean. Healthcare needs are generally well met, with the midwife's continuity of care initiative receiving positive feedback. Chaplaincy, Listeners, and the DART team have been innovative and supportive. Education and vocational training staff demonstrated strong commitment, achieving a 100% success rate for learners, and in-cell learning packs were well-received. Animal visits also showed positive calming effects.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
Continued inappropriate placement of women with severe mental health issues in prison due to a national shortage of secure psychiatric unit places.
Resettlement/Release
The effectiveness of current contracts for the resettlement of prisoners who have no permanent home to go to upon release.
Safety
The CCTV system throughout the prison is not always adequate to record incidents in sufficient detail, and replacement could assist in monitoring incidents around the prison.
Staffing
Inconsistent delivery of targets for the key worker scheme.
Safety
Inconsistent use of body worn cameras during use of force incidents.
Resettlement/Release
Scarcity of suitable accommodation for women on discharge, which can lead to licence condition failures and reoffending.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staff-prisoner relationships are generally good, and the Board is impressed by the in-depth knowledge staff have of prisoners. However, the Board notes that national key worker targets are geared towards male prisoners, not fully accommodating the specific needs of women's prisons. The Board recommends that the Governor ensures these key worker targets are consistently met.
Healthcare
The Board believes healthcare needs are generally well met, despite challenges from Covid-19 which delayed external appointments. A significant concern remains the inappropriate placement of women with serious mental health issues in prison due to a lack of secure psychiatric unit places nationally. The Board supports plans for a new wellbeing unit and dedicated mental health unit. Continuity of care for pregnant women has been successfully implemented, receiving positive feedback.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison adapted its regime throughout the year in response to Covid-19 restrictions and outbreaks, which was generally supportive despite limitations. Initiatives are underway to understand what makes prisoners feel safe post-Covid. There is an issue with prisoners' reluctance to use the dining hall due to bullying fears. Education continuity was maintained through in-cell work during lockdowns. Efforts are being made to improve exercise yard access and address estate maintenance like roofing issues.
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 | 1 | 0 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 2 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 1 | 1 | — |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 3 | 1 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 10 | 6 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 4 | 7 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 2 | 0 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 3 | 0 | |
| Property within this establishment | 5 | 1 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 5 | 0 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 2 | 0 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 9 | 3 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (5)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 2
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Minister should report on progress to increase the number of places available nationally in secure psychiatric units, since it remains the case that some women are being placed inappropriately in prison.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
The Minister should make an assessment of the effectiveness of current contracts for the resettlement of prisoners who have no permanent home to go to upon release, given the importance of this issue in reducing re-offending.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
The Prison Service should consider replacing the CCTV system to assist in monitoring incidents around the prison.
HMPPS
Safety, Estate
Recommendation 4
The Governor should ensure that targets are consistently met for delivery of the key worker scheme.
Governor / Director
Staffing, Regime
Recommendation 5
The Governor should ensure that body worn cameras are used more consistently during use of force incidents.
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Low Newton
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.