Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Huntercombe
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 22 June 2022
HMP Huntercombe is a Category C prison for foreign national adult men, with a population of 447 and an operational capacity of 480 at the end of 2021. The year was marked by Covid-19 restrictions, which limited the regime but were commendably managed by staff, who also rolled out in-cell telephony and enhanced video calls. Key concerns include the continued detention of IS91 prisoners under inappropriate conditions, issues with property, and the need for improved healthcare information sharing.
Positive Findings
HMP Huntercombe staff are commended for their efforts in maintaining activities and out-of-cell time during Covid, handling the Covid outbreak well, and improving resettlement initiatives. The prison successfully installed in-cell telephony and maintains highly appreciated video call facilities for foreign nationals. Staff-prisoner relationships are generally positive, and the healthcare team effectively managed the Covid-19 vaccination rollout and integrated mental health services. The library and resettlement teams also received commendations for their innovative approaches.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The ongoing incarceration of men who have passed their sentence expiry date and are held under immigration powers (IS91s) who remain under convicted criminal conditions.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board believes that in general prisoners are treated fairly and humanely in so far as the Covid restrictions of the national regime have allowed throughout the year. The exception is the ongoing incarceration of men who have passed their sentence expiry date and are held under immigration powers (IS91s) who remain under convicted criminal conditions.
Resettlement/Release
To ensure that the Home Office and the Prison Service work together to issue prisoners with an IS91 notification in accordance with the time limits set out in the service level agreement (SLA) with Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE).
Estate/Conditions
The Board has been informed by prisoners on multiple occasions in the past and throughout the reporting year of the unsatisfactory condition of the showers in all locations in Huntercombe, water temperature and low pressure being the constant laments.
Complaints/Property
For a more robust audit system to be operated as regards the complaints log, and for complaints beyond their response date to be consistently pursued.
Healthcare
To develop a process with healthcare to ensure there is documented sharing of appropriate health information with prison staff.
Mental Health
The Board believes that it is never ideal to locate prisoners on ACCTs within the segregation unit, and that for those with serious mental health issues a better solution should be available to them, which Huntercombe is unequipped to provide, rather than prolonged periods spent in the isolated environment of the segregation unit.
Other
Loss or misplacement of prisoners’ property continues to be a problem in the prison as evidenced by the number of complaints, and remains the most common subject of complaint across 2021.
Resettlement/Release
The consequential effect of this requirement is that nationally prison offender managers (POMs) tend not to prioritise foreign national prisoners due to the extra workload, or the possibility of the prisoner being deported (OASys is not recognised in any other country), and due to the fact that the recommendations within OASys assessments often include courses and programmes not available in a foreign national exclusive prison.
Staffing
POMs have a budget for five full-time posts but actually had 3.5 full-time equivalents in post, and by the end of 2021 the number of foreign national prisoners without an OASys was 32.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels were impacted by Covid-19, with some experienced and inexperienced staff initially unvaccinated. Key working was re-established in May 2021, and staff-prisoner relationships are generally good. Healthcare experienced some vacancies but covered them with agency staff. However, the offender management unit (POMs) operated with 3.5 FTE against a budget of five, partly due to Home Office staff shortages affecting foreign national prisoner casework.
Healthcare
Healthcare, provided by Practice Plus Group as an outpatient service, effectively managed Covid-19 cases and vaccination rollout. While there were general difficulties accessing some NHS services, GP DNA rates improved after changes to patient access. Nursing staff were more stable, with vacancies covered by agency staff. Mental health services are integrated and provide prompt access, with no Mental Health Act transfers during the year. A key concern remains the lack of a robust system for sharing appropriate medical information between healthcare and prison staff.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison operated under a limited regime throughout 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions, with periods as an outbreak site. This resulted in restricted time out of cells, wing-based association, and curtailed gym access, though staff adapted by providing on-wing sessions. Workshops and education attendance varied significantly. Despite these limitations, prisoners generally responded positively to the adjusted regime.
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 3
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Together with Home Office colleagues, to resolve the issue of men continuing to be held under immigration powers post-sentence under convicted criminal conditions (paragraphs 4.2.5, 7.3.3, 7.3.4, 7.3.5 and 7.3.6.).
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
To ensure that the Home Office and the Prison Service work together to issue prisoners with an IS91 notification in accordance with the time limits set out in the service level agreement (SLA) with Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) (paragraph 7.3.4.).
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
To formulate a standard practice across the entire prison estate for the volumetric allowance and timely transfer of property between prisons, and for all prisons to have a consistent and agreed list of the articles available in-possession according to the prisoner’s incentives status (paragraph 5.8.3.).
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 4
The Board has been informed by prisoners on multiple occasions in the past and throughout the reporting year of the unsatisfactory condition of the showers in all locations in Huntercombe, water temperature and low pressure being the constant laments (paragraph 5.1.3.).
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 5
For a more robust audit system to be operated as regards the complaints log, and for complaints beyond their response date to be consistently pursued (paragraph 5.7.2.).
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 6
To develop a process with healthcare to ensure there is documented sharing of appropriate health information with prison staff (paragraph 6.1.8.).
Governor / Director
Healthcare