Prison
Cat B training
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Lowdham Grange
IMB Annual Report 2022 · Published 21 June 2022
HMP Lowdham Grange, a Category B training prison, experienced a challenging year marked by the continued impact of Covid-19 restrictions, which limited board visits and significantly affected the regime. The prison leadership was successful in controlling infections, and healthcare provision was largely efficient despite severe staffing shortages. However, the report highlights a significant increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and self-harm, alongside critical concerns regarding delayed inquests, inadequate mental health transfers, and a persistent lack of resolution for property management issues during transfers.
Positive Findings
The prison leadership successfully controlled Covid-19 infections, and HMIP noted positive staff-prisoner communication. Healthcare provision was efficient, despite pressures, and comparable to community services, with a remarkable response to Covid-19, TB, and scabies outbreaks. The prison implemented new body-worn video cameras and body scanners effectively. The Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan (CSIP) successfully managed violent prisoners, and segregation unit staff showed compassion. The chaplaincy team provided excellent pastoral care, and education services adapted well with in-cell learning. Relationships with local health and social care services strengthened, and a wellbeing centre is becoming operational.
Key Concerns
Safety
Total prisoner-on-prisoner assaults show a marked increase of almost 50%. Self-harm amongst prisoners has increased by 10% and there have been four deaths in custody. Therefore, it cannot be said that the prison feels as safe as in the previous reporting year.
Complaints/Property
Prisoners were not given adequate opportunities to attend their adjudications in person for 11 months of this reporting year.
Mental Health
The 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.
Staffing
The shortages of healthcare staff have increased the risk to the wellbeing of prisoners... as at January 2022 the healthcare team is staffed to only 60% of the funded posts... current situation to be unacceptable and unsafe because there are prisoners with high-risk healthcare needs and no night nursing cover.
Staffing
The significant shortage of probation staff in the offender management unit (OMU) has meant that many prisoners have not received their sentence planning/reviews required this year.
Safety
Repeated
No inquests into deaths in custody at HMP Lowdham Grange have been held in the reporting period and this means that some families have been waiting four years for the answers to their questions. The Board considers that this is grossly inconsiderate to a prisoner’s family and disrespectful to the deceased. Moreover, it does not allow the prison and healthcare partners to learn any lessons in avoiding and preventing other deaths in custody.
Mental Health
Repeated
There continue to be significant delays in finding appropriate treatment/beds in secure units for prisoners who have very serious mental health disorders; this will avoid the need for prisons to hold such prisoners in segregation for extended periods. As at January 2022 there were four prisoners in the segregation unit waiting for placements in specialist units with one prisoner having been there for nine months.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
Analysis of the complaints log and the applications received by the Board indicates that there has been no improvement in the management and handling of prisoners’ property when transferring between establishments. This issue continues to cause distress to many transferees into the prison and gives rise to anger and frustration.
Substance Misuse
Although the Board recognises the efforts made by the prison management and staff to prevent drugs entering the prison, it continues to have real concerns about the availability of psychoactive and other substances and it looks forward to the implementation of a more rigorous screening programme applied to all people and material entering the prison.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels remained relatively stable despite recruitment difficulties, with the prison being about 15 Prison Custody Officers (PCOs) below authorised levels due to 39 resignations or retirements. Online recruitment proved successful. Staff absence varied with Covid-19 infection rates, but regional co-operation provided bed-watch and escort cover, and a contracted hours scheme covered shortfalls without relying on external contract staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare services were under significant pressure but prioritised physical and mental health, responding efficiently to vaccination programmes and treatments, deemed equivalent to community provision. However, severe staff shortages persist, with the team at only 60% of funded posts by January 2022, leading to increased risks, particularly concerning the unacceptable lack of night nursing cover for high-risk prisoners. The cumulative impact of regime restrictions on prisoners' mental and emotional wellbeing is a significant concern given existing high prevalence of mental health problems.
Regime & Daily Life
The continued Covid-19 restrictions had a significant negative impact on prisoners, leading to prolonged periods of time spent in cells and compromising overall progression. Workshops and out-of-cell gym exercise were largely paused, though essential wing work continued, and prisoners typically received one to two hours of out-of-cell time daily. Prison management attributed prisoner frustration with the restricted regime as a contributing factor to increased violence and self-harm incidents.
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 | |
| Assaults (bullying/violence) | 21 | 18 | |
| Discrimination (inc. Race, Faith, Disability, Age, LGBT) | 15 | 16 | |
| Drug related issues | 7 | 3 | |
| Family related issues (inc. visits) | 12 | 10 | |
| Finance/pay | 14 | 12 | |
| Food | 13 | 11 | |
| Health and Wellbeing (inc. mental health) | 55 | 45 | |
| Legal | 11 | 9 | |
| Other (inc. adjudications, complaints, general welfare) | 30 | 25 | |
| Property | 32 | 30 | |
| Security (inc. searches, categorisation) | 18 | 15 | |
| Staff conduct | 28 | 22 | |
| Work/Education/Activities | 16 | 14 |
Recommendations (10)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 3
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
In its 2020-2021 report, the Board requested priority be given to holding coroners’ inquests for deaths in custody to provide bereaved families with an understanding of the circumstances of the deaths of their relatives. No inquests into deaths in custody at HMP Lowdham Grange have been held in the reporting period and this means that some families have been waiting four years for the answers to their questions. The Board considers that this is grossly inconsiderate to a prisoner’s family and disrespectful to the deceased. Moreover, it does not allow the prison and healthcare partners to learn any lessons in avoiding and preventing other deaths in custody.
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Recommendation 2
The Board believes there should be a greater focus on reviewing the sentences of indeterminate sentenced prisoners, enabling them to progress and move towards a safe release.
Ministry of Justice
Progression and Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
There is a compelling need for all government departments to work together to ensure that appropriate facilities are available for those prisoners with severe mental health disorders; this will avoid the need for prisons to hold such prisoners in segregation for extended periods.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 4
To provide a framework in the post-Covid structured regime that supports and funds innovative programmes of rehabilitation, mental health provision, education, skills development and self-improvement for prisoners instead of requiring them to be locked in their cells for long periods.
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 5
To give priority to resourcing of probation services to the required levels within the prison estate and in the community, so that prisoners have adequate support and guidance before and after their release.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To give renewed emphasis to the development of a national system of storage and retrieval of prisoners’ property when prisoners are moved between prisons. Despite a framework being developed in April 2020, nothing significant appears to have happened and greater efforts are needed to find a national solution to this problem.
HMPPS
Complaints
Recommendation 7
To give priority for the training of family liaison officers (FLOs) in 2022 so that appropriate resources are allocated for this important role and to support those volunteer prison staff already undertaking it.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 8
To continue to support the fair treatment of all prisoners by ensuring that adjudication hearings are held in person with the prisoner(s) present in the room.
Governor / Director
Fair Treatment
Recommendation 9
To implement a post-Covid structured regime that gives all prisoners the opportunity to progress through their sentences with sufficient and high-quality support and programmes of learning.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 10
To exert pressure on the commissioners of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to secure and maintain staffing at a level to provide the service required for all prisoners’ health and wellbeing needs.
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Other IMB Reports for Lowdham Grange
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
3 Mar 2025
Unannounced
8 Jan 2024
IRP
15 May 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 2
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.