Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Northumberland
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 26 May 2022
HMP Northumberland, a Category C prison, successfully managed the Covid-19 pandemic during 2021, maintaining a safe and humane environment with commendable staff dedication. While the regime was restricted, efforts were made to provide in-cell activities and gradually reopen purposeful activity. Key concerns remain around the lasting impact on prisoner mental health, insufficient opportunities for rehabilitation, and the unacceptable issue of prisoners being released into homelessness.
Positive Findings
The Board commends HMP Northumberland for successfully managing the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining a safe and humane environment with commendable staff dedication. Staff are praised for their care, knowledge, and positive relationships with prisoners, especially in the segregation unit. Significant improvements in cleanliness and reductions in violence and self-harm incidents were noted. The chaplaincy team's exceptional work and the successful blended approach to education, resulting in higher uptake and lower drop-out rates, were also highlighted. The prison made commendable efforts to expand work opportunities post-restrictions and prioritized staff wellbeing.
Key Concerns
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Limited opportunities for men to re-engage with learning, employment and training to mitigate the disadvantages of the lockdowns and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on preparation for release.
Mental Health
The full effect on prisoner mental health has yet to be seen. The Board would like assurance from the minister that a fully funded infrastructure of support is available to the entire prison estate to support adequate opportunity for mental health support, along with adequate education and employment opportunities on release.
Resettlement/Release
Men are released into homeless situations and the Board finds this unacceptable. The Board would seek confirmation from the minister that those agencies charged with the responsibility of housing men on release are doing just that and, more importantly, that there is adequate appropriate housing stock available.
Mental Health
Repeated
The Board continues to have concerns regarding the shortage of places on specialist units in the area, for those with significant mental health needs.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing in healthcare faced significant challenges due to reduced numbers and leadership changes during the pandemic, but temporary leadership successfully united the team. The Board was impressed by the prison leadership's commitment to staff wellbeing, especially as many staff could not work remotely. Key worker schemes, initially suspended, were reintroduced for priority groups in June 2021 and fully resumed in residential blocks by November.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision saw a contract transition to Spectrum in 2021, facing significant challenges due to Covid-19 restrictions, staff shortages, and leadership changes. Despite these, efforts were made to reduce waiting times for GP and dental appointments, though these remained substantial (e.g., 11 weeks for GP triage, 39 weeks for first dental visit). The mental health team provided good support during the pandemic, but a shortage of specialist unit places remains a concern.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was heavily impacted by Covid-19 restrictions throughout 2021, leading to reduced out-of-cell time, lockdowns, and limited opportunities for education, work, and training. Staff made strenuous efforts to provide in-cell activities and individual engagement to mitigate these restrictions. Towards the end of the year, indoor PE and gym sessions gradually reopened, offering one-hour activity slots.
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 | 4 | 3 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 3 | 4 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 1 | 3 | |
| Equality | 3 | 3 | — |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 5 | 12 | |
| Food and kitchens | 2 | 2 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 28 | 26 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 4 | 6 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 8 | 18 | |
| Property within this establishment | 20 | 17 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 1 | 19 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 20 | 32 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 23 | 21 | |
| Transfers | 5 | 12 |
Recommendations (3)
Governor / Director: 1
Ministry of Justice: 2
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To prioritise opportunities for men to re-engage with learning, employment and training to mitigate the disadvantages of the lockdowns and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on preparation for release.
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Whilst we are aware the prison has managed the pandemic very effectively, we are concerned that the full effect on prisoner mental health has yet to be seen. We would like assurance from the minister that a fully funded infrastructure of support is available to the entire prison estate to support adequate opportunity for mental health support, along with adequate education and employment opportunities on release.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Additionally, the full effect of the transition to the new probation service has yet to be evaluated, but we are aware that men are released into homeless situations and we find this unacceptable. We would seek confirmation from the minister that those agencies charged with the responsibility of housing men on release are doing just that and, more importantly, that there is adequate appropriate housing stock available.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Other IMB Reports for Northumberland
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.