Prison
Cat D Women
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
East Sutton Park
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 12 January 2022
HMP East Sutton Park is an open prison for women, commended by the Board for being a safe and well-run establishment during a period affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Key strengths include strong healthcare provision, effective resettlement preparation with good accommodation and employment outcomes, and valuable educational programmes. Challenges persist with ensuring prisoners are transferred with sufficient time to serve, effectively utilizing the IEP scheme for disruptive behaviour, and managing weekend medication administration.
Positive Findings
The Board found HMP East Sutton Park to be a safe and well-run prison, where prisoners generally enjoy good relationships with staff and each other. Healthcare provision by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, assessed as 'good' by CQC in 2019, operates effectively Monday to Friday with strong mental health support. Prisoners are well-prepared for release, with few leaving without accommodation or employment. Notable improvements include the return of full sentence planning boards, successful jobs fairs, and the positive impact of independent living flats and pods. Education offerings are strong, with exceptional achievements in Open University studies and effective programs like 'Pathways' and 'Steps to the Gate' aiding resettlement. The prison is commended for its commitment to outside employment and for initiatives such as the 'Storybook Mums' programme and the 'Growing for Good' farm project.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
The Prison Service needs to ensure prisoners transferred to HMP East Sutton Park have enough time left to serve to maximise resettlement benefits and value for money.
Resettlement/Release
Closed female establishments must progress suitable women to HMP East Sutton Park for its resettlement regime.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Governor should make greater use of the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme for prisoners who are disruptive or whose behaviour falls short of the standards expected by the prison. (Also: The Board believes that greater use of the IEP system could be made to deal with disruptive behaviour and encourage harmony between prisoners.)
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Quality of prisoner inductions has been patchy due to frequent changes in induction orderlies.
Healthcare
Ongoing problems with the administration of medications during weekends.
Equality/Diversity
Disruption to chaplaincy services and forums following the unexpected resignation of the prison chaplain.
Complaints/Property
A significant rise in complaints, largely driven by one prolific prisoner.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Key services (education, employment advice, family support) are still not fully functioning as prior to the pandemic.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Conflict between outside paid employment and attending in-prison education classes.
Resettlement/Release
Frustration among prisoners regarding the length of time taken to access support from Ixion (employment advice).
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels faced challenges due to Covid-related absences, causing frustration among prisoners and stretching existing staff, particularly concerning weekend medication administration. The prison shares a Governor with HMP Downview. While HMIP raised concerns about staff-prisoner relationships, the Board believes these have improved since the return to a more normal regime, with staff generally being very supportive. Induction orderly roles have seen patchy quality due to regular changes in prisoners filling the role.
Healthcare
Healthcare, provided by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and managed from HMP Maidstone, was assessed as good by CQC in March 2019. The department operates Monday to Friday, with a GP attending three times a week and a mobile dental unit, opticians, and podiatrist providing regular services. Appointments are typically met within one to two days, and there is currently no dental waiting list. A fully supportive professional service addresses mental health issues, with successful awareness sessions and resident presentations on neurodiversity. Key challenges include ongoing problems with weekend medication administration. The team also supports pregnant prisoners and managed Covid cases effectively with vigilance, testing, and vaccinations.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was significantly impacted by the pandemic, leading to the temporary withdrawal of some education and family support services, which were not fully functioning at the reporting year-end. Transfers of prisoners were halted during lockdown, causing a drop in population. Restrictions caused prisoner frustration, but relationships improved with the return to a more normal regime. Independent living flats and pods proved popular, offering more self-sufficiency. A conflict exists between outside paid employment via ROTL, which is crucial for resettlement, and attending in-prison education classes during working hours. Social ROTLs were suspended due to Covid but have since resumed, while remote learning increased during lockdown.
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 | 3 | 2 | |
| Adjudication | 1 | 0 | |
| Education/training/employment | 2 | 0 | |
| Equality/Diversity/Religion | 0 | 2 | |
| Family/visits | 6 | 2 | |
| Finance/Pay | 2 | 0 | |
| Food/kitchen | 4 | 0 | |
| H3 Canteen/Facilities/Catalogue/Argos | 0 | 0 | |
| Health related | 3 | 0 | |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | 3 | |
| Property (other prison/transfer) | 3 | 7 | |
| Property (within current establishment) | 2 | 1 | |
| Sentence related inc ROTL/Parole/Re-cat | 6 | 8 | |
| Staff/Prisoner related inc bullying | 7 | 1 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (5)
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
Recommendation 1
To urge/direct the Prison Service to continue to ensure that prisoners coming to ESP have enough time left to serve, in order to ensure that the greatest benefit in resettlement can be achieved, and therefore representing value for money.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
To ensure that closed female establishments progress women, who are suitable for the resettlement regime, to come to East Sutton Park.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
To approve an application the prison has made for a further 24 pods.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 4
To continue with the prompt and careful steps taken to combat Covid-19.
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 5
To make greater use of the incentives and earned privileges (IEP) scheme for prisoners who are disruptive or whose behaviour falls short of the standards expected by the prison.
Governor / Director
Regime