Prison
Cat A
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Belmarsh
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 10 November 2021
HMP Belmarsh faced significant challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to severely restricted regimes and increased pressure on staff. While the Board commended the prison's management of the pandemic and the removal of three-man cells, concerns persist regarding mental health provision, staffing shortages, and the slow reintroduction of purposeful activity. Key areas for development include improving diversity and inclusion, reforming the complaints process, and addressing conditions in the High Security Unit.
Positive Findings
The Board commends Belmarsh for its strong reaction to Covid-19, which kept most prisoners safe from infection, and for the care provided to the most vulnerable. Significant improvements include the removal of three-man cells, improved cleanliness, and enhanced security. The in-cell telephony and the work of the chaplaincy and library were also positive. New workshops like horticulture and textiles show great promise for purposeful activity, and the prison’s management of the segregation unit is noted as a good model.
Key Concerns
Safety
The fear of violence from gangs remains in the form of conflicts across the prison.
Staffing
The reduction in key worker support has left some prisoners unable to share their concerns on a regular basis or find out basic information that would lessen their stress. While some officers go out of their way to be supportive, others have been seen to be dismissive.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board is concerned that the prison has insufficient knowledge of the experiences of those with protected characteristics to ensure that outcomes and opportunities are equal for all. It has been difficult to access meaningful figures and comparative data in these areas, which could drive improvements in the fair treatment of some prisoners. Therefore it is not possible to state that all prisoners are treated fairly and humanely.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The slow progress of the shower installations is of concern, especially as some of the new areas are out of use due to plumbing issues. The shower units available for use by most prisoners are still in a wholly unacceptable condition.
Overcrowding
Repeated
The Board would be strongly against any reintroduction of three-man cells in the future, despite their removal being complete.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The provision of various activities has been slow to restart and this has caused some frustration for prisoners.
Staffing
Staffing issues in the business hub have meant unacceptable waits for canteen, responses to complaints and other requests, which have caused unnecessary frustration for prisoners.
Equality/Diversity
Prisoners who do not speak English have been at a disadvantage, having to rely on others to support basic issues for example ordering meals and to speak up for them if they have a problem.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Prisoners in the High Security Unit (HSU) have suffered due to a lack of ventilation since new windows were installed, resulting in unbearably hot conditions.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
In-cell telephony is not available to prisoners in the HSU, despite being installed.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
HSU prisoners' exercise time is short, and adherence to a full regime is thwarted by staff shortages.
Mental Health
Repeated
The length of time taken to assess patients and move them on to a more suitable mental health environment is unacceptable.
Healthcare
Repeated
Concerns raised last year regarding cancellation of hospital appointments, non-attendance at outpatient clinics and medicines given out at inappropriate times appear to continue according to prisoners.
Healthcare
Patient Council meetings and audits of prisoner complaints (related to healthcare) have not yet restarted.
Substance Misuse
Drug use remains a problem in the prison, in particular 'spice'.
Resettlement/Release
Progress in prisoner progression and resettlement was severely hampered during the past year as outside agencies did not come in, were working remotely or not at all. The majority of purposeful activity ceased, family contact was limited and staff shortages restricted the work of the offender management unit (OMU).
Resettlement/Release
It is unfortunate that St. Mungo’s is no longer contracted to support remand prisoners with housing and the Board is concerned that this will have a detrimental effect on those remand prisoners who have lost their home after a prolonged stay due to court backlogs.
Overcrowding
The courts process needs to speed up so that prisoners are not kept on remand for a prolonged period.
Other
Repeated
The system of handling prisoners’ property throughout the prison estate remains ineffective.
Resettlement/Release
A need for champions to be appointed in each houseblock to be responsible for care leavers.
Staffing
Repeated
The key worker scheme has not reverted to the initial planned level, whereby all prisoners have a named key worker, time is allocated for key worker duties and key workers remain constant.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Updated prisoner induction packs are not available as a priority, nor are the means to translate these readily available.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The provision of suitable interpretation services for ESOL prisoners in the HSU is lacking.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
The prisoner complaints process has not been reviewed or changed as suggested in the IMB Annual Report of last year, with many responses being unhelpful and lacking resolution.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages due to Covid-19 sickness and self-isolation placed significant pressure on the prison's regime and operations, leading to reduced key worker support and delays in services like the business hub. The segregation unit and HSU also experienced understaffing, impacting regime delivery. While the key worker scheme restarted, high staff absence limits its full implementation, with not all prisoners assigned a key worker.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is generally satisfactory, with staff demonstrating patience under pressure. However, mental health issues remain a significant concern, with unacceptable delays in assessments and transfers to suitable environments. Problems with medication timing and patient non-attendance at outpatient clinics, noted in previous reports, persist. Patient Council meetings and healthcare complaint audits were suspended during the pandemic and have not restarted, further limiting prisoner voice.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, leading to prisoners spending extended periods in their cells with limited access to exercise, showers, and association. Restarting purposeful activity and social interactions has been slow, causing frustration. Staffing shortages further hampered regime delivery, particularly in the HSU where exercise time is significantly reduced, and in the segregation unit where full exercise entitlement is challenging to provide.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity Allocation | 66 | — | |
| Adjudication | 33 | — | |
| Application System | 2 | — | |
| Bullying | 21 | — | |
| Canteen | 75 | — | |
| Catalogues | 150 | — | |
| Cleaning/Hygiene/ Supplies | 0 | — | |
| Closed Visits | 0 | — | |
| Complaints | 0 | — | |
| Disability | 0 | — | |
| Education | 30 | — | |
| Employment | 0 | — | |
| Equalities-non racial | 9 | — | |
| Equalities-racial | 3 | — | |
| Finance / Cash | 145 | — | |
| Finance/Cash (Other Establishment) | 37 | — | |
| Food | 45 | — | |
| Foreign National | 0 | — | |
| Gym | 3 | — | |
| HDC | 7 | — | |
| IEP | 15 | — | |
| Letters / Censors | 138 | — | |
| Library | 0 | — | |
| Newspapers / Magazines | 43 | — | |
| OASys/Sentence Plan | 100 | — | |
| Other | 299 | — | |
| Other Prisoners | 0 | — | |
| Own accommodation | 0 | — | |
| Parole | 0 | — | |
| Pay | 1 | — | |
| Pay (Other Establishment) | 0 | — | |
| Pin Phones | 111 | — | |
| Post (Incoming) | 0 | — | |
| Post (Outgoing) | 0 | — | |
| Post Rule 39 | 1 | — | |
| Property Damaged | 0 | — | |
| Property DST | 5 | — | |
| Property Houseblock | 153 | — | |
| Property HSU | 0 | — | |
| Property Lost/Stolen | 3 | — | |
| Property (Other Establishment) | 113 | — | |
| Property Reception | 298 | — | |
| Re-Categorisation | 34 | — | |
| Reception | 168 | — | |
| Regime | 0 | — | |
| Religion | 4 | — | |
| Residential | 362 | — | |
| Security | 90 | — | |
| Segregation | 37 | — | |
| Sentence Calculations | 0 | — | |
| Showers | 0 | — | |
| Staff | 62 | — | |
| Transfer/Allocation | 55 | — | |
| Violence | 1 | — | |
| Visits | 71 | — | |
| Visits Booking | 4 | — | |
| Work | 56 | — | |
| Write-Up | 0 | — |
Recommendations (11)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 6
7 repeated
Recommendation 1
Will the minister discuss with colleague health ministers the provision of proper appropriate service outside of prison for those prisoners suffering from severe mental ill-health and the need for this to increase as a matter of urgency in order to provide the best opportunity for recovery (see section 6.2 Mental healthcare)?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
Will the minister look urgently at the provision for those prisoners on remand in order to • speed up the courts process so that prisoners are not kept on remand for a prolonged period • ensure that those prisoners on remand who stand to lose their accommodation due to longer stays in prison, have housing support from St. Mungo’s or another suitable agency (see section 7.5 Resettlement planning)?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Will HMPPS confirm that there are no plans to reintroduce the use of three-man cells in Belmarsh under any conditions (see section 5.1 Accommodation)?
HMPPS
Overcrowding
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Will HMPPS improve the length of time those prisoners who are very unwell wait for mental health assessments and the transfer to more suitable accommodation (see section 6.2 Mental healthcare)?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will HMPPS reform the system of handling prisoners’ property throughout the prison estate, so that it works effectively at ensuring that prisoners are united with their property swiftly and correctly whenever they move in the prison system (see section 5.8 Property)?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 6
Will the prison appoint champions in each houseblock to be responsible for care leavers (see section 4.4 Safeguarding)?
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the prison ensure that the key worker scheme reverts to the initial planned level, whereby all prisoners have a named key worker, time is allocated for key worker duties and key workers remain constant even when prisoners transfer within the prison (see section 5.3 Staff-prisoner/detainee relationships, key workers)?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the prison ensure that diversity and inclusion is given a much higher focus than in recent years, and that detailed measures are introduced to ensure equality of outcome and opportunity for all relevant protected characteristics (see section 5.4 Equality and diversity)?
Governor / Director
Equality
Recommendation 9
Will the prison ensure that updated prisoner induction packs are made available as a priority and the means to translate these as necessary are readily available (see section 7.1.1 Education and section 7.1.2 Library)?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the prison review conditions in the HSU regarding the following issues: • Temperature due to lack of ventilation after window refurbishment • Use of in-cell telephony • Staffing and regime • Education and activities • The provision of suitable interpretation services for ESOL prisoners (see section 5.2.2 HSU)?
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the prison review the prisoner complaints process, as suggested in the IMB Annual Report of last year (see section 5.7 Complaints)?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Other IMB Reports for Belmarsh
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.