Prison
Cat Women's, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Peterborough (Women)
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 11 October 2021
The reporting year was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which HMP Peterborough (Women) managed the emergency well, leading to significant improvements in safety outcomes. However, the restrictive regime severely impacted women's wellbeing and rehabilitation. Key concerns remain regarding national support for complex needs women, the effectiveness of the key worker system, and the need to adapt the regime better to women's specific needs.
Positive Findings
The prison deserves considerable credit for the way in which the Covid-19 emergency has been managed. Strong leadership, flexibility, good communications and concerted effort have led to good safety outcomes for residents. The Board welcomes the significant improvements in safety during this period and an improved focus on diversity and inclusion. The improved medical triage process has led to reduced waiting times and non-attendance for appointments, improving outcomes for women.
Key Concerns
Other
Repeated
The Board continues to see no evidence of proactive support from the national team for some complex residents (see section 4.4)
Staffing
The Board would like to see the restitution of a robust key work system whereby women are aware of this support and know their assigned key worker.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board would like to see further progress on adapting the prison’s regime and practice to suit the needs of women better.
Estate/Conditions
Concerns continue about the lack of cells which meet the needs of prisoners with disabilities.
Segregation
Repeated
Five residents exceeded 42 days’ segregation, with one resident held for a total of 181 days. This case very much highlighted the lack of alternative secure accommodation as outlined in our previous year’s annual report.
Healthcare
The dental service was suspended until January 2021, resulting in complaints from residents having to tolerate painful conditions.
Mental Health
This reporting year, there has been a shortfall in the establishment of two nurses, one psychiatrist and one psychologist.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Sodexo retained its staff on site, and recruitment continued throughout the year despite Covid-19 absences. While strong staff-prisoner relationships and professionalism were observed, particularly during Rule 45 reviews and adjudications, many residents remain unaware of the key worker system and some find it not meaningful. The Board seeks an increase in allocated, contactable key workers who residents feel supported by.
Healthcare
Physical healthcare by Sodexo and GP services by Cimarron UK, with mental health services by Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. The prison successfully prevented a Covid-19 outbreak and implemented a vaccination programme. Improved triage decreased GP waiting times, and pharmacy services were brought in-house. However, dentistry was suspended longer than in the community, causing distress, and there is a shortfall in mental health team staff, including nurses, psychiatrists, and psychologists.
Regime & Daily Life
The reporting year was dominated by severe Covid-19 regime restrictions, with the primary objective to keep women safe. This mandated a highly restrictive Stage 3 or 4 regime, putting plans for a more flexible regime on hold. Time out of cell was limited to no more than 90 minutes per day for much of the year. Classroom learning was suspended, replaced by in-cell work packs and remote contact, severely impacting wellbeing and rehabilitation opportunities.
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 | 17 | 23 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 4 | 11 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 0 | 4 | |
| Equality | 6 | 5 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 7 | 15 | |
| Food and kitchens | 2 | 4 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 47 | 53 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 16 | 57 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 1 | 25 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 4 | 9 | |
| Property within this establishment | 45 | 32 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 8 | 25 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 13 | 23 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 41 | 65 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 9 |
Recommendations (4)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 2
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
The use of short sentences should be examined critically in terms of their effectiveness versus the impact on families and society.
Ministry of Justice
other
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board continues to see no evidence of proactive support from the national team for some complex residents (see section 4.4)
HMPPS
safety
Recommendation 3
The Board would like to see the restitution of a robust key work system whereby women are aware of this support and know their assigned key worker.
Governor / Director
staffing
Recommendation 4
The Board would like to see further progress on adapting the prison’s regime and practice to suit the needs of women better.
Governor / Director
regime