Prison
Cat B
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Woodhill
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 5 October 2021
HMP Woodhill faced a challenging year dominated by Covid-19 restrictions, which limited prisoner time out of cell to an average of 1.75 hours daily and curtailed visits and activities. Despite successfully preventing a Covid-19 outbreak among prisoners, the Board raised concerns about high levels of violence, a high proportion of inexperienced staff, and issues with long-term segregation and property management. There were also notable delays in mental health transfers and insufficient purposeful activity for progression.
Positive Findings
Woodhill successfully avoided a Covid-19 outbreak among prisoners, attributed to good planning and an integrated response from the prison and healthcare department. Significant improvements were noted in the quality of ACCT documents, DIRF responses, and use of force paperwork. Efforts to reduce illicit items like throw-overs and drugs were largely successful due to enhanced security measures. The key worker system positively impacted staff-prisoner relationships, and some house units saw refurbishment. Chaplaincy staff increased contact despite restrictions, and a new Compass unit opened to support vulnerable prisoners struggling on wings. The new Purple Visits video calling service was also well received.
Key Concerns
Safety
High levels of violence (all types), including assaults by prisoners on staff, prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, and self-harm.
Staffing
High proportion of inexperienced staff lacking 'jail craft', leading to inconsistent information, mishandled situations, and compromised safety, further impacting the ability to open up the regime.
Segregation
Repeated
Too many prisoners held in long-term segregation (some for over a year) due to complex cases and a lack of specialist units or progression plans within the system.
Other
Repeated
Continuing significant problems with prisoner property, including frequent losses and delays during transfer between establishments, and delays in property allocation on arrival.
Mental Health
Repeated
Ongoing delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities, despite some evidence of faster referral and transfers.
Resettlement/Release
Inadequate progression towards successful resettlement due to curtailed education and library provision, and too few offending behaviour programmes, workshops, and work opportunities.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing at Woodhill was challenging, with over 15% of staff off sick or isolating due to Covid-19, and a high proportion of inexperienced officers (nearly two-thirds of officers and one-third of supervisory officers had less than two years' experience by June 2021). This inexperience led to inconsistencies in dealing with prisoners and a lack of 'jail craft', impacting safety and regime delivery. Staff shortages were prevalent across reception, segregation units, and healthcare (especially for Band 5 nurses), exacerbating delays and limiting the prison's ability to open up its regime and maintain services.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Central and West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) and rated 'good' by CQC, generally operated well despite Covid-19 restrictions, staffing constraints, and relocation disruption due to building works. An integrated response helped prevent a prison-wide Covid-19 outbreak, with a testing centre set up and vaccinations delivered. While GP waiting times improved, dental waiting times remained long, averaging 33 weeks for emergencies. Mental health referrals were assessed promptly, and a new Compass unit opened to support vulnerable prisoners struggling on wings.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime for most of the year, with prisoners confined to cells for over 22 hours daily, allowing only 1.75 hours out for domestic time and exercise within 'bubbles'. Social visits, education, and gym access were largely curtailed for extended periods, though in-cell activities, televisions, DVD/game loans, and video calls provided some mitigation. This extended confinement led to significant boredom, frustration, and a rise in violence and self-harm, negatively impacting prisoner wellbeing and progression.
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 | 5 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 1 | 5 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives and earned privileges, sanctions | 3 | 17 | |
| Equality | 7 | 3 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 1 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 4 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 53 | 36 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 18 | 3 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 10 | 23 | |
| Not classified | 9 | 34 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 98 | 24 | |
| Property within this establishment | 26 | 29 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 12 | 5 | |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 16 | 11 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 21 | 47 | |
| Transfers | 18 | 31 |
Recommendations (12)
Other: 2
HMPPS: 6
Governor / Director: 4
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Again, we ask the minister to work with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health to ensure that delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities are reduced.
Other
(other)
Mental Health
Response
there has been some evidence of faster referral and transfers, but, overall, the process is still much too slow.
Recommendation 2
To review the per-day funding allocation for food and to ensure that prisoners are able to access, for example, five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, in line with current Department of Health and Social Care guidance
Other
(other)
Food
Recommendation 3
To increase the number of specialist units to cater for prisoners now kept in long-term segregation
HMPPS
Segregation
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To review and reform the property system, to reduce delays in transportation, inconsistencies in entitlements and reduce losses
HMPPS
Other
Response
no progress
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To ensure that prisoners are properly searched and transferred from one prison to another without contraband
HMPPS
Safety
Response
no apparent progress
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To ensure sufficient funding for works and maintenance
HMPPS
Estate
Response
no progress
Recommendation 7
To increase efforts to recruit and retain uniformed staff
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 8
To improve the speed of prison IT systems.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 9
To continue to work with the Service to reduce the number and length of stay of prisoners placed in segregation
Governor / Director
Segregation
Recommendation 10
To ensure that appropriate offending behaviour programmes are reinstituted as early as possible to support the progression of prisoners
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Recommendation 11
To expand work and education opportunities to a level where all those seeking work can be supported and ensure that education opportunities at a range of entry levels are available to all
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 12
To increase efforts to improve servery hygiene and maintain the food logs on each wing.
Governor / Director
Food
Other IMB Reports for Woodhill
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
17 Mar 2026
Urgent Notification
14 Aug 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 1
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.