Prison
Cat local, female, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Styal
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 8 September 2021
HMP/YOI Styal effectively managed the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining a safe and humane environment despite significant regime restrictions. While primary healthcare was good, mental health needs were not fully supported, and purposeful activity was severely curtailed due to lockdowns. Key concerns include fire safety risks in unrefurbished houses, ongoing maintenance failings, and the need for more resources to tackle drug ingress and support prisoners with complex mental health issues.
Positive Findings
The prison effectively managed the Covid-19 pandemic, reducing virus spread and maintaining a positive, supportive environment. Staff were commended for their professional and caring approach, particularly in supporting vulnerable prisoners. Healthcare provision was maintained at a high standard, with improved communication between services and positive patient feedback. The ADAPT programme for personality disorders showed significant success, and the Stepping Stones programme supported prolific self-harmers. Improvements were also made in reception assessments, segregation management, accommodation on release, and complaint handling.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
There is a significant fire risk to prisoners who reside in the 16 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal. A recent survey has classed all of these buildings as red fire risk. These risks include the existence of false ceilings, and ceilings made of lath and plaster, which would require expensive and specialist repair to be brought within regulations. Fire doors and surrounds, which are not suitable and not fire resistant, are evident in almost 70% of the houses. Almost half of the Victorian buildings have defects related to holes caused by pipe work, internal stairs and storage areas, which are not in line with fire safety regulations.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There continue to be significant failings in the maintenance of accommodation at the prison. Contracts with outside maintenance providers continue to result in excessive quotations and long delays in repairs and refurbishment, including health and safety related matters. These failings are resulting in further deterioration in the fabric and serious decency issues for the prisoners. Whilst significant additional resource has been made available to the prison, the cost and time of refurbishment, approximately £800,000 per house, is unlikely to be sustainable.
Substance Misuse
Increased resources are required to support the new Governor in tackling the problem of illicit drugs, including better and more regular access to dogs during visits. The provision of body scanners in the female estate could also substantially help to mitigate the drugs traffic, as would the enhanced security resources more commonly found in the male estate.
Mental Health
The prison continues to be challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems and complex needs. Nationally, there is still a pressing need for more specialist facilities that can be easily accessed.
Staffing
Greater consideration is needed around the issue of prison escorts, as staffing at Styal has been stretched throughout the lockdown, exacerbating what is already a critical staffing situation, especially given the different demands for hospital visits and treatment in the female estate.
Resettlement/Release
The Board is concerned about the changes to the contracts for Through the Gate (TTG) Services, including the loss of Shelter, and the impact of these changes will need to be carefully monitored at national level.
Other
The effectiveness of the induction centre has yet to be monitored and reviewed by the Board and it would be helpful to consider its impact, once it is no longer incorporated in the RCU provision.
Healthcare
There is still not enough dialogue between healthcare and other staff in the prison, and the Board has been unable to access any analysis of complaints made by prisoners directly to the healthcare provider, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staff worked tirelessly throughout the lockdown, maintaining a positive and supportive environment despite being stretched and experiencing precarious staffing levels. The need for escorts for prisoners with complex health needs further exacerbated the critical staffing situation. Clinical vacancies at Spectrum led to an over-reliance on agency staff, which was a concern for consistency. The OMiC programme is preparing for key worker meetings, building on existing wellbeing checks.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision, delivered by Spectrum, was generally good during lockdown and adapted well to Covid-19 challenges. However, the mental health needs of prisoners, many with severe and enduring conditions, were not fully supported. Vacancies and reliance on agency staff were issues, and communication between healthcare and other prison staff still needed improvement. The Board raised concerns about transparency regarding healthcare complaints, given the high number of IMB applications on the topic. Dental and optician services were limited to emergency treatment.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 pandemic severely restricted the prison regime, leading to prisoners spending over 20 hours a day in their cells at its peak, with limited opportunities for work, association, or exercise. Education and vocational training were curtailed, and work placements through ROTL were significantly reduced. Changes to medication distribution, with smaller cohorts, positively impacted prisoner safety by reducing bullying and intimidation. The new induction centre on Waite wing provides a 24-hour nursing presence and improved detox monitoring.
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 transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Adjudications | 3 | 12 | |
| Healthcare | 99 | 114 | |
| Home Office / Immigration | 0 | 0 | |
| Other / no category identified | 92 | 97 | |
| Property | 32 | 106 | |
| Regime / purposeful activity | 23 | 71 | |
| Relations with staff | 24 | 32 | |
| Segregation / discipline | 10 | 26 | |
| Total applications | 328 | 496 |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 2
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
There is a significant fire risk to prisoners who reside in the 16 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal. A recent survey has classed all of these buildings as red fire risk. These risks include the existence of false ceilings, and ceilings made of lath and plaster, which would require expensive and specialist repair to be brought within regulations. Fire doors and surrounds, which are not suitable and not fire resistant, are evident in almost 70% of the houses. Almost half of the Victorian buildings have defects related to holes caused by pipe work, internal stairs and storage areas, which are not in line with fire safety regulations.
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Recommendation 2
Repeated
As also reported last year, there continue to be significant failings in the maintenance of accommodation at the prison. Contracts with outside maintenance providers continue to result in excessive quotations and long delays in repairs and refurbishment, including health and safety related matters. These failings are resulting in further deterioration in the fabric and serious decency issues for the prisoners. Whilst significant additional resource has been made available to the prison, the cost and time of refurbishment, approximately £800,000 per house, is unlikely to be sustainable.
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 3
There has been a reduction in the supply, trading and use of illicit drugs during the pandemic, and this in turn has helped to reduce intimidation and bullying. As the prison returns to level 3 and level 2 the resumption of visits and more free flow is likely to impact on the amount of drugs being brought into the prison by visitors and by new and recalled prisoners. Increased resources are required to support the new Governor in tackling this problem, including better and more regular access to dogs during visits. The provision of body scanners in the female estate could also substantially help to mitigate the drugs traffic, as would the enhanced security resources more commonly found in the male estate.
Ministry of Justice
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 4
The prison continues to be challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems and complex needs. Over the year, there has been a significant reduction in the time spent by these prisoners in long-term segregation within the prison. Nationally, there is still a pressing need for more specialist facilities that can be easily accessed.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 5
Greater consideration is needed around the issue of prison escorts. Staffing at Styal has been stretched throughout the lockdown, and it continues to be precarious at times. The cohort at Styal includes prisoners with serious mental and physical health issues, as well as pregnant prisoners and the residents of the MBU, including their children. The need for escorts exacerbates what is already a critical staffing situation, and recognition needs to be given to the different demands for hospital visits and treatment in the female estate.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 6
The Board is concerned about the changes to the contracts for Through the Gate (TTG) Services, including the loss of Shelter who are a known and experienced partner. Whilst TTG services will now be managed by the National Probation Service (NPS), there will still be a number of new external partners, replacing the current partners and based around different geographical areas than those currently used. The impact of these changes will need to be carefully monitored at national level.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
The effectiveness of the induction centre has yet to be monitored and reviewed by the Board and it would be helpful to consider its impact, once it is no longer incorporated in the RCU provision.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 8
There has been some improvement in communications with the mental health team and other areas of the prison, which has led to a more holistic approach to mental health treatment. However, there is still not enough dialogue between healthcare and other staff in the prison, and the Board have been unable to access any analysis of complaints made by prisoners directly to the healthcare provider. Given the high number of applications to the IMB over the year related to healthcare issues, this raises concerns about the transparency and accountability of the provider.
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Other IMB Reports for Styal
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.