Prison
Cat C, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Moorland
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 12 August 2021
HMP and YOI Moorland adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic with a restricted regime, leading to reductions in violence and self-harm, and high reported safety levels. However, it also resulted in significant limitations on education, work, and association, impacting prisoner mental wellbeing and progression. Persistent national challenges, such as a shortage of secure psychiatric beds and inadequate food budgeting, continue to hinder effective prisoner care and resettlement despite local efforts.
Positive Findings
The Board commends the prison for maintaining a safe environment, with significant reductions in violence, self-harm, and ACCTs, and a high proportion of prisoners reporting feeling safe. Efforts to adapt the regime, including video visits and in-cell telephony, were appreciated. Healthcare provisions during the pandemic, including the vaccination programme, were well-managed, and the CQC found the service compliant with regulations. Improvements to the physical environment, such as redecoration and new bunkabed units, were noted. The chaplaincy and substance misuse services maintained good support, and the electronic menu system improved food choices and satisfaction.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
The care of prisoners with severe mental illness continues to be a problem. Despite the best efforts of the prison staff and advocacy from the IMB, a prisoner referred for urgent psychiatric assessment on 19 March 2020 remained in the segregation unit for 34 days before he was finally transferred to a secure unit in the south of England, there being no beds available in the whole of the north-east, the north west or the Midlands.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The number of those with no fixed abode (NFA) has decreased as local councils were housing all NFA releases. However, there are no long-term improvements established for those being released.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Delivery of the Horizon, Resolve and Thinking Skills programmes (TSP) have been limited due to Covid-19 restrictions and staff shortages. 281 people have been identified as eligible to start their programme once restrictions are lifted.
Food/Catering
Repeated
The daily food budget remains at £2.02 and has not been increased for some years, although it is subsidised from the additional allowance if the prison roll is less than the operational capacity.
Staffing
Repeated
Due to the pandemic, key worker sessions were initially ceased and welfare checks instigated in their place. However, in the later months of the reporting period key worker sessions were resumed for prisoners assessed as vulnerable.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
The majority of men (80-96%) were withdrawn from workshops with the loss of work experience and development of employability skills, including timekeeping, working as a team, communication, building self-confidence. Neither were they able to obtain accredited vocational qualifications.
Estate/Conditions
Can use be made of the extensive investment and cabling already installed at the prison to progress the implementation of in-cell technology?
Resettlement/Release
Can there be greater attention given to the IPP prisoners and their progression and resettlement?
Board Commentary
Staffing
The key worker scheme was restricted due to the pandemic, only being reinstated for vulnerable prisoners later in the year. The Offender Management Unit (OMU) experienced understaffing due to secondments, leading to increased workloads for Prison Offender Managers (POMs). There were also three mental health nurse vacancies and a vacant equality champion post. Despite these challenges, many officers were commended for their dedication and risk-taking during the pandemic.
Healthcare
Healthcare, provided by Practice Plus Group (formerly Care UK), faced significant challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including a large outbreak in February 2021. Essential services were maintained, and a vaccination programme mirrored community rollout. However, delays in medication were reported by prisoners, and the four GP sessions per week were deemed inadequate. Waiting times for non-urgent dental check-ups extended to 32 weeks. The care of prisoners with severe mental illness remained a concern, with one prisoner waiting 34 days for transfer to a secure unit due to a national shortage of beds, and 52% of surveyed prisoners reporting worsened mental health. An intermediate care unit is planned for Houseblock 7.
Regime & Daily Life
The pandemic led to a significantly restricted regime, with limited time out of cell (minimum 1 hour) and the closure of the gym for much of the year. Education and vocational training came to a virtual halt, resulting in widespread boredom and frustration among prisoners. Showers and exercise were sometimes only available one day over the weekend. However, in-cell television (for most prisoners), additional phone credit, and Purple Visits (video calls) were introduced, which helped maintain morale and family contact. Essential workshops like kitchens and wing-cleaning continued.
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 | |
| Discipline/Adjudications | 20 | 33 | |
| Equality and Diversity | 9 | 5 | |
| Faith | 1 | 0 | |
| Food | 1 | 5 | |
| General/Other | 12 | 17 | |
| Healthcare | 32 | 65 | |
| Phone calls (additional to the above) | 77 | — | |
| Property | 26 | 42 | |
| Release/Parole | 4 | 6 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns (including bullying) | 25 | 43 | |
| Total | 202 | 382 | |
| Visits/Communications | 3 | 1 | |
| Welfare/Social Care | 10 | 19 | |
| Work/Education/Training | 14 | 28 |
Recommendations (7)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 2
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Minister ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to address the national shortage of secure psychiatric beds?
Other
(other)
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the increased accommodation provision for released prisoners being piloted be rolled out as swiftly as possible to all areas?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can more resources be made available to address the backlog for delivery of programmes identified in prisoners’ sentence plans?
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 4
Can use be made of the extensive investment and cabling already installed at the prison to progress the implementation of in-cell technology?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board requests that the national daily budgetary allowance for food be reviewed on a national level to ensure that prisoners are receiving adequate nutrition.
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can priority be given to the re-establishment of meaningful key worker sessions across the prison?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 7
Can there be greater attention given to the IPP prisoners and their progression and resettlement?
Governor / Director
Resettlement
Other IMB Reports for Moorland
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
13 Mar 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 3
Activity: 3
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.