Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Lindholme
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 23 June 2021
HMP Lindholme operated under significant Covid-19 restrictions, leading to prolonged lockdowns, reduced regime, and limited purposeful activity, though self-harm and violence incidents decreased. While healthcare adapted well and staffing levels improved, concerns persist regarding high numbers of OCG prisoners, substance misuse, overcrowding, and delays in sentence progression. The IMB highlighted the negative impact of limited time out of cell and poor staff-prisoner relationships.
Positive Findings
The Board notes improved staffing levels in healthcare and the prison generally, leading to better primary care performance and recruitment. Kitchen equipment proved more reliable, and GP waiting times remained stable despite the pandemic. Healthcare adapted successfully and flexibly to Covid-19 challenges, increasing delivery on wings and via in-cell phones. The education department is commended for its achievement in providing in-cell learning packages and examinations during restrictions. The IMB welcomes the planned digital infrastructure for complaints.
Key Concerns
Safety
The high percentage of OCG prisoners linked to organised crime still poses a constant threat to security and safety in the prison, particularly at a time when resources have been stretched.
Safety
The majority of self-harm incidents were by men cutting themselves.
Substance Misuse
Substance misuse continues to be a significant concern.
Overcrowding
A proportion of cells which were designed for single occupancy have been authorised for double occupancy. We are concerned that the overcrowding, poor ventilation and lack of privacy curtains in some of these cells is detrimental to prisoners, particularly during the present pandemic.
Staffing
In general staff-prisoner relationships have suffered this year. We are particularly concerned with the rise in the number of applications to the IMB concerning relations with the staff.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Outdoor exercise for the men has been limited during the lockdown and, in our opinion, this is extremely detrimental to their general wellbeing.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Board is concerned to note that once again there are delays across the custodial estate caused by a backlog in completion of assessments on the national offender assessment system (OASys). As a result, we have noticed a significant number of concerns raised to us by prisoners about their sentence progression.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
While it is encouraging to see the reduction of the number of men on indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP), the Board is disappointed by such a small reduction.
Other
The management of prisoners’ property continues to be a considerable concern. Property is still not being tracked efficiently on prison transfers and there are still instances of property being lost when men are moved within the prison.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing levels have improved over the year, although the prison experienced serious shortages at times due to Covid-19. Recruitment and retention have seen improvement, with significant new posts filled. However, the key worker support system was suspended during the pandemic, leading to a modified system and a general suffering in staff-prisoner relationships due to less contact and staff movements between wings during shortages.
Healthcare
The Covid-19 pandemic presented a major challenge to healthcare, which responded successfully and flexibly by increasing wing-based and in-cell phone delivery. The GP waiting time remained at two weeks, but dental, physiotherapy, podiatry, and optometry waiting times significantly increased. The Consultant forensic psychiatrist post is currently vacant and is being backfilled by agency locums with reduced hours. The high level of psychoactive substance use remains a major challenge to healthcare.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison was under prolonged lockdown from March 2020 due to Covid-19, leading to the closure of workplaces, the gymnasium, and cessation of education classes and faith services. Prisoners were locked in their cells for long periods, with only limited time for exercise (45 minutes) and personal domestics (30 minutes) daily. The Board believes this limited outdoor exercise is extremely detrimental to prisoners' general wellbeing, and vocational training and work opportunities were severely curtailed, causing frustration.
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 | 10 | 38 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 4 | 4 | — |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 14 | 18 | |
| Equality | 4 | 7 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 14 | 15 | |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 5 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 34 | 52 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 14 | 21 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 13 | 26 | |
| Property within this establishment | 14 | 22 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 3 | 10 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 41 | 47 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 46 | 31 | |
| Transfers | 6 | 20 |
Recommendations (5)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 3
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Although the Minister gave a full answer last year to our concerns regarding the number of IPP prisoners held in this establishment, the fact remains that there has been very little reduction in the number still being held here. Would the Minister give further consideration as to how the numbers can be reduced more effectively?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
What measures are being taken to reduce overcrowding and the excessive use of double occupancy in cells which were designed for single occupancy?
HMPPS
Overcrowding
Recommendation 3
We recommend that the key worker scheme is reinstated at the earliest opportunity.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 4
What measures are in place to track prisoners’ property effectively when moves take place both within the prison and outside?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 5
What measures are being taken to ensure that prisoners have more time outside their cells for exercise and domestics, even before the end of the lockdown?
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Lindholme
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
17 Jul 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 3
Activity: 1
Release: 1
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.