Prison
Cat High Security / Cat A/B
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Long Lartin
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 3 June 2020
HMP Long Lartin, a high-security prison, faced significant challenges in the reporting year, marked by persistent staff shortages that negatively impacted regime provision and purposeful activity, with time out of cell often falling below HMIP expectations. The prison experienced an unacceptably high level of violence and self-harm for much of the year, though figures showed a reduction in the final four months. Long-standing issues, such as the lack of in-cell sanitation in four wings and an overcrowded segregation unit where prisoners with complex needs become 'stuck', remain key concerns for the Board.
Positive Findings
The Board noted fair and consistent treatment by staff and good care in often trying circumstances. Positive developments include a reduction in violence and self-harm in the latter part of the year, improvements in visits facilities, and the success of the enabling environment on Perrie Blue wing. Education provision has improved across various units, and the OMiC project implementation has been successful despite staffing challenges. The chaplaincy is commended for its inter-faith work, pastoral ministry, and charitable initiatives.
Key Concerns
Staffing
The prison continues to suffer from staff shortages. The Board believes that some of the challenges faced by the prison can be attributed in part to this shortage.
Segregation
The population of the segregation unit at Long Lartin is unacceptably high. This is part of a serious national problem of full segregation units and a shortage of appropriate places for segregated prisoners with mental health problems and complex needs. Prisoners become ‘stuck’, sometimes for years.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Board wishes to restate from our report in 2018/19 and previous annual reports that the cells in the oldest wings are still without sanitation or running water. The arrangements in place – ‘Nightsan’ – are inadequate and no substitute for proper sanitation.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
A higher staff complement would help to address the problem of inadequate activity for prisoners outside their cells. HMIP’s expectations in this area have again not been met. Inactivity leads to boredom, frustration, and difficulty in progressing prisoners positively through the system.
Safety
It is disappointing to report that measured safety data both for prisoners and staff for the first eight months of the reporting year were poor. The level of violence against staff and the high number of serious incidents in the segregation unit must be addressed.
Estate/Conditions
The buildings maintenance contractor (Amey) continues to have a serious backlog of jobs, some of which remain unfinished, and some have not begun.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
For the second year running, equality monitoring data continues to be three months in arrears, with the consequence that it is of little use in informing policies and procedures.
Estate/Conditions
The kitchen was originally designed to support a smaller establishment. Many appliances are in need of repair or replacement, and repairs are required to the roof above the food preparation area. Drains regularly become blocked. In summary, the kitchen is no longer fit for purpose.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The PIPE unit should only be populated by prisoners undergoing the pre-PIPE programme as part of their rehabilitation. Having ‘lodgers’ from the segregation unit detracts from the quality and purpose of the regime.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison continues to experience significant staff shortages, which impact regime provision, workshop closures, and time out of cell. While recruitment efforts are acknowledged, slow vetting processes, high numbers of young and inexperienced officers, and staff sickness exacerbate these issues, particularly in healthcare and the segregation unit. The Board believes a higher staff complement is essential to address many of the prison's challenges.
Healthcare
Healthcare management shows good innovations and reviews, but recruitment and retention of staff remain challenging due to slow vetting. The mental health of segregated prisoners is a major concern, with no dedicated mental health nurse and four prisoners awaiting psychiatric beds. Social care provision is also noted as inadequate, and poor attendance at quality assessment meetings hinders improvements.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime is consistently impacted by staffing levels, leading to inadequate time out of cell, with prisoners often receiving no more than eight hours compared to HMIP's ten-hour expectation. Opportunities for purposeful activity in work, education, and leisure are insufficient, and workshop closures are frequent, contributing to prisoner boredom and frustration. The Board repeatedly notes that HMIP expectations for activity have not been met.
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 | 6 | 18 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 1 | 4 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives and earned privileges, sanctions | 11 | 12 | |
| Equality | 7 | 13 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 14 | |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 4 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 26 | 23 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 20 | 31 | |
| Others | 9 | — | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 30 | 24 | |
| Property within this establishment | 31 | 35 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 17 | 30 | |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 25 | 9 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 35 | 17 | |
| Transfers | 4 | 2 |
Recommendations (18)
Ministry of Justice: 5
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 9
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
What is being done to address staff shortages across the sector?
Ministry of Justice
staffing
Recommendation 2
What is being done to address the unacceptably high population of segregation units in particular prisons such as Long Lartin?
Ministry of Justice
segregation
Recommendation 3
What is being done to address the complex needs of segregated prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
mental_health
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is being done to remedy this unacceptable situation?
Ministry of Justice
estate
Recommendation 5
What is being done to challenge the poor performance of Amey?
Ministry of Justice
estate
Recommendation 6
The Board acknowledges the efforts which are being made to improve staffing levels through recruitment and enhanced incentives. Nonetheless, the Board notes that the prison continues to face difficulties in maintaining a full regime. Staff issues have impinged on the regime, workshops have been restricted and time out of cell is below the expectations of HMIP.
HMPPS
staffing
Recommendation 7
Recruitment of healthcare staff continues to be hampered by the extremely slow vetting process.
HMPPS
healthcare
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Activities for prisoners outside their cells continue to be inadequate, and HMIP expectations have, again, not been met.
HMPPS
regime
Recommendation 9
The Board would like to see improved quality and quantity of work across the workshops to keep the prisoners engaged and occupied, and a reduction in the number of workshop closures.
HMPPS
education
Recommendation 10
It is disappointing to report that measured safety, both for prisoners and staff, for the first eight months of the reporting year at the prison was poor.
Governor / Director
safety
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Activities for prisoners outside their cells continue to be inadequate, and HMIP targets have, again, not been met. This adds to boredom, frustration and difficulty in progressing prisoners positively through the system.
Governor / Director
regime
Recommendation 12
The Board notes the unacceptably high number of assaults on officers in the segregation unit and the shortage of dedicated staff in this unit.
Governor / Director
safety
Recommendation 13
The Board would like to see a more formal process for reviewing incidents and prisoner movements involving the use of force.
Governor / Director
safety
Recommendation 14
The Board believes that there is a need for closer cooperation between HMPPS management and the healthcare providers, in order to help them to achieve a better service.
Governor / Director
healthcare
Recommendation 15
The PIPE unit should only be populated by prisoners undergoing the pre-PIPE programme as part of their rehabilitation. Having ‘lodgers’ from the segregation unit detracts from the quality and purpose of the regime.
Governor / Director
regime
Recommendation 16
The Board would like to see an improved quality and quantity of work across the workshops, to keep the prisoners engaged and occupied, and a reduction in the number of workshop closures.
Governor / Director
education
Recommendation 17
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
For the second year running, equality monitoring data continues to be three months in arrears, with the consequence that it is of little use in informing policies and procedures.
Governor / Director
equality
Recommendation 18
The buildings maintenance contractor continues to have a serious backlog of jobs, some of which remain unfinished, and some have not begun.
Governor / Director
estate
Other IMB Reports for Long Lartin
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
30 Sep 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 2
Release: 3
5 Dec 2022
Unannounced
Safety: 2
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.