Prison
Cat Category B, Reception, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Forest Bank
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 10 February 2021
HMP Forest Bank, a Category B male prison, faced significant challenges during its transition to a main Reception prison and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board commended staff and management for their efforts in maintaining safety and humane treatment amidst staffing shortages and a heavily restricted regime. While healthcare provision was generally good and education adapted well to in-cell learning, concerns remained regarding the impact of restrictions on purposeful activity, appropriate transfers for long-term prisoners, property issues, and increased drug smuggling.
Positive Findings
The Board commended the management team and staff for their exceptional work in prioritizing safety and delivering humane treatment, especially during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, including effective partnership with Public Health England. Healthcare facilities and catering were noted as good. The education department successfully adapted to in-cell learning, and the chaplaincy and CSU staff were praised for their professionalism. The prison's complaints system was also found to be effective.
Key Concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The lockdowns and ongoing restrictions have severely restricted physical visits... prisoners have necessarily experienced lengthy periods in their cells... These severe restrictions for prisoners have been both challenging and frustrating as their opportunities for education, work and association have been significantly reduced.
Overcrowding
The prison population has changed from more long-term residents to men on remand and awaiting sentence... Of the sentenced population only 40% fit Forest Banks resettlement criteria with the other 60% requiring transfer to more suitable establishments.
Other
Property continues to be a problem area with prisoners. Either, within the establishment (12 applications) when prisoners are transferred to CSU at short notice but also when prisoners are moved between establishments (22 applications).
Healthcare
Unfortunately, the waiting list for the dentist has increased because of the Covid-19 restrictions... The Covid pandemic has impacted referrals to hospital for those identified as requiring transfer under the Mental Health Act.
Substance Misuse
As visits have been restricted there has been an increase in contraband thrown over the security fences into the exercise yards... drugs have been smuggled onto the wings for residents’ use.
Staffing
Staff prisoner relationships are generally good, despite a higher than preferred turnover of staff... Unfortunately, the Board has not been able to monitor this [key worker scheme] since then.
Equality/Diversity
The prison is still without a Pagan chaplain despite attempts to rectify the situation.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison experienced higher than preferred staff turnover and significant shortages due to COVID-19, placing considerable pressure on remaining staff. New staff benefit from an in-house learning centre and mentoring by experienced officers. A key worker scheme was successfully implemented prior to lockdown, but its impact could not be monitored during the reporting period due to restrictions.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision generally maintained a good standard, though a CQC inspection identified areas for improvement, progress on which the Board could not monitor due to pandemic constraints. New initiatives like an in-house pharmacy and nurse prescribing model are underway, and environmental improvements have been made. However, COVID-19 restrictions significantly increased dental waiting lists and impacted mental health transfers to hospitals due to difficulties with face-to-face assessments and bed availability.
Regime & Daily Life
The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, leading to prisoners spending lengthy periods in their cells. Time out of cell for exercise and other activities was limited to one hour daily. This restricted regime, while making some prisoners feel safer, was challenging and frustrating for many, significantly reducing opportunities for education, work, and association. The prison attempted to mitigate these effects with extra phone credits, televisions, comfort packs, and in-cell education.
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 | 13 | 7 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 3 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 3 | 8 | |
| Equality | 7 | 2 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 7 | |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 4 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 35 | 34 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 17 | 22 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 31 | 127 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 22 | 12 | |
| Property within this establishment | 12 | 25 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 2 | 10 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 4 | 30 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 33 | 52 | |
| Transfers | 7 | 4 |
Recommendations (3)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 1
Recommendation 1
Can the Minister comment on the exceptional partnership work conducted by HMP Forest Bank, HMPPS and Public Health England to control the Covid 19 outbreak and to keep staff, residents, and visitors safe and what will happen after the pandemic?
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Recommendation 2
Can HMPPS comment on how they are ensuring that the new offender flow process supports HMP Forest Bank by progressively transferring licence recalls, category B prisoners and Lifers that a reception prison should not hold?
HMPPS
Offender Management
Recommendation 3
Can the Director comment on the percentage difference in the levels of violence, self-harm, use of force and accidents at HMP Forest Bank between the last annual report and this one?
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Forest Bank
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
9 Dec 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
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.