Prison
Cat D
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Haverigg
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 9 February 2021
HMP Haverigg successfully transitioned from a Category C to a Category D open prison during a challenging year, ending with a population of 284. The Board commended the leadership and staff for effectively managing this change and the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a safe environment and high levels of prisoner wellbeing. Despite these positive developments, the Board raised concerns regarding IPP prisoner progression, issues with property transfers, potential staff deskilling, and challenges in resettlement and some aspects of healthcare provision.
Positive Findings
The Board commended the Governor and his team for their leadership in transitioning HMP Haverigg from a Category C to a Category D open prison during a challenging year, including managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Prisoners generally felt safe, and their health and wellbeing needs were fully met, with many expressing appreciation for healthcare staff. Positive relationships between staff and prisoners were observed, and the equality team's proactive work was highlighted. Significant improvements to the estate were made, and a wide range of employment opportunities and purposeful activities, including innovative environmental projects, were available.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Over 24% of prisoners at HMP Haverigg are serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP). It is of concern to the Board that, despite significant progress made by many IPP prisoners, their testing period for ROTL often appears to be delayed by the needs of those with determinate sentences. In addition, the absence of a release date clearly has a negative impact on mental health.
Other
Repeated
Although the number of applications about the loss of property on transfer has reduced significantly since last year, it remains a concern of the Board that less priority appears to be given to the transfer of personal papers, the loss of which causes considerable distress.
Other
The Board is concerned about an apparent lack of progress in the development of the Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) property policy framework.
Staffing
The Board has concerns that, given the previous challenging environment as a category C establishment, there is the potential for staff to become deskilled and, potentially demotivated.
Resettlement/Release
It remains a concern that, for some, delays in securing a place in approved accommodation has caused undue distress.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The geographical isolation of the prison continues to have a negative impact on the maintenance of family ties.
Healthcare
Out-of-hours links with Cumbria Out of Hours GP Service have been problematic, and alternative systems are being explored to facilitate emergency healthcare access out of hours.
Healthcare
Frequent changes to the dates of adult social care meetings have prevented observation of the interactions between healthcare and social services staff. This is of concern to the Board as the need for, and provision of, specialist equipment and aids to daily living was raised during teleconferences with the prisoners, especially as 28% of the prison population have identified as disabled.
Estate/Conditions
It is regrettable that R4 had to close, as the accommodation was regarded by many as the best available in the prison, and the only area that contained a fully equipped catering kitchen for prisoners’ own use.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The breakdown of wing-based washing machines was frequently raised by participants in the fortnightly teleconference that the Board held with prisoners. Replacement with industrial-grade washing machines is planned, but funding has yet to be identified.
Board Commentary
Staffing
A small minority of staff reportedly had difficulty adapting to the changes following recategorisation, raising concerns about potential deskilling and demotivation, especially given the previous Category C environment. The Board regrets that key working schemes have no plans for introduction in the open estate. However, many officers and civilian staff enjoy their work and have highly positive interactions with prisoners. While 3.5 additional probation officers were recruited, other posts remained unfilled, necessitating the temporary secondment of five prison officers as offender managers.
Healthcare
The primary healthcare team's profile was raised due to COVID-19 and the prompt care provided to new arrivals with chronic conditions, with many prisoners highly appreciative of the service. Mental health and substance abuse services continued, offering drop-in clinics and mindfulness support groups, and improved communication between GP and mental health services led to better joint working. Psychiatry support improved mental healthcare, though out-of-hours GP links remained problematic. An increased older population has led to more dementia clients, but frequent changes to adult social care meetings prevented observation of interactions, raising concerns about provision for disabled prisoners.
Regime & Daily Life
Regime restrictions due to the pandemic significantly impacted visits and ROTL, but prisoners generally had almost unlimited time out of their rooms and could spend most of the day outdoors. The closure of the gym was keenly felt, but prisoners engaged in gardening and creating wildlife parks. Education was disrupted, with a shift to in-cell learning packs, and non-essential work areas were closed. However, essential work areas remained open, providing opportunities for about 25 prisoners, and new vocational training courses were introduced.
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 | 0 | 4 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 0 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives and earned privileges, sanctions | 5 | 7 | |
| Equality | 0 | 4 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 1 | 2 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 2 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 1 | 3 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 2 | 0 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 3 | 8 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 2 | 17 | |
| Property within this establishment | 0 | 5 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 0 | 13 | |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, ROTL, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 4 | 11 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 0 | 4 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 10 |
Recommendations (4)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 1
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Over 24% of prisoners at HMP Haverigg are serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP). It is of concern to the Board that, despite significant progress made by many IPP prisoners, their testing period for ROTL often appears to be delayed by the needs of those with determinate sentences. In addition, the absence of a release date clearly has a negative impact on mental health. Although the overall reduction in the number of IPP prisoners nationally is welcomed, the Board shares the view of other agencies that it would be humane retrospectively to apply the abolition of the IPP sentence.
Ministry of Justice
Sentence Management
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Although the number of applications about the loss of property on transfer has reduced significantly since last year, it remains a concern of the Board that less priority appears to be given to the transfer of personal papers, the loss of which causes considerable distress.
HMPPS
Property
Recommendation 3
The Board is concerned about an apparent lack of progress in the development of the Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) property policy framework.
HMPPS
Property
Recommendation 4
the Board has concerns that, given the previous challenging environment as a category C establishment, there is the potential for staff to become deskilled and, potentially demotivated. The Board is interested to learn how this might be addressed.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Other IMB Reports for Haverigg
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
31 Mar 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.