Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Featherstone
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 26 January 2021
HMP Featherstone, a Category C training prison, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic reporting period (Nov 2019 - Oct 2020), leading to a restricted regime with prisoners confined to cells for 23 hours a day. Despite this, staff and prisoners generally cooperated well, resulting in a reported reduction in self-harm, violence, and use of force. Key concerns include the poor state of the prison infrastructure, the consistently underperforming education contract with Novus, and issues with healthcare provision, particularly for mental health and dental services.
Positive Findings
The Board noted significant improvements in prison operations and infrastructure prior to COVID-19, with further gains in maintenance and cleanliness during restrictions. Staff and prisoners cooperated well, leading to reductions in ACCTs, self-harm, violence, and use of force, making prisoners feel safer. The Board commended staff for their humane and patient treatment of prisoners, particularly those in the CSU. Significant improvements included in-cell telephony, gardening, refurbished showers, and proactive equality initiatives.
Key Concerns
Substance Misuse
The ingression of drugs and mobile phones, and the production of ‘hooch’ create opportunities for trading, bullying and consequential debt.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The fabric of the building, despite having undergone some refit and redecoration, is still poor. Many cells are dark, with shoddy windows and a heating system that is not fit for purpose. Even before lockdown, and despite there being dining facilities, most prisoners eat their meals in cells, close to the toilet. Showers, while showing signs of improved cleanliness, have been subject to Legionella bacteria. The showers on house block 5 are totally inadequate and should be condemned.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
The lack of access to educational programmes and the poor performance of Novus was of major concern even before lockdown. The inability to provide programmes that are critical for addressing prisoners’ sentence plans has had an unfair impact on their chances of demonstrating progression, and possible access to parole or re-categorisation.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The extended period of confinement to cells for 23 hours a day has been difficult, and detrimental to the mental health of some prisoners.
Mental Health
The system for booking appointments is outdated, and improvements to an accessible IT booking system would help all parties. There is an increasing number of prisoners who present with very challenging mental health problems, and systems of referral do not appear to be well coordinated, which means that some prisoners do not receive the most appropriate care.
Segregation
The length of time spent in the CSU for a small number of prisoners gives some cause for concern.
Complaints/Property
The general application system for prisoners is not always consistent across house blocks. Paperwork can sometimes be slow in getting to the correct areas or be lost completely, thus creating frustration.
Food/Catering
Repeated
There remains a great deal of waste food, up to 20 tons per week, which represents a waste of resources.
Resettlement/Release
Resettlement provision from the CRC appears on the surface to be reasonably comprehensive. However, the Board survey of 63 prisoners indicated that outcomes were not always achieved, and that there was concern and anxiety among prisoners on a range of topics.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison experienced significant staff changes, including new senior leadership, with average operational staffing levels at 207 and an 11% attrition rate. The OMiC key worker scheme, though initially promising, was suspended due to COVID-19, leaving most prisoners without key worker support. The Board noted concerns regarding bullying behavior among some prison officers, particularly towards minority ethnic groups and female staff, which the new Governor addressed robustly. Healthcare also faced 3.5 vacancies, covered by agency staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision is generally adequate and consistent with community services, though COVID-19 created staffing pressures. Key concerns include an outdated appointment booking system, poorly coordinated referrals for challenging mental health cases, and inconsistent completion of injury report forms (F213) by staff. There's an unacceptably long wait for dental appointments, and issues persist with healthcare staff attendance and preparedness at "good order" reviews. The Board also noted deficiencies in managing healthcare complaints, with prisoners often unaware of proper procedures.
Regime & Daily Life
The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the prison regime, leading to prisoners being confined to cells for 23 hours a day, which was detrimental to some prisoners' mental health. Purposeful activity and education programs were largely suspended, resulting in "enforced indolence" for the majority, though a limited number engaged in work. The induction program was also reduced. Despite these challenges, the restricted regime paradoxically led to reductions in self-harm, violence, and use of force, with prisoners generally cooperative due to in-cell telephones and distraction activities.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Applications | 213 | 174 |
Recommendations (9)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 4
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Despite expenditure on a refurbishment programme, much of the residential accommodation, such as windows, heating and showers, is below the standard expected in the 21st century. While there has been some improvement in the operation of the maintenance contract, prison managers are often frustrated by the lack of progress, which is outside of their remit. How will the minister support the improvement of the physical infrastructure?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board considers that the change of education provider to Novus in April 2019 has resulted in a number of significant and challenging issues, which have had a detrimental impact on the education provision. Poor staff recruitment, retention and increased sickness levels have resulted in non-delivery of new courses that were included in the annual delivery plan provided by Novus. The Board considers that the quality and quantity of the education provision have fallen sharply since its last annual report, and that the delivery plan commitments made by Novus have not been achieved. How will the minister ensure that the awarding of contracts is more robust and subject to scrutiny in the future?
Ministry of Justice
Education
Recommendation 3
The restrictions introduced to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the cessation of education programmes, rehabilitation initiatives and many key worker contacts which are fundamental to the completion of sentence plans. While the Board understands the reasons for the constraints, they have an adverse impact on the life chances of prisoners and the achievement of a rehabilitative culture. What plans does the Prison Service intend to put in place to address these shortcomings for the future?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The performance of the education provider has been consistently poor and fallen short of the required outcomes, with no significant penalties being operated. How can the Prison Service take a more proactive role in both the negotiation and monitoring of the contract process, to ensure that public funds are well spent to achieve the agreed outcomes?
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The ageing infrastructure of the buildings – in particular, the poor standard of shower facilities and the kitchen – are inadequate for daily usage for the number of prisoners using them. What additional resources can the Prison Service provide to ensure that a minimal acceptable standard is available?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
The number of drug and illicit finds continues to be of concern. Lockdown restrictions suggest that items enter the establishment through staff channels/official visitors, yet there are still only limited searches undertaken. Can the Governor consider a more robust approach to the scrutiny of all staff/official prison visitors?
Governor / Director
Substance misuse
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
While the performance of healthcare staff appears adequate, there are a number of concerns: attendance at segregation reviews and use of force incidents; the monitoring of self-dispensing of medication held by prisoners; the operation of the healthcare complaints procedure; the thoroughness of mental health reviews and the reporting relationship with general healthcare. Can the Governor discuss these shortcomings with the head of healthcare, to ensure that measures are in place to address the concerns?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 8
The length of time spent in the CSU for a small number of prisoners gives some cause for concern. Can the Governor explore alternative approaches for some of these difficult cases at a regional level, to see if there is a better approach?
Governor / Director
Segregation
Recommendation 9
The general application system for prisoners is not always consistent across house blocks. Can the Governor investigate and monitor the system, to ensure a consistent and timely approach, and consider any training for new staff?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Other IMB Reports for Featherstone
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
23 Sep 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.