Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Channings Wood
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 22 January 2021
This IMB annual report for HMP Channings Wood (September 2019 – August 2020) highlights the significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions. The Board commends staff for maintaining a safe and well-run prison, noting reductions in assaults and ACCT cases, and improvements in education and complaint handling. However, key concerns persist regarding the detrimental effect of COVID-19 on prisoners' mental health and self-harm, unacceptably long delays in mental health transfers, the poor condition of the prison estate, and inefficient management of prisoners' property during transfers.
Positive Findings
The Board commends the governor, managers, and staff for their effective response to managing HMP Channings Wood during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that key violence indicators either fell or were maintained. Assaults decreased by almost 20%, and the number of opened ACCTs reduced by over 20%. The handling of prisoners’ complaints has significantly improved, leading to increased confidence in the process. Education services have also seen improvements, with NVQ functional skills success rates exceeding national averages in maths and English, and vocational course completion rates at 94%. Additionally, there have been improvements in support for foreign nationals, special arrangements for Ramadan, and the provision of LGBT distraction packs.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
The impact of COVID-19 on prisoners’ mental health, which can exacerbate the incidence of self-harm, remaining the main reason for ACCT placements.
Mental Health
Significant delays, caused by NHS practices, in arranging transfers for prisoners requiring secure mental health provision, particularly for those needing transfer outside the local NHS Trust area.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The poor physical state of the accommodation, including the condition of the fabric of most wings and the lack of privacy and state of repair of most showers, which does not promote decent living standards, with delays to remedial work ongoing.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The inability of the Prison Service and its contractors to manage the efficient and secure movement and storage of prisoners’ property, particularly during transfers, causing frustration and affecting resettlement.
Safety
Repeated
Progress in reducing levels of self-harm and the use of psychoactive substances is slower than desired, despite some successes in interception.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The significant number of hours prisoners remain locked in their cells (up to 23 hours a day during lockdown) and the potential negative effect on their mental health.
Board Commentary
Staffing
During the reporting period, staff turnover, which was considerable in the previous year, had stabilised, bringing greater consistency. However, Listeners continue to feel undervalued by staff. The equalities officer's role was often diverted to other duties, hindering its effectiveness, though a new policy requiring deputy governor authorisation for redeployment is hoped to help. While healthcare staff levels were generally good, the Key Worker scheme suffered from an insufficient number of fully trained staff, impacting progress on the Offender Management in Custody model. POM staffing is good, with only one temporary vacancy.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision by Care UK was generally of an equivalent standard to community care, with effective responses to COVID-19, including new delivery models and remote GP/dental services. Staffing levels for healthcare were good, with new appointments made. However, the Board noted significant concern regarding serious mental health conditions, particularly the unacceptably long assessment and transfer process to secure psychiatric hospitals for prisoners outside the local NHS Trust area, a problem exacerbated by COVID-119 restrictions. This has led to mentally ill prisoners remaining in unsuitable accommodation.
Regime & Daily Life
The introduction of a significantly restricted regime due to COVID-19 led to prisoners being confined to their cells for up to 23 hours a day during 'lockdown' (Stage 4). While staff and prisoners generally reacted with tolerance and understanding, the Board shares concerns about the limited time out of cell and its potential negative effect on prisoners' mental health. Distanced gym sessions and open-air activities were introduced during 'restrict' (Stage 3), but poor take-up was reported due to short session durations (some only 20 minutes).
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 transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Adjudications | 14 | 13 | |
| Equality/Discrimination | 9 | 11 | |
| Fairness/Respect | 11 | 8 | |
| Food | 8 | 6 | |
| Healthcare (including dentists) | 25 | 34 | |
| Legal | 4 | 5 | |
| Other | 10 | 13 | |
| Property | 43 | 39 | |
| Release/Resettlement | 5 | 6 | |
| Safety (general) | 4 | 0 | |
| Visits/Phone calls | 9 | 13 | |
| Vulnerable prisoners | 1 | 0 | |
| Work/Pay/Activities | 8 | 5 |
Recommendations (5)
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 1
Ministry of Justice: 1
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
Why are there often significant delays, caused by NHS practices, in making arrangements for prisoners requiring secure mental health provision, despite concerted efforts by prison and healthcare staff?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Why are the Prison Service and its contractors unable to manage the efficient and secure movement and storage of prisoners’ property, particularly during transfers? The loss of personal items causes a great deal of frustration and unhappiness for the individuals concerned that often detracts from their ability to settle. The costs to the Prison Service in replacing lost items must be significant.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
While the Board very much welcomes the continued downward trend in many key safety indicators, progress in reducing levels of self-harm and the use of psychoactive substances is slower. What steps are planned to further reduce the number of prisoners self-harming at Channings Wood? Despite successes in the interception of drugs, can even more effective measures be taken to reduce the availability of drugs in the prison?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What plans do you have for upgrading the accommodation and living blocks, so there is a common standard of decency across HMP Channings Wood? Without a commitment to a serious and extensive repair schedule, there seems little prospect that the safety of prisoners will be guaranteed and the inequality in living provision criticised by HMIP and the IMB can be eradicated.
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Response
Although the Board acknowledges that some improvements have been made and more are planned, the lack of investment for routine maintenance continues to be a serious issue. This, together with the large backlog of work, means that the Board continues to see the poor state of the buildings as an ongoing concern that affects prisoners’ day-to-day life and wellbeing.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How do you intend to bring down the exorbitant cost of often quite mundane repairs and improvements? And why is more use of the prisoners’ skills not tapped into, if only for basic jobs?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
The Board acknowledges the problems in obtaining contractors and the constraints they have to comply with. This is likely to increase costs, but the resulting costs continue to seem excessively high. The Board has been pleased to see ,during monitoring visits, the impressive results of prisoners taking responsibility in painting the interior of living blocks which has greatly improved their appearance. Some work has been done by prisoners on replacement to flooring.
Other IMB Reports for Channings Wood
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.