Prison
Cat A/B High Security
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Whitemoor
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 1 October 2020
HMP Whitemoor faced a challenging year marked by grave acts of violence and the COVID-19 lockdown, demonstrating skill in crisis management but struggling with increased self-harm and assaults. Key concerns include an over-reliance on segregation, high rates of education class cancellations due to staff shortages, and persistent issues with prisoner property transfers. The Board noted positive developments in family contact technology and efforts to foster a community spirit, while highlighting the need to fully establish the key worker scheme and improve facilities for vulnerable prisoners and visitors.
Positive Findings
The Governor and her team handled significant challenges, including violent incidents and COVID-19 lockdown, with skill. Prisoners appreciated efforts to keep them safe, and the prison made creditable efforts to maintain family contact through innovative technologies. Improvements were noted in segregation unit cell electricity and the creation of gardens for mental wellbeing. The Board welcomed the Governor's aspiration for a healthier community and the progress in the University of Cambridge Learning Together programme. Healthcare saw improved staffing and reduced waiting times, while chaplaincy offered valuable support, fostering inter-faith respect and community engagement. Successful vocational training, prisoner involvement in refurbishment projects, and the appointment of a categorisation advocate were also positive highlights.
Key Concerns
Segregation
Repeated
Although central controls on the use and duration of segregation were strengthened in 2015, Whitemoor has not always succeeded in observing them. In the year under review, the segregation unit often held prisoners for whom more appropriate accommodation could not be found.
Safety
Repeated
During the year, there was a small increase in the number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (29, up from 23), taking the number back to the total of the previous year. There were 46 prisoner assaults on staff. The number of incidents of self-harm was 286, an increase of 25 from last year. One hundred and ninety-four assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) documents were opened, more than 30% up on last year.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
The regular education programmes continued to be subject to closures as a result of shortages of staff, evenly split between teachers/instructors and prison officers. The percentage of class closures was 52%, a significant increase over last year.
Other
Repeated
The Prison Service rules on the amount of property that a prisoner is allowed to hold are too often neglected in the wider prison system, causing problems for prisons which seek to abide by them. There is an almost wilful carelessness in the way that prisoners’ property is handled when they are transferred between prisons, and this can lead to the loss of not only clothing and trainers, but also items of sentimental value. ...The Prison Service should be capable of finding a solution to this nationally; it has been an issue for far too long.
Staffing
The national target is for 80% of potential key worker sessions to be delivered. However, according to national statistics, Whitemoor managed over 50% in only one month between May 2019 and January 2020, and there was no improvement after the sign-off for delivery in October 2019. Its own records show slightly better performance, but still reaching 60% or better in only three out of six months. During the COVID-19 crisis, the key worker scheme was suspended nationally.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board is concerned about the lack of provision for these ageing prisoners. Cell doors are not wide enough to admit a wheelchair, and little provision is made for those with hearing or sight difficulties beyond a hearing aid loop on one wing. ...When visits start again, the prison should review the accommodation provided for families... It is not acceptable that there is no hot food available and no safe area for young children to play outside.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison experienced significant staff absences, peaking over 260 due to COVID-19, which hampered management and contributed to prolonged cell confinement. While the recruitment and development of new officers were positive, staff shortages led to frequent reception closures and 52% of education classes being cancelled. The key worker scheme, despite widespread training, failed to meet delivery targets and was suspended during lockdown. Offender management was also negatively impacted by a shortage of probation officers, exacerbated by redeployments to the community.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, showed impressive efforts in managing COVID-19, resulting in low prisoner cases. While earlier staff shortages improved, concerns persisted regarding the low attendance of healthcare staff and psychologists at ACCT and segregation review boards, although this improved during lockdown and with a dedicated psychologist. Mental health provision, an ongoing issue, saw improved staffing and quicker assessments. Social care provision through Cambridgeshire County Council was noted as effective and smooth.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime was severely impacted by COVID-19 and staff shortages, leading to extensive cell confinement, sometimes exceeding 23 hours daily for those in segregation. The prison struggled to comply with national guidance on exercise and time out of cell, and purposeful activity, including work and education, was significantly curtailed. Although daily showers and exercise were eventually reinstated, weekend provision was delayed. The basic IEP regime was suspended, and televisions were provided to all prisoners with increased channels as a temporary measure.
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
Will the minister re-examine the dispersal system under which Whitemoor holds genuinely high-risk and dangerous men alongside those who could be held in less restrictive conditions, where they would be less vulnerable to pressures, could benefit from a wider range of opportunities to progress, and perhaps be located closer to their families?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Will the Prison Service make better use of existing specialised units and, if necessary, increase their range and number as well as genuinely treating them as a national resource?
HMPPS
Segregation
Recommendation 3
Will the Prison Service ensure that the special arrangements made to give prisoners, including foreign nationals, better access to their families during lockdown, by using technologies such as email and video links (see section 5.4), are continued as part of the new regime when the crisis is over?
HMPPS
Family Contact
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Will the Prison Service take steps to introduce a nationwide system for managing prisoners’ property and its transfer between prisons, an issue which causes enormous anxiety and anger among prisoners and wastes countless hours of Board members’ time (see section 5.8)?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 5
We look forward to seeing this important agenda making an impact on prisoners’ day-to-day experience of prison life as soon as the health emergency allows.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 6
Will the governor give priority to establishing fully the key worker scheme which has the potential to make a significant impact on residents’ relationships with officers and their general progress in prison?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Other IMB Reports for Whitemoor
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
5 Dec 2022
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 2
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.