Prison
Cat B, local, C resettlement
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Wandsworth
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 22 September 2020
HMP Wandsworth, a Category B local prison, reported significant challenges during a year heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a rapid lockdown response. The Board found the prison's overcrowded, 169-year-old Victorian buildings created inhumane living conditions for prisoners. Key concerns included high levels of violence and self-harm, poor resettlement outcomes, and persistent delays in mental health transfers, with the Addison unit deemed unfit for purpose.
Positive Findings
The Board commended staff for their sensitive and imaginative response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included rapid implementation of new systems and good communication. HMIP also reported positively on visible leadership and staff support during this time. The Board also noted improvements in violence reduction strategies, the introduction of a Rapiscan machine to detect drugs in mail, and efforts to increase the use of the IEP scheme. There was also progress in sentence calculations and a reduction in the backlog of categorisations and OASys assessments, and the chaplaincy team successfully used iPads for family contact during bereavements.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The inhumane living conditions, stemming from overcrowding and the dilapidated 169-year-old Victorian buildings.
Safety
High levels of violence (prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults) and self-harm incidents.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The poor quality and effectiveness of resettlement provision, resulting in very low rates of prisoners securing employment, training, or housing upon release.
Mental Health
Repeated
Persistent, long-standing delays in transferring mentally ill prisoners to secure psychiatric accommodation.
Mental Health
Repeated
The unsuitability and inadequacy of the 12-bed Addison mental health unit, compounded by insufficient adapted cells for wheelchair users.
Safety
Unreliable CCTV system.
Other
Repeated
Significant issues with missing prisoner property.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing was a concern throughout the year, with vacancies for permanent healthcare staff covered by agency staff. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant number of staff being off work, impacting operations. Keyworking was suspended during lockdown, but welfare checks were maintained. The prison continued to roll out OMiC 2, with an increase in offender supervisor and prison offender manager numbers, although probation staffing levels remained variable and training for new roles posed challenges.
Healthcare
Healthcare was generally effective, but mental health remained a major concern. The Jones and Addison units were considered too small and unfit for purpose, with a lack of adapted cells leading to medical beds being occupied by wheelchair users. Significant delays in transfers to secure psychiatric accommodation persisted, a long-standing issue. GP appointments had an average waiting time of four weeks, and dental appointments 11 weeks.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison's regime was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown, leading to prisoners being locked in cells for up to 23.5 hours a day, which the Board considered inhumane. Prior to lockdown, the prison struggled with an old, overcrowded building where conditions were unacceptable, including frequent issues with heating, hot water, and showers. Purposeful activity, including education and work, was largely suspended during lockdown, although activity packs were provided.
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 | |
| Discipline (adjudications, lost property, general complaints etc.) | 55 | 63 | |
| Family and personal | 28 | 27 | |
| Food | 10 | 12 | |
| Healthcare (doctors, dentists etc.) | 52 | 68 | |
| Legal (visits, letters, courts etc.) | 13 | 11 | |
| Money and earnings | 8 | 9 | |
| Other | 54 | 59 | |
| Property (including lost property) | 101 | 105 | |
| Sentence (licences, parole, release etc.) | 72 | 71 | |
| Staff (conduct, attitude etc.) | 10 | 11 | |
| Total applications | 454 | 501 | |
| Work and training | 6 | 7 |
Recommendations (15)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 6
Governor / Director: 3
Other: 3
9 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Does the Government have a timetable for building a new prison to replace the existing one, which has inhumane conditions and is unfit for purpose? If this is not possible, should all HMP Wandsworth’s cells be used for single occupancy?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Delays in transfers to secure psychiatric accommodation, reported by the Board each year since 2009, remained a problem. The Minister responded to the Board in 2019 that the 14-day target had not been agreed with NHS England, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s (HMPPS) primary partner. Has it now been agreed?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
The Board was very concerned that the 12-bed Addison unit remained unfit for purpose, with insufficient beds and cells frequently awaiting repair. The waiting time for a bed in the unit was up to seven days. What is being done to improve capacity for mentally ill prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The lack of progress regarding the provision of adapted cells for wheelchair users was disappointing; consequently, beds were occupied in the Jones unit by otherwise healthy prisoners. What is being done to increase the number of adapted cells?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 5
Is there an opportunity to invest in a national electronic prison property system that might replace the current archaic paper-based operation? This is an opportunity not only to save money and human resource, but also to ensure that prisoners have a fairer and more decent experience in prison.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 6
Although some improvements have been made, should the relationship with DHL, the provider of canteen products for prisoners, be reviewed, based on the poor performance experienced this year?
HMPPS
Food
Recommendation 7
An audit of ‘through-the-gate’ services was conducted during February by HMPPS’s operational and system assurance group (OSAG) following concerns about the ongoing poor quality of the basic custody screening tool (BCST)2 and review of resettlement plans provided by the CRC in HMP Wandsworth. While the OSAG report was commissioned at the request of the prison, a full version of its findings was not provided. The IMB also requested a copy, but to date it had not been received. When will a copy of the report be available?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 8
Repeated
The poor quality of the resettlement provision continued to be of serious concern. What is being done to improve this?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 9
The CCTV system throughout the prison was unreliable and not fit for purpose. The Ministry of Justice has authorised funding for an upgrade. When will work commence?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Each year the Board has difficulty collecting data from across the prison; often it was either unavailable or inaccurate. Would the Governor consider creating a centralised data unit responsible for obtaining and collating reliable data?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Many of the induction meetings observed by Board members were of a low quality. The presentations were often unsympathetic and inconsistent, with inadequate slides and handouts. The Board was very disappointed that this counterproductive and poorly managed situation had continued, despite similar criticism in four previous annual reports.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board was very concerned about property going missing either on prisoners’ arrival or when they transferred to new cells. This was the third year the Board had expressed its concern; what is being done to resolve this problem?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 13
The Board was surprised to be informed by Novus that individual learning plans did not follow prisoners on transfer to other prisons or outside. Why is this?
Other
(other)
Education
Recommendation 14
A very low proportion of the BCST3 meetings with prisoners took place in the 12 weeks prior to release, and many were discharged without an agreed work, training or education place. What is being done to rectify this?
Other
(other)
Resettlement
Recommendation 15
Repeated
Once again, it was difficult to get access to consistent CRC data regarding key performance targets. What is being done to improve this?
Other
(other)
Other
Other IMB Reports for Wandsworth
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
31 Mar 2025
IRP
8 May 2024
Urgent Notification
22 Apr 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 1
Respect: 1
Activity: 1
Release: 2
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.