Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Ranby
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 21 September 2020
HMP Ranby, a Category C training prison, is considered reasonably safe with generally fair treatment, though issues in communication and specific processes exist. The healthcare service is satisfactory, but challenges remain with mental health transfers and long-term care, often involving segregation. While efforts are made for resettlement, 36% of prisoners are released without accommodation. Key concerns include overcrowding, mental health provision in segregation, property transfers, and ensuring access to purposeful activity for all prisoners.
Positive Findings
The Board generally considers the prison reasonably safe, with acts of violence ranking well nationally. Prisoners are generally treated fairly and humanely, and the healthcare service is satisfactory. The prison makes considerable effort for resettlement, with the activities department commended for providing for 800 prisoners. Staff are improving engagement, a new body scanner is proving effective, and equalities staff are congratulated for their work. The ACCT system is operating very well, with staff following procedures correctly.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
The continued practice of housing prisoners with mental health problems in the segregation unit, a concern raised previously, with no apparent action taken.
Overcrowding
The use of single cells for two prisoners, leading to overcrowding (population 200 over CNA) and issues with decency.
Resettlement/Release
The high percentage (36%) of prisoners released with no fixed abode, and suitable prisoners not being allowed home release for the same reason.
Other
Ongoing issues for IPP prisoners, including delays in Parole Board decisions and discrimination in accessing training.
Other
Prisoners being transferred from other prisons or returned from Category D prisons without all their property or adequate paperwork.
Safety
The level of violence within the prison.
Substance Misuse
The prevalence of illegal substances and mobile phones in the prison.
Healthcare
The number of missed healthcare appointments.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Ensuring all prisoners have access to purposeful employment and qualifications to aid release.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The key worker scheme, while a positive initiative, has not reached its full potential, with engagement falling from 85% to 60%. Communication from staff and officer visibility on wings remain areas of concern, with many prisoners reporting infrequent contact. Staffing shortages, such as a lack of a regular officer in the equalities department and loss of activity instructors, have impacted operations and the number of prisoners at work.
Healthcare
The overall healthcare service provided by Nottinghamshire NHS is considered satisfactory and comparable to external services, with comprehensive reception screening and monitoring of waiting times. The mental health team provides care, but long waiting times (over 28 days) persist for mental health transfers, with six prisoners sectioned this year. The prison lacks facilities for long-term mental health care, often leading to these prisoners being held in the segregation unit while awaiting slow external protocols. Various health and wellbeing initiatives, including peer support and forums, are in place.
Regime & Daily Life
While the activities department is commended for providing purposeful activity for 800 prisoners, issues with the regime persist. The continued use of shared cells and lapses in cell clearing procedures are noted. Segregation reviews lack consistent timing for IMB attendance, though observed reviews are fair. There are concerns about prisoners on basic regime and the ‘virtual segregation’ transfer process. Delays in responding to prisoner complaints also cause frustration. Providing approved qualifications in workshops has been problematic.
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 | 28 | 24 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 33 | 16 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 30 | 18 | |
| Equality | 11 | 18 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 32 | 26 | |
| Food and kitchens | 24 | 2 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 46 | 55 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 17 | 24 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 560 | 431 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 98 | 58 | |
| Property within this establishment | 41 | 55 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 26 | 22 | |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 78 | 59 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 53 | 25 | |
| Transfers | 43 | 29 |
Recommendations (10)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 4
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the minister explain what is being done to reduce the need to house prisoners with mental health problems in the segregation unit (see section 5.2)?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Response
The minister responded to the same question last year with a comprehensive list of reports, audits, and programmes being compiled/developed by specialised health and justice commissioners, mental health teams in NHS England, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a select committee.
Recommendation 1
Will the Prison Service explain why a number of prisoners transferred from other prisons arrive without all their property?
HMPPS
Property
Recommendation 1
What action is the Governor taking to ensure that every effort is made to reduce the level of violence in the prison?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 2
Prev. unaddressed
Can the minister justify the use of single cells for two prisoners? Can he explain the rationale behind this and how it is reflected in the decency agenda?
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Response
The minister responded last year that ‘...plans to transform the prison estate gather pace and more new prisons are being delivered while existing unsuitable capacity is closed’.
Recommendation 2
Will the Prison Service explain why a prisoner returned from a category D prison on a breach of rules is returned without paperwork or the chance to answer the charges that led to the return, but the return is posted on the Prison National Offender Management Information System (P-NOMIS) and therefore their record?
HMPPS
Fairness
Recommendation 2
What action is the Governor taking to ensure that every effort is made to reduce the amount of illegal substances and number of mobile phones in the prison?
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 3
Will the minister explain why 36% of prisoners are released with no fixed abode, and why for the same reason prisoners suitable for home release are not being allowed out of HMP Ranby?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
What action will the Governor take to reduce the level of missed healthcare appointments?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 4
What steps is the minister taking to resolve the issue surrounding prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP)? HMP Ranby has 14, who are now all well over their initial tariff.
Ministry of Justice
IPP
Recommendation 4
What action is the Governor taking to allow all prisoners access to purposeful employment and qualifications, to enable them to obtain employment upon release?
Governor / Director
Education
Other IMB Reports for Ranby
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.