Prison
Cat YOI, C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Swinfen Hall
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 18 September 2020
HMP/YOI Swinfen Hall, a YOI and Category C prison, had a population of 556 at the end of the reporting period. The Board noted significant improvements during the COVID-19 lockdown, with reduced self-harm, ACCT cases, and violence. Key concerns remain around the poor state of accommodation, persistent racial imbalances across various aspects of prison life, and the ongoing backlog of OASys assessments hindering prisoner progression.
Positive Findings
The Board was impressed by the prison's introduction of a restricted regime and alternative arrangements during the COVID-19 outbreak, noting the fortitude and team spirit of all involved. Self-harm, ACCT cases, and violence reduced substantially under lockdown. Positive developments include improved induction for new prisoners, fair adjudication processes, reduced YOs in segregation, and welcomed initiatives like the prisoner information desk and key worker clothing parcels. The chaplaincy is an outstanding resource, and food choice has improved, with good provision during Ramadan. There has been an encouraging increase in out-of-cell activities, and a successful program tested 100% of patients for hepatitis C. Education provision by Novus covers numerous qualifications, with increasing applications for distance learning and significant funding from the DPS. Vocational training has expanded with new workshops and qualifications, including a successful reintegration initiative for self-isolators.
Key Concerns
Safety
At first sight, Swinfen Hall presents a safe prison regime, but life for a minority of prisoners is anything but safe. Being a national resource, gangs from across the country interact, creating unrest. The ingress of illicit substances gives rise to coercion, debt and bullying; there were over 300 acts of violence last year. Force is used on prisoners almost once a day, on average.
Safety
Repeated
The extent of self-harming is deeply concerning, increasing by 10% last year (881 incidents). About 4% of prisoners self-isolate; others deliberately misbehave in order to be placed in segregation (where they feel safer) or to seek transfer to another prison. It is pertinent to record that self-harming, ACCT cases and violence all reduced substantially under the COVID-19 lockdown, and, anecdotally, prisoners report that they feel safer; the prison needs to maintain this performance and feeling as lockdown is eased.
Safety
Swinfen Hall received many prisoners on open challenge, support, and intervention plans (CSIPs) or uninvestigated referrals (43 last year). This places additional demands on the prison’s resources and potentially disadvantages prisoners. In any case, the outcomes of CSIPs are poor.
Safety
Repeated
The number of self-harm incidents increased this year, from 803 to 881.
Substance Misuse
The number of drug finds increased by 33% on the previous year.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Standards of accommodation are poor in some wings, even where they have recently been refurbished, at high cost: on most wings, prisoners are required to eat meals in their small cells, close to a toilet; showers are troubled with mould.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
A rat infestation last year was dangerously endemic.
Food/Catering
Repeated
The practice of prisoners on most wings being required to eat meals in their cells, close to a toilet.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The risk of further infestation of rats on the site, which was dangerously extensive last year.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The refurbishment of the CSU and A/B/C wings has still not been completed.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Response times for the maintenance of buildings and equipment are variable. Some repairs, particularly those to laundry and catering equipment, take far too long because the service contract only requires Amey to have a resolution plan; this results in equipment being out of action unacceptably for several months.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
Racial imbalances are ubiquitous across the prison, and remain unresolved – in adjudications, segregation, employment, and incentives and earned privileges (IEP) status.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) prison officers at the establishment does not reflect that of the prisoner population... at 5% (6% last year), continuing to be well below that of BAME prisoners (42%).
Equality/Diversity
The number of discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs) submitted in 2019 more than doubled compared with 2018.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
It is palpably unfair that sentence planning, critical for prisoners to rehabilitate, is frustrated by deficiencies in the Prison Service.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Too many prisoners do not have a sentence plan for up to a year after coming to the prison, and their progress is thus severely inhibited. Even if they achieve category D status, their progress to open conditions is delayed.
Resettlement/Release
The situation has not been helped by the further national changes to offender management and probation, which have not been implemented smoothly, and have caused significant distress to some prisoners.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
A significant number of prisoners arrive at the establishment without a completed offender assessment system (OASys) assessment. This places an excessive demand on prison staff and causes prisoners considerable stress because they cannot embark on proper and safe sentence planning or make progress with rehabilitation.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The huge increase in Board applications about sentence management is deeply worrying. Large numbers of prisoners do not have a completed OASys assessment, and therefore are not able to follow their sentence plans.
Healthcare
Repeated
Take-up of health appointments is poor, especially in respect of the one-third of appointments not attended, so many health issues are not being dealt with in a timely manner.
Mental Health
Repeated
Mental health provision is adequate, but there is still an issue of cover outside the weekday working day.
Mental Health
Repeated
Provision for those with learning disability or difficulty (LDD) remains uncoordinated.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
More, and more varied, out-of-cell activity would not only help towards rehabilitation, but would also help prisoners’ wellbeing.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
There needs to be more such provision [education and training], with greater diversity, and the standards of all need to be raised to those of the best.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
The number of prisoners withdrawing from education courses has increased and is unacceptably high. The overall learner success rate has decreased by 12%. Performance in mathematics is unacceptably low, falling to 43% at level 1 and 30% at level 2. A large number of hours was lost to learners – 15,232 hours for the full 2019/20 year. Library sessions cancelled owing to regime restrictions or a lack of escorts remain very high, at 31%.
Staffing
The key worker programme has been inadequately implemented, averaging only 52% of expected contact time. Similarly, the key worker clothing parcels initiative was poorly executed and plagued by administrative difficulties.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
The continuing incidence of loss of prisoners’ property is still a cause for concern.
Board Commentary
Staffing
A persistent concern, repeated for three years, is the stark racial imbalance within prison officers, with 5% BAME officers against a 42% BAME prisoner population. The key worker programme was inadequately implemented, achieving only 52% of expected contact time, and the key worker clothing parcels initiative was poorly executed due to administrative difficulties. The Inclusion team continues to face challenges recruiting mental health nurses, leading to ongoing vacancies. Furthermore, Novus staffing issues were identified as the main reason for lost learner hours in education, though these are reported as resolved.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are provided by Care UK for primary care and Midland Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (Inclusion team) for mental health and substance misuse. Initiatives include 15 prisoner health champions and monthly health forums. However, issues persist with the Inclusion team's last-minute requests to attend ACCT reviews. Healthwatch Staffordshire identified concerns regarding urgent/non-urgent triage, waiting times (GP 4 weeks, dental 5 weeks), inaccurate DNA forms, staff influence on diet, and patient information. Non-attendance for appointments remains a significant concern, with an average of 36% of prisoners missing appointments. While mental health cover has improved with an out-of-hours on-call system, it is considered minimal. The Inclusion team struggles with recruiting mental health nurses, and an 'inclusion hub' has been established for support.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison implemented a restricted regime effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a substantial reduction in self-harm, ACCT cases, and violence. However, accommodation issues persist, with prisoners in most wings required to eat meals in their small cells close to a toilet. The segregation unit maintains a consistently good regime, offering daily access to showers, telephones, and exercise. The key worker programme was inadequately implemented, averaging only 52.5% of expected contact time. While opportunities for out-of-cell activities have modestly increased, and 68% of prisoners attend activities, leaving room for improvement. Library sessions continue to be cancelled frequently (31%) due to regime restrictions or lack of escorts, despite a more stable regime this year. A positive development is the assembly workshop, now dedicated to self-isolators, which has successfully reintegrated some prisoners who previously struggled to leave their cells.
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 | |
| Chaplaincy/faith | 1 | 1 | — |
| Discrimination | 3 | 2 | |
| Education/employment | 3 | 4 | |
| Food | 5 | 6 | |
| Health | 25 | 21 | |
| Legal | 14 | 17 | |
| Property | 42 | 41 | |
| Sentence planning/management | 24 | 10 | |
| Staff issues | 18 | 19 | |
| Total | 182 | 160 | |
| Welfare/wellbeing | 2 | 1 |
Recommendations (13)
Other: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 8
10 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Despite huge expenditure on a refurbishment programme, beset with unforeseen technical issues and over-run in cost and time, much of the prisoner residential accommodation is unbefitting of the modern age. For example, physical constraints mean that, on most wings, prisoners are required to eat meals in their cells, close to a toilet; a rat infestation last year was dangerously endemic. Prison managers are being set challenges beyond their authority to resolve. How will the minister support the physical changes needed?
Other
(minister)
Estate, Food
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
For the last three years, the Board has expressed concerns that the proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) prison officers at the establishment does not reflect that of the prisoner population, and moreover that prison managers have little power to effect any change. The situation remains of concern, with the proportion of BAME officers, at 5% (6% last year), continuing to be well below that of BAME prisoners (42%). The Board notes the most recent response from the minister but points out that the national approach has done nothing to address the issue at Swinfen Hall. Empirical evidence shows that BAME prisoners feel that their context is unrepresented and not understood. Will the minister agree that urgent action is needed to address this crucial issue, and that giving local responsibility and accountability for recruitment and selection of prison officers is the most likely way to bring about necessary change?
Other
(minister)
Equality, Staffing
Recommendation 3
Swinfen Hall received many prisoners on open challenge, support, and intervention plans (CSIPs) or uninvestigated referrals (43 last year). This places additional demands on the prison’s resources and potentially disadvantages prisoners. In any case, the outcomes of CSIPs are poor (see paragraph 4.3(c)). What is the Prison Service proposing to do to improve this situation?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board remains deeply concerned at the loss of prisoners’ property when they transfer to Swinfen Hall. The ministerial response to our last annual report referenced a new prisoners’ property policy framework, and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) seeking service improvements through the new prisoner escort and custody service contract. The Board has not seen any difference in property issues, which continue to cause prisoners considerable distress (see section 5.8). How is the Prison Service evaluating the effectiveness of the current contract?
HMPPS
Complaints, Other
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
A significant number of prisoners arrive at the establishment without a completed offender assessment system (OASys) assessment. This places an excessive demand on prison staff and causes prisoners considerable stress because they cannot embark on proper and safe sentence planning or make progress with rehabilitation; it also has an adverse impact on confidence in the prison regime. The issue has been raised for several years but is no nearer resolution (see paragraphs 7.3(a) and 9(c)). What changes will be forthcoming to ensure that the current situation is improved?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
Repeated
The number of self-harm incidents increased this year, from 803 to 881. While the Board acknowledges that some of this increase derives from a small number of prisoners repeatedly self-harming, it commends the efforts of staff supporting these prisoners. The Board welcomes regular updates on new initiatives to reduce the extent of self-harm and their impact and would like to know of any further plans the Governor has to improve this situation
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 7
The number of drug finds increased by 33% on the previous year (see paragraph 4.6(a)). Can the Governor explain the increase this year?
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Concerns about hygiene include: • the practice of prisoners on most wings being required to eat meals in their cells, close to a toilet (see paragraph 5.1(b)). Is there a plan to improve this? • the risk of further infestation of rats on the site, which was dangerously extensive last year (see paragraph 5.1(c)]. What mitigation measures are in place?
Governor / Director
Estate, Food
Recommendation 9
The key worker programme has been inadequately implemented, averaging only 52% of expected contact time (see paragraph 5.3(b)). Similarly, the key worker clothing parcels initiative was poorly executed (although hugely welcomed by prisoners) and plagued by administrative difficulties (see paragraph 5.3(c)]. How will these programmes deliver expectation in a self-regulating and sustained way?
Governor / Director
Staffing, Regime
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Racial imbalances are ubiquitous across prison life in Swinfen Hall, and remain unresolved – in adjudications, segregation, employment and IEP status. Added to this concern was inaction over a more than doubling of the number of discrimination incident report forms (DIRFs) submitted in 2019 compared with 2018 (see paragraph 5.4(d)). These issues, together with other concerns (see paragraph 5.4(a)), suggest a lack of sustained institutional commitment to equality, despite the efforts of governors. How will this be addressed? (See also paragraphs 5.2(d) and 5.4(c), and section 5.6.)
Governor / Director
Equality
Recommendation 11
Repeated
The number of prisoners attending out-of-cell activity (mainly part time) as a proportion of all prisoners was 68% over the period of this report. This leaves considerable room for improvement (see paragraph 6.4(b)). The Board questions what creative initiatives are being considered to make additional space available for more workshops and industries, thus increasing vocational opportunities (see paragraph 6.4(a))?
Governor / Director
Regime, Education
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Performance in education is concerning in a number of ways: • The number of prisoners withdrawing from education courses has increased and is unacceptably high (see paragraph 7.1(b)). • The overall learner success rate has decreased by 12% (see paragraph 7.1(b)). • Performance in mathematics is unacceptably low, falling to 43% at level 1 and 30% at level 2 (see paragraph 7.1(e)). • A large number of hours was lost to learners – 15,232 hours for the full 2019/20 year, down from 16,952 hours for the nine months prior to April 2019 (see paragraph 7.1(c)). • Library sessions cancelled owing to regime restrictions or a lack of escorts remain very high, at 31%, although lower than the 41% of last year (see paragraph 7.1(e)). Could the Governor respond to the above points, noting what actions are being taken to improve them?
Governor / Director
Education, Regime
Recommendation 13
Repeated
The huge increase in Board applications about sentence management is deeply worrying. Large numbers of prisoners do not have a completed OASys assessment, and therefore are not able to follow their sentence plans. While the origin of this is beyond the prison’s ability to resolve, can the Governor confirm that more prison effort will be directed to rectifying the position, and to ensuring that OASys assessments are regularly reviewed (see paragraphs 7.3(a) and 9(c))?
Governor / Director
Resettlement