Prison
Cat C training
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Stafford
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 26 August 2020
HMP Stafford, a Category C training prison, has maintained a calm and humane environment, receiving commendations for its rehabilitative culture, strong health provision, and significant reductions in safety incidents. While accommodation, education, and staff-resident relationships were positive, the Board expressed ongoing concerns. These include property loss during transfers, slow in-cell phone rollout, inadequate funding for resettlement and resident pay, and issues with medicine management and the delayed Regional Care Facility.
Positive Findings
HMP Stafford has maintained a calm, safe, and humane environment, with significant improvements in resettlement planning and health and social care provision. The prison was commended for its rehabilitative culture, effective management of norovirus and COVID-19, and a substantial reduction in self-harm and assaults. Accommodation standards, education, vocational training, and peer support initiatives were highlighted as positive contributions to a purposeful and engaging environment for residents.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The continued failure of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to address the ongoing issue of resident property losses during transfer between establishments.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The slow pace at which phones in cells are being rolled out nationally. The provision of phones in cells for men convicted of sexual offences is important as they are often held a distance from families and friends and the average age of residents is greater. This matter has now become critical in view of the changes to the regime and the lack of family contact as a result of the pandemic.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The budget available to the Governor for resident pay and ensure that it recognises that HMP Stafford, once again, achieved a high level of employment/education attendance amongst its population yet could not match the pay rates offered in private prisons.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The failure of the model for transferring men convicted of sexual offences to resettlement prisons. HMP Stafford continues to release residents every month despite not being resourced as a resettlement prison. Furthermore, as a national resource, moving residents to their resettlement prison closer to home, often a considerable distance, similarly does not work.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The budget needed in view of the extra pressure put on prison resources by an elderly population; in order to create and maintain specialist facilities and activities for those unable to perform paid work.
Healthcare
Ensure that the orders already issued regarding the supervision of medicine queues are adhered to at all times.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Confirm that the development of the Regional Care Facility will still take place during 2020 and not be delayed further as a result of COVID-19.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Review the number of programmes available within the prison with a view to increasing them such that the waiting lists can be reduced.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison saw a 3.75% reduction in FTE staff over the year, but a low staff turnover rate contributed to a stable workforce. 65% of staff had over 5 years of tenure, fostering positive staff-resident relationships and a sense of safety. However, the Board noted that key worker delivery was not yet consistently effective or focused enough on prisoners’ sentence plans and progression.
Healthcare
Residents' health and wellbeing needs were generally well met, as evidenced by a significant drop in healthcare-related IMB applications. Waiting times for most services were acceptable, though dentistry occasionally missed a six-week deadline. Persistent concerns include inconsistent officer supervision at medicine hatches and rare instances of medication errors. A Dementia Nurse Specialist has been appointed, and social care assessments are prompt, providing mobility aids and adaptations where needed.
Regime & Daily Life
Prior to COVID-19, residents spent extensive periods out of cell for work, education, and association, averaging over 9 hours on weekdays. Weekend access to activities was also generous. However, the pandemic drastically restricted the regime to showers, 10 minutes for phone calls, and 30 minutes of daily exercise, with only essential workers maintaining a full schedule. The prison successfully trialled a free-flow lunch system, demonstrating increased trust in residents.
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) | 2 | 8 | |
| Discrimination | 0 | 0 | |
| Food | 2 | 0 | |
| Healthcare | 7 | 15 | |
| Other | 27 | 39 | |
| Property (lost during transfer/another establishment) | 16 | 14 | |
| Property (retained in establishment) | 6 | 17 | |
| Regime | 7 | 8 | |
| Segregation | 0 | 0 | |
| Staff-resident relationships | 4 | 6 | |
| Total | 71 | 107 |
Recommendations (12)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 5
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Minister acknowledge that no further excuses are acceptable and insist that Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) resolve the issue of residents’ loss of property during prison transfers? At 20% of all IMB apps received during the reporting period this issue represents the one most commonly complained about
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Will the Minister ensure that all of her ministerial colleagues are cognisant of the value of delivering a Rehabilitative Culture within the prison environment such that at the end of their sentence citizens, not offenders, can be delivered back to their communities
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Will the Minister ensure that HMPPS deliver to the prison suitable financial resources to enable it to fulfil its resettlement requirements in the absence of them providing any other working solution
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
As in previous years, will HMPPS review: The speed that in-cell phones are being rolled out. The provision of phones in cells for men convicted of sexual offences is important as they are often held a distance from families and friends and the average age of residents is greater. This matter has now become critical in view of the changes to the regime and the lack of family contact as a result of the pandemic
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
As in previous years, will HMPPS review: The budget available to the Governor for resident pay and ensure that it recognises that HMP Stafford, once again, achieved a high level of employment/education attendance amongst its population yet could not match the pay rates offered in private prisons
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
As in previous years, will HMPPS review: The model to transfer men convicted of sexual offences into resettlement establishments for the final part of their sentence, which does not work. HMP Stafford continues to release residents every month despite not being resourced as a resettlement prison. Furthermore, as a national resource, moving residents to their resettlement prison closer to home, often a considerable distance, similarly does not work. Transport for individual residents to resettlement prisons was often refused due to the distance a partially empty prison transport van has to travel
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 7
As in previous years, will HMPPS review: The budget needed in view of the extra pressure put on prison resources by an elderly population; in order to create and maintain specialist facilities and activities for those unable to perform paid work
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 8
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor Ensure that the orders already issued regarding the supervision of medicine queues are adhered to at all times
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor Confirm that the development of the Regional Care Facility will still take place during 2020 and not be delayed further as a result of COVID-19
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 10
Will the Governor Continue the steps taken regarding Rehabilitative Culture that have had such positive outcomes during the period of this report
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor Continue to explore ways of increasing residents pay from their current extremely low levels
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 12
Will the Governor Review the number of programmes available within the prison with a view to increasing them such that the waiting lists can be reduced
Governor / Director
Education
Other IMB Reports for Stafford
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
19 Nov 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 4
Activity: 3
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.