Prison
Cat local female YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Styal
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 12 August 2020
HMP Styal experienced both positive developments and ongoing challenges in the reporting year. While safety measures improved and staff maintained a humane regime, significant concerns persisted regarding accommodation maintenance, perimeter security, and the management of complex mental health needs. Drug use increased, and issues with purposeful activity attendance remained, highlighting areas requiring continued focus and resources for improvement.
Positive Findings
The Board acknowledges significant changes positively affecting safety, including reduced free flow and increased staff presence, leading to a downward trend in assaults. Staff are commended for maintaining a humane regime despite deteriorating facilities. There has been successful recruitment to health services and a reintroduction of therapeutic groups, positively impacting prisoners. The gym provision has significantly improved, with customised sessions well-received by prisoners. Safeguarding procedures are effective, and staff-prisoner relationships are generally positive. Improvements to the learning environment have been made, with prisoners complimentary about tuition quality, and a new sentence management system (Delius) has improved communication and sentence management.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
There continue to be significant failings in the maintenance of the accommodation at the prison. These failings are resulting in further deterioration in the fabric and serious decency issues for the prisoners.
Safety
The safety and security of the prison are also compromised by the inadequacy of the perimeter security fencing, the reception and gatehouse areas and the visitor processing area.
Mental Health
There is still a pressing need for more specialist facilities, nationally, that can be easily accessed for complex prisoners in long-term segregation within the prison.
Estate/Conditions
Contracts with outside maintenance providers continue to result in manifestly excessive quotations and long delays in repairs and refurbishment, including health and safety-related matters. Some areas of the estate are unusable because of the debris and waste left by Amey and contractors.
Mental Health
Repeated
The prison is challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems and complex needs. The prison is having to contend with an increasing number of high-risk prisoners in low-risk accommodation, which has an impact on safety and security.
Substance Misuse
There has been an increase in drug use and trade during the year, and this causes intimidation and bullying. In particular, the increase in throw-over packages highlights the deficiencies in the perimeter fencing and security. More needs to be done to address the use of illicit substances in the prison, and increased resources are required to support the Governor in tackling this problem.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Attendance at work and education has been an issue over the year. Although there are authorised absences from work – for example, visits or appointments – many absences are unauthorised.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staff generally maintain a humane regime despite deteriorating facilities and testing conditions. Recruitment to health services has been more successful, and the reintroduction of group therapeutic sessions has had a positive impact. The prison has 66 prisoners in key worker roles. However, there has been a high turnover and reduced availability of trained staff in the Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), sometimes leading to a lack of childcare. Staffing levels for the Offender Management Unit (OMU) have seen frequent redeployment from operational staff.
Healthcare
Prisoners receive good one-to-one support from the mental health team, and health promotion is strong. However, therapeutic groups were not offered for the first six months of the year, and there are long waits to see a psychiatrist, who attends only one day a week, deemed insufficient. Delays in health needs are also caused by poor record keeping and communication. A new permanent head of healthcare and matron have been appointed, though reliance on bank staff continues. GP appointments have a waiting time of three to five weeks, which is considered in line with community expectations. There were 14 referrals for specialist inpatient mental health care during the year.
Regime & Daily Life
Significant changes were implemented to improve safety, including reduced free flow, a more visible staff presence, and increased drug testing. Prisoners are guaranteed daily fresh air, and access to the gym has significantly improved, with customised provision. However, attendance at work and education remains an issue, with Board members observing many prisoners not engaged in these activities, and attendance rates in industries showing a downward trend. While in-cell telephones offer direct Samaritans access, this is not available after 10 pm on Waite wing, which is a concern.
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) | 10 | 21 | |
| Adjudications | 2 | 1 | |
| Complaints | 4 | 2 | |
| Diet | 1 | 3 | |
| Discrimination | 0 | 0 | |
| Healthcare | 11 | 22 | |
| IEP | 2 | 0 | |
| Other | 3 | 12 | |
| Property | 10 | 21 | |
| Staff conduct | 1 | 4 | |
| Total | 44 | 86 | |
| Visitors | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (9)
Other: 4
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 3
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
As also reported last year, there continue to be significant failings in the maintenance of the accommodation at the prison. These failings are resulting in further deterioration in the fabric and serious decency issues for the prisoners.
Other
(minister)
Accommodation
Recommendation 2
The safety and security of the prison are also compromised by the inadequacy of the perimeter security fencing, the reception and gatehouse areas and the visitor processing area.
Other
(minister)
Safety
Recommendation 3
Over the year, there has been a significant reduction in the time spent by more complex prisoners in long-term segregation within the prison. The repurposing of the Valentina unit has provided temporary respite in a number of cases but there is still a pressing need for more specialist facilities, nationally, that can be easily accessed
Other
(minister)
Segregation
Recommendation 4
Contracts with outside maintenance providers continue to result in manifestly excessive quotations and long delays in repairs and refurbishment, including health and safety-related matters. Some areas of the estate are unusable because of the debris and waste left by Amey and contractors.
Other
(minister)
Maintenance
Recommendation 5
Repeated
As reported in the Board’s last annual report, the prison is challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems and complex needs. The prison is having to contend with an increasing number of high-risk prisoners in low-risk accommodation, which has an impact on safety and security.
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 6
There has been an increase in drug use and trade during the year, and this causes intimidation and bullying. In particular, the increase in throw-over packages highlights the deficiencies in the perimeter fencing and security. More needs to be done to address the use of illicit substances in the prison, and increased resources are required to support the Governor in tackling this problem.
HMPPS
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 7
There remains a need to embed and evaluate the new initiatives that have been put in place.
Governor / Director
Management
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Previous concerns about safety on the FNC have been addressed with its move to Waite wing and the recent creation of the induction centre. The effectiveness of this initiative and other changes to the induction arrangements for new arrivals will be monitored.
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 9
Attendance at work and education has been an issue over the year. Although there are authorised absences from work – for example, visits or appointments – many absences are unauthorised. Over the year, Board members visiting houses have observed a large number of prisoners not at work or education, even taking into account sickness and rest days.
Governor / Director
Purposeful Activity
Other IMB Reports for Styal
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.