Prison
Cat Category B, YOI, predominantly C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Nottingham
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 14 January 2026
HMP Nottingham is a Category B/YOI reception and resettlement prison facing significant challenges with safety, healthcare, and regime, exacerbated by high prisoner churn. The Board is concerned by increases in self-harm, assaults, and use of force, alongside the inappropriate detention of severely mentally ill prisoners due to a lack of specialist provisions. Time out of cell and purposeful activity remain limited, with healthcare access and property transfer issues also a source of numerous complaints.
Positive Findings
The Board noted a well-managed and proactive safety team, responsive to concerns, and good staff-prisoner relationships. Efforts to address the needs of neurodivergent prisoners, led by the NSM, were commended, as was the work of experienced healthcare staff with complex mental health cases. The chaplaincy team provided strong support, and the prison’s visiting area was consistently welcoming and well-maintained.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
Increase in the number of self-harm incidents.
Safety
Increase in prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults.
Safety
Significant increase in use of force incidents.
Safety
Staff refusing prisoners suitable access to Listeners.
Equality/Diversity
Potential higher number of use of force incidents concerning prisoners from minority ethnic groups.
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisoners with severe mental health issues being held in the prison, which does not have the staff or resources to safely manage them.
Mental Health
Repeated
Severely mentally unwell prisoners detained in the care and separation unit for lengthy periods, which is not suitable or humane accommodation.
Healthcare
Repeated
High number of complaints about healthcare issues, including inability to get appointments and unresolved complaints.
Healthcare
Challenges with access to social care equipment and appropriate medication prescribing on evenings and weekends.
Healthcare
Medication administered late due to staff shortages.
Healthcare
Lack of communication between hospital and prison regarding treatment plans and readmission arrangements for seriously ill prisoners.
Healthcare
Frustration among prisoners regarding the four-week limit for initial receipt of externally prescribed medication.
Staffing
Repeated
Lack of resilience in healthcare leadership structure, with frequent absence of head of department and no deputy.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Limited time out of cell, particularly for those not in education or work.
Overcrowding
Repeated
Vulnerable prisoners housed on the induction wing due to lack of capacity, leading to limited time out of cell.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Attendance in education and work continues to be below capacity.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
High churn and short stays hinder the delivery of meaningful education and vocational courses.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Disruption to recreational activities (pool tables) due to national industrial dispute.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Lack of provision and suitable spaces to support prisoners wishing to learn to read on the wings.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Unequal access to library for prisoners due to inconsistent sign-up systems across wings.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Limitations of the Storytime Dads scheme due to staff absence, impacting prisoner-child relationships.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
Frequent complaints about property going missing during inter-prison transfers.
Resettlement/Release
Early releases significantly impact the prison’s ability to put in place adequate resettlement programmes.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
High number of prisoners being recalled for short periods, placing strain on resources and disrupting resettlement.
Overcrowding
Repeated
Lengthy delays for sentenced prisoners awaiting transfer to other establishments, impacting progression and family contact.
Equality/Diversity
Concerns about the effectiveness of staff communication with neurodivergent prisoners.
Other
Repeated
Lack of transparency and objectivity in the incentives scheme process.
Estate/Conditions
Inconsistency in cleaning standards, particularly in shower areas which lack privacy and proper ventilation.
Estate/Conditions
Frequent complaints about wing temperatures, with some areas becoming exceptionally hot or cold (e.g., CSU in winter).
Other
Frequent shortages of essential items, particularly clothing.
Food/Catering
Complaints about not receiving chosen meals due to expected items not being delivered.
Food/Catering
Complaints about the quality and quantity of food.
Food/Catering
Lunchtime food often served well before midday.
Other
Two-week gap before prisoners receive canteen orders if they miss the cut-off on arrival.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The prison saw a reduction in staff with less than two years' experience, from 36.5% to 25%, indicating an improvement in staff retention, although a significant training requirement remains. Staffing on the care and separation unit stabilised after early-year disruptions. However, the effectiveness of the key worker scheme is variable due to high prisoner churn, and healthcare leadership lacked resilience with a frequently absent head and no deputy.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision at HMP Nottingham is a significant concern, with a high volume of prisoner complaints regarding access to appointments and delayed resolution of issues. Serious mental health cases are a major challenge, with the prison lacking adequate resources and suitable facilities to manage them, often resulting in prolonged stays in the care and separation unit. Furthermore, a lack of leadership resilience within healthcare, along with medication delays and communication gaps between hospital and prison, exacerbate these problems, despite immediate health needs being generally addressed on reception during office hours.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime at HMP Nottingham is significantly constrained, with limited time out of cell, especially for prisoners not engaged in education or work. Attendance at purposeful activity remains consistently below capacity, partly due to the high churn of prisoners and an industrial dispute impacting recreational facilities. Vulnerable prisoners are particularly affected, often housed on the induction wing with a restricted regime due to capacity issues. However, the reorganisation of training days has reduced disruption to the overall regime.
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 including single cell issues | 25 | 20 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 4 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 23 | 6 | |
| Equality | 5 | 5 | — |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 8 | 11 | |
| Food and kitchens | 11 | 17 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 46 | 52 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 20 | 36 | |
| Miscellaneous | 17 | 21 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 18 | 16 | |
| Property within the establishment | 24 | 22 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 12 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation | 20 | 13 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 35 | 41 | |
| Transfers | 1 | 14 |
Recommendations (13)
Other: 5
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 5
7 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
As referenced in our previous report, we again raise with the Minister the issue of the wellbeing of prisoners who are severely mentally ill. The Board remains concerned at the length of time it takes for suitable places in secure mental health hospitals to become available. This means that severely unwell prisoners are having to be detained in the care and separation unit for lengthy periods, which is not suitable or humane accommodation for them. What is the Minister’s timeline for increasing the provision of secure specialist mental health spaces? If the Minister does not intend to address this issue urgently, can you explain the reason?
Other
(minister)
Mental Health
Response
As of the end of this reporting year, the Board has seen no progress in this area and it remains a concerning issue.
Recommendation 2
When will the Minister consider earlier screening of such prisoners so that they can be placed in more specialist accommodation that is better able to meet their needs?
Other
(minister)
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
When will the Minister consider and review the recall system? The high number of recalls places enormous pressure on the prison and the purpose and effectiveness of the system is questioned.
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
What steps will the Minister take to reduce the prisoners who are convicted but not sentenced? It is predicted that a significant percentage will be released on receiving sentence, thus freeing up prison spaces.
Other
(minister)
Overcrowding
Recommendation 5
When will the Minister invest in probation and resettlement services so that more time can be spent with prisoners to achieve better resettlement arrangements and reduce reoffending and recalls?
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Severely mentally unwell prisoners need quicker assessments and prompt transfers to appropriate hospital accommodation? How does the Prison Service plan to address this urgent issue?
HMPPS
Mental Health
Response
As highlighted in this year’s report, the Board remains concerned about severely mentally ill prisoners being detained in prison for lengthy periods.
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will the Prison Service reduce the churn, due to transfers between prisons, so that the prison has better opportunities to work with prisoners on education and training?
HMPPS
Regime
Response
The pressure on capacity and churn has increased over the past year. The even greater churn has continued to impact education and employment.
Recommendation 8
How does the Prison Service plan to ensure a more cohesive working relationship between the healthcare provider and the prison?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will the Governor continue to address the issue of self-harm and maintain the recent reduction in numbers?
Governor / Director
Safety
Response
Self-harm has increased again. The Board is pleased to note a downward trend towards the end of the reporting year (2024-2025). The Board has seen evidence of the prison analysing the data and implementing strategies to try to combat the increase.
Recommendation 10
When will the Governor monitor the increased use of force and investigate if there is increased force used on prisoners from ethnic minorities?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How does the Governor plan to work with the new healthcare provider, once the new contract starts, to deliver better healthcare for prisoners?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Response
There continue to be shortcomings with the service provided by the healthcare provider. Staffing levels have improved marginally. There is no deputy, although there is an experienced senior matron. The Board recognise the limited control the prison has over an independent provider.
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the Governor’s timeline for increasing the uptake of prisoners’ purposeful activity and time out of their cells?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
There has not been noticeable increase in purposeful activity. The prison is putting emphasis on trying to increase the number of prisoners attending education and work, which usually continues to be below capacity.
Recommendation 13
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
In a repeat reference from last year’s report, how does the Governor plan to improve the transparency and objectivity of the incentives scheme so that there is greater clarity and confidence in the process for prisoners?
Governor / Director
Fair Treatment
Response
Prisoners continue to relate their concerns to the Board about the unfairness of the process to the Board.
Other IMB Reports for Nottingham
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
13 May 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 3
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.