Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Wymott
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 28 October 2025
HMP Wymott continues to face significant challenges due to chronic staffing shortages, impacting regime delivery, purposeful activity, and access to essential services like the library. Deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowding, and an increase in illicit drug activity further compromise safety and humane living conditions. The Board also highlights serious concerns regarding long waiting times for mental health transfers and inconsistent medication provision, despite some improvements in healthcare staffing and administrative processes.
Positive Findings
The Board is pleased to report that the use of body worn video cameras (BWVCs) has increased slightly over the year, reaching a total of 90% of UoF incidents where camera footage was available by May 2025. The Board is pleased to note that the rat infestation issue has been largely addressed. The officers in the CSU are cohesive, effective, and dedicated, receiving praise for their support of challenging prisoners. Regular focus groups and diverse events have been well-received. Improvements in property parcel procedures have reduced problems. A new head of healthcare has introduced better data coordination, and staffing levels are improving with new recruitment. The prison dentist is highly praised for catching up on a backlog, and the Recoop buddy scheme continues to thrive. A new computer system positively impacts coursework transfer and provides broader internet access for learning. Education staff introduced new maths courses, increased peer mentors, and saw better achievements for neurodiverse prisoners. Support for CSU learners also improved, and prisoners contribute to community schemes.
Key Concerns
Staffing
Repeated
Wymott has continued to suffer the effects of staffing shortages across both directly and indirectly employed staff, and this has impacted significantly on prisoners’ experiences. The rate of absences among uniformed staff continues to be one of the highest in the region, putting a strain on the prison’s ability to maintain a decent regime.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The ongoing lack of progress with major refurbishment projects has seen a continuation of the deterioration in living conditions, and national population pressures have forced the prison to accommodate many prisoners in overcrowded and/or shabby conditions.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
The apparent ease with which illicit drugs are entering the prison is a major concern, with drones being regularly heard or seen delivering packages. The increase in prisoners using drugs would appear to be linked to an increase in debt and prisoners feeling vulnerable and, as a consequence, choosing to self-isolate.
Safety
There has been a notable increase in the use of force over the year, mainly unplanned (see section 4.4), despite the number of incidents of violence showing only a small increase.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Some of the prisoners are accommodated in conditions that are both indecent and inhumane, due to the continued appalling state of some of the residential blocks
Mental Health
Repeated
The Board is still seriously concerned about the length of time prisoners with severe mental health problems wait to obtain a place in a secure mental health unit.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The shortage of purposeful activity for the main category prisoners has been a significant concern for the Board
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Despite being entitled to use the prison library, prisoners are still being denied access, due to a shortage of staff
Healthcare
Repeated
Delivery of medication to the wings remains inconsistent, and healthcare staff are sometimes unwilling to return when prisoners have missed their medication for reasons outside their control
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Wymott continues to experience significant staffing shortages across all roles, leading to one of the highest absence rates in the region and impacting the decent regime. New officers recruited from overseas lack experience and their long-term retention is uncertain. Low staff numbers hinder officers from building trusting relationships with prisoners, and key work sessions are intermittent due to redeployments, though recording quality has improved.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, previously provided by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Smart Dental, and Delphi Medical, transitioned to Practice Plus Group (PPG) and Time for Teeth in April 2025. While staffing levels are improving with new recruitment, accommodation remains inadequate, leading to overcrowded waiting rooms. The Board is seriously concerned about long waits for secure mental health unit places and inconsistent medication delivery. Dental waiting times for routine appointments were 145 days in May 2025.
Regime & Daily Life
The daily regime and time out of cell have been severely affected by low staff numbers and a lack of purposeful activity for category C prisoners. Weekend wing lockdowns are frequent and often short-notice, causing anxiety. The shortage of work opportunities, particularly due to the closure of workshops, leaves mainstream prisoners with too much idle time, which is linked to increased drug use and debt. Library access, a statutory entitlement, is consistently denied due to staffing shortages.
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 | |
| Activities and work | 29 | 22 | |
| Discipline and adjudications | 11 | 15 | |
| Discrimination and protected characteristics | 5 | 4 | |
| Drugs and alcohol | 8 | 10 | |
| Education | 7 | 6 | |
| Family contact | 19 | 14 | |
| Finance and earnings | 23 | 21 | |
| Food | 9 | 7 | |
| Healthcare (incl mental health, dentist, medication) | 64 | 52 | |
| Legal | 17 | 19 | |
| Other (requests) | 12 | 11 | |
| Property | 33 | 28 | |
| Sentence management | 45 | 40 | |
| Staff behaviour | 16 | 13 | |
| Total | 353 | 308 | |
| Visits and visitors | 13 | 10 | |
| Withdrawals by prisoners | 22 | 18 |
Recommendations (10)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 4
10 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Minister give any reassurance that there will be an easing of population pressures at HMP Wymott in light of the planned new prison?
Ministry of Justice
overcrowding
Response
Was approved in December 2024, for up to 1700 prisoners. The Government has announced that the new prison will go ahead.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How does the Minister envisage implementing the policy around timely relocation of prisoners to secure mental health units?
Ministry of Justice
mental_health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
What steps will the Minister take to protect the employment status of officers recruited from overseas?
Ministry of Justice
staffing
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can HMPPS reassure the Board that funding for the essential refurbishment, which has been highlighted for a number of years, will be forthcoming?
HMPPS
estate
Response
Funding in place; design and quotation process under way. Work on the roof is complete. Electrics and alarms should be complete by autumn (see section 7.2). Business case submitted, but funding not provided. Kitchen equipment reviewed as a standing item at monthly estates meetings.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will HMPPS tackle the increase in drone activity and its impact on the prison and its population?
HMPPS
safety
Response
No response.
Recommendation 6
Repeated
What steps are being taken to mentor and support the professional development of new and recently recruited officers?
HMPPS
staffing
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the Governor doing to protect prisoners’ entitlements in relation to time out of cell, library access and purposeful activity?
Governor / Director
regime
Response
No response.
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners on the mainstream side of the prison have been without regular work for the entire year. How does the Governor plan to ensure that they make full use of employment opportunities as the workshops reopen?
Governor / Director
education
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will the Governor address the increasing incidence of prisoners being found under the influence of illicit substances?
Governor / Director
substance_misuse
Response
No response.
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The report raises a number of concerns about the delivery of medication and essential repairs to the fabric of the prison. What will the Governor do to ensure that the service provided by external agencies (such as Practice Plus Group, Amey) is of an acceptable standard?
Governor / Director
healthcare
Response
Healthcare contract up for tender. New provider in place from April 2025 (see section 6). Funding in place; design and quotation process under way. Work on the roof is complete. Electrics and alarms should be complete by autumn (see section 7.2). Business case submitted, but funding not provided. Kitchen equipment reviewed as a standing item at monthly estates meetings.
Other IMB Reports for Wymott
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
11 Dec 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 2
Activity: 2
Release: 4
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.