Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Erlestoke
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 14 August 2025
HMP Erlestoke is a Category C training and resettlement prison with an operational capacity of 512. The Board observed improvements in healthcare attendance and use of force scrutiny, alongside a decrease in staff turnover. However, significant concerns remain regarding the deteriorating healthcare building, the pervasive availability of illicit substances, and the inadequate provision for vulnerable prisoners, including the elderly and those requiring essential medication on transfer.
Positive Findings
The Board noted significant improvements in healthcare attendance at ACCT reviews and the scrutiny of use of force. Key working has seen some progress, and cleanliness of the estate has improved. The Drug Recovery Wing has been largely successful, and efforts to enhance purposeful activity and education allocation are beginning to show results. The Governor was commended for an empathetic and supportive approach to bereaved families.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The first night induction cells are of a poor standard and the induction programme has yet to offer clear and consistent guidance to newly arrived prisoners.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
Illicit substances continue to be readily available despite enhanced security measures.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The healthcare building is no longer fit for purpose, through crumbling infrastructure and insufficient space to manage the increasingly complex prison population with decency and confidentiality.
Food/Catering
Repeated
The very limited budget frequently results in small portion sizes and prisoners complaining of feeling hungry.
Equality/Diversity
Not enough is done with detailed equality and diversity data to improve outcomes for groups of prisoners experiencing potential inequality or discrimination.
Healthcare
Prisoners transferring to HMP Erlestoke are too frequently left without essential medicines on arrival, sometimes for a significant period and sometimes with serious consequences.
Healthcare
Repeated
A failure to provide sufficient escorts to take prisoners to hospital appointments has resulted in a considerable number of appointments being lost each month.
Healthcare
Repeated
The prison is unable to provide a safe and humane environment for some frail and/or elderly prisoners.
Substance Misuse
Repeated
Issues of debt and bullying relating to vaping are frequent and yet prisoners have no access to nicotine replacement therapy through healthcare and only intermittent access through the canteen.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Attendance in education remains too low and the problem with recruiting tutors in this rural environment remains.
Staffing
Repeated
The caseload of prison offender managers is too high, especially given the frequent and continuing changes to sentencing criteria.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The prison council has failed to run effectively (or even at all) for half the reporting period.
Safety
Repeated
The suitability of the constant watch cell remains a considerable concern to the Board. Its location in the CSU is inappropriate and its structure produces a hidden corner and overall visibility into the cell for the attendant officer is poor.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
Missing or lost property, either on transfer between establishments, or within the prison itself, continues to cause significant problems.
Staffing
Repeated
Key working: Some improvements in key working have been noted, but quality and consistency still falls short of good practice.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Band 3 officer numbers were slightly reduced, increasing funding for Band 4 roles. Staff turnover decreased significantly, with resignation rates improving from 20% to 9% by year-end, leading to more experienced Band 3 officers. Positive staff-prisoner interactions were observed, but some prisoners noted cliques and concerns about inexperienced staff management. Key working remains complex, but a dedicated custodial manager and increased focus on quality and training are expected to improve delivery.
Healthcare
Healthcare saw considerable improvements with full staffing due to a recruitment drive, leading to better quality control and 79% attendance at first ACCT reviews. However, the healthcare building continues to deteriorate, with a leaking roof and insufficient space for clinics, exacerbated by poor anecdotal relationships between some officers and healthcare staff. Significant problems persist with hospital outpatient appointments, with 20 appointments lost monthly due to a lack of escorts, and issues with providing essential medication to transferring prisoners. Mental health services remain strained due to demand and understaffing, and a lack of consultation rooms.
Regime & Daily Life
A new regime introduced at the start of the year and amended in January 2025 aims for one hour in the open air and two hours out of cell daily for all prisoners. This reduced time in cell for unemployed prisoners from 22.5 to 21 hours, though those not in purposeful activity are unlocked late. While procedures for accounting for prisoners' whereabouts improved, the escort system still requires work. Physical exercise entitlements are met with timetabled gym sessions during the week and at weekends.
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 | 18 | 15 | |
| Adjudications | 22 | 20 | |
| Bullying/intimidation | 11 | 9 | |
| Catering | 15 | 12 | |
| Chaplaincy | 2 | 1 | |
| Confidential | 8 | 6 | |
| Discrimination | 7 | 10 | |
| Drugs/alcohol | 9 | 8 | |
| Education/learning | 14 | 11 | |
| Healthcare | 76 | 65 | |
| Legal | 35 | 30 | |
| Money/pay | 28 | 25 | |
| Other | 32 | 28 | |
| Property | 38 | 42 | |
| R45 (Segregation) | 16 | 14 | |
| Relationships (staff/prisoner) | 20 | 18 | |
| Security | 10 | 9 | |
| Visits | 12 | 10 | |
| Work | 13 | 11 |
Recommendations (16)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 6
NHS / Healthcare Provider: 3
15 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
What long term solutions are being proposed to manage the increasing numbers of elderly and frail prisoners who cannot be managed fairly or humanely in the main prison estate?
Ministry of Justice
Healthcare
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What solutions are being sought to provide more suitable accommodation and support for those with the most complex needs? Last year, the Board asked about long term plans to establish more appropriate mental health provision within the secure estate. This issue remains despite local improvements.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What tangible outcomes have been delivered for IPP prisoners since publication of the revised IPP Action Plan3? Once again, the Board highlights the plight of IPP prisoners, many of whom continue to languish in prison with little hope of achieving release.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
What plans are in place to increase the budget for food which continues to be woefully insufficient when basic food costs have risen significantly?
Ministry of Justice
Food
Recommendation 5
Repeated
What action can be taken to improve the quality and safety of the constant watch cell, given that the three proposed new house blocks are on hold?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 6
Repeated
What plans are there to address the defective state of the healthcare building? It is increasingly not fit for purpose, both in terms of its crumbling structure and its ability to provide secure and confidential areas for managing the complex cohort of prisoners.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 7
Repeated
What guarantees can be given that there will be sufficient funding for escorts to take prisoners to hospital appointments, to avoid the numerous cancellations that have taken place over the last year?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 8
Repeated
What can be done to reduce the pressure on the Offender Management Unit (OMU), enabling offender managers to manage more consistently their caseload, particularly given the likelihood of further changes to sentence and release criteria?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 9
Repeated
What processes and checks will be put in place to ensure improvements are made to the poor state of the induction cells?
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What further actions are being considered to reduce the ingress of illicit substances? While the Board recognises enhanced security measures which have been put in place, drugs remain readily available throughout the prison.
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What assurances can be given that the cell clearance process will be given a higher priority, in order that it is done effectively and securely with minimal loss of prisoner property?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What process will be implemented to ensure both the quality and quantity of key working improves?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 13
Repeated
What urgent action will be taken to establish the new format of the prison council, so that prisoners can have an appropriate outlet for their concerns?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 14
Repeated
Is access to nicotine replacement therapy being considered, given the high incidence of issues relating to vapes (especially debt)?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 15
What plans are being considered to ensure that prisoners arriving at HMP Erlestoke will have access to their essential medicines without a period of delay?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare
Recommendation 16
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
While there has been considerable improvement in the attendance of healthcare at first ACCT reviews; just over one fifth still lack this essential input. How is this to be addressed, especially when reviews occur over weekends?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare
Other IMB Reports for Erlestoke
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
10 Jun 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.