Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Holme House
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 29 May 2025
HMP Holme House operated as a Category C prison in 2024, with plans to reclassify to Category B in 2025, a transition observed to be managed with significant staff commitment despite some disruptions. The Board noted generally good healthcare, improved food quality, and successful drug recovery programmes. However, significant concerns were raised regarding increased self-harm and violence, ongoing staffing shortages impacting key worker support, and a lack of educational achievement.
Positive Findings
The Board observed significant staff commitment to the prison's re-role and noted the reception area was well run, treating prisoners with care during induction. There were improvements in food quality and general accommodation cleanliness. The chaplaincy team was consolidated and developed a comprehensive service. The incentivised substance-free living unit successfully delivered activities and programmes, with 54 prisoners graduating. Initiatives like in-cell phone technology continued to benefit prisoners.
Key Concerns
Staffing
The Board remains concerned about the recruitment and staffing level challenges the prison faces, particularly in maintaining staff morale and ensuring a continued focus on prisoner wellbeing.
Safety
The prison has faced challenges to maintain a safe environment in 2024, with an increase in incidents of self-harm and violence among prisoners.
Substance Misuse
factors such as drug misuse and associated debt have contributed to these issues [safety].
Other
Issues relating to loss of property have caused distress to some prisoners when they are at their most vulnerable.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
There has been a significant reduction in the levels of key worker support during the year, due to staff being deployed to other duties.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board remains concerned about the lack, in both the number and the level, of educational qualifications achieved.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Can the Minister reassure the Board that the major capital works to the roofs will be funded and executed during 2025? If no reassurance can be given, can the Minister explain why?
Other
Can the Governor provide assurance to the IMB that the re-role will not have a detrimental effect on the wellbeing and progression of all prisoners?
Other
Can the Governor confirm that there will be a review of prisoner wages in light of rising costs of items being stocked by the canteen?
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board remains concerned about recruitment and staffing level challenges, which affect staff morale and the focus on prisoner wellbeing. Key worker sessions significantly reduced due to staff being diverted to other duties. Healthcare staffing was stretched due to vacancies and long-term sickness, necessitating the increased use of agency nursing.
Healthcare
Healthcare services were generally good despite staffing shortages. Waiting times for dental services were improved with the addition of a weekend surgery. The mental health team continued to provide various services, and primary care assessment waiting times were reasonable, though pressure on secure mental health facility places persists. The 16-bed in-patient unit and palliative care suite are regional resources where patients are treated with compassion.
Regime & Daily Life
During 2024, the prison operated its full mandated regime, ensuring most prisoners spent more than two hours daily out of their cells. In preparation for re-classification, a revised core day regime was implemented in September, removing in-cell association. This change initially caused prisoner confusion and frustration, but these issues have largely been resolved.
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 | 24 | 20 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 6 | 9 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 4 | 0 | |
| Equality | 0 | 2 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 6 | 10 | |
| Food and kitchens | 10 | 12 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 19 | 38 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 5 | 19 | |
| Miscellaneous | 6 | 2 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 14 | 29 | |
| Property within the establishment | 15 | 19 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 10 | 15 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, recategorisation | 38 | 23 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 12 | 18 | |
| Transfers | 8 | 16 |
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 4
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Minister reassure the Board that the major capital works to the roofs will be funded and executed during 2025? If no reassurance can be given, can the Minister explain why?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 2
Can the Prison Service advise the IMB why educational attainment has reduced over the last five years?
HMPPS
Education
Recommendation 3
Can the Governor provide assurance to the IMB that the re-role will not have a detrimental effect on the wellbeing and progression of all prisoners?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 4
Can the Governor advise what is happening in response to the increased level of prisoner self-harm?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 5
Can the Governor comment on the increase in Use of Force and whether it is at proportionate levels to similar prisons?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 6
Can the Governor confirm that there will be a review of prisoner wages in light of rising costs of items being stocked by the canteen?
Governor / Director
Other
Other IMB Reports for Holme House
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
6 Mar 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 4
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.