Prison
Cat D
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Springhill
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 22 May 2025
HMP Springhill, a Category D open prison, typically held over 300 men with an operational capacity of 3351. The reporting year saw low levels of self-harm and violence, but persistent infrastructure failures, understaffing in education and OMU, and disjointed resettlement activities posed significant challenges. While 41 new single cells were a positive addition, the influx of men following early release schemes strained mental health services and limited access to external work.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomed the delivery of 41 new single cells (X-huts) which improved accommodation. Efforts to recognise and support neurodivergent individuals led to a more inclusive environment, with positive feedback from men feeling treated as adults. Men showed good engagement with health awareness events and satisfaction with education courses remained high. The drug and alcohol recovery team also received positive feedback.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The UK government continues to under-invest in the provision of the rehabilitation services needed to reduce recidivism, specifically in offender management and educational/vocational services.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Board continues to report issues with securing the necessary information and engagement from outside probation and other agencies, which significantly delay men’s access to release on temporary licence (ROTL). An issue which is exacerbated by the introduction of new early release schemes.
Mental Health
Implementing new early release schemes, such as SDS40, results in spikes in new admissions, as the Prison Service manages capacity across the prison estate. These spikes resulted in a period of higher demand for mental health services. How will the Prison Service ensure that mental health and all other on-site services have the capacity to meet this type of fluctuation in demand?
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The poor state of Springhill’s infrastructure seriously impacts its ability to deliver a safe and enabling environment, with specific concerns including frequent power outages, an unreliable fire alarm system, leaking buildings, failing kitchen equipment, failing sanitation, and the presence of rats.
Staffing
Repeated
Continued problems with attracting and retaining staff who teach core subjects hindered efforts to improve men’s ability to navigate day-to-day life and their employability, and the Offender Management Unit (OMU) team has been under constant workload pressure and affected by poor support from outside agencies.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Activities designed to support men’s progression remained disjointed, with limited flow from personal learning plans to vocational skills training to jobs available and future employment, despite the welcome introduction of defined career pathways. This leads to underemployment in low-value on-camp work.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing for core education subjects faced persistent challenges with recruitment and retention due to uncompetitive pay and working conditions, leading to restricted course delivery. The Offender Management Unit (OMU) experienced constant workload pressure, staff shortages, and sickness absences, compounded by a lack of support from external agencies. Despite these issues, staff and prisoner relationships generally remained good.
Healthcare
Healthcare facilities are hampered by poor building conditions including damp, subsidence, and rats, rendering them unsuitable for delivery. While men showed good engagement with health awareness events, the mental health team faced unprecedented pressure and increased referrals post-SDS40 release, with some men complaining about insufficient long-term mental health support. Service delivery was also impacted by high appointment cancellations and DNAs, though the DART received positive feedback.
Regime & Daily Life
As an open Category D prison, Springhill aims for rehabilitation and resettlement, with men encouraged into education, vocational training, and community work. However, purposeful activity felt disjointed, and the rapid influx of men post-SDS40 significantly reduced access to Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) for external work. Many men shared cramped cells, and the gym, though popular, faced closures due to heating or staffing issues. A significant proportion of men remained in low-paid, on-camp work, limiting their preparation for release.
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 | 0 | 1 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 3 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 2 | 3 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 6 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 0 | 2 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 0 | 0 | |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 3 | 4 | |
| Property within the establishment | 1 | 0 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 1 | 1 | — |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 5 | 6 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 0 | 0 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 0 |
Recommendations (5)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 1
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The UK government continues to under-invest in the provision of the rehabilitation services needed to reduce recidivism. How will the Minister make the case for long-term investment in its open prisons, specifically in offender management and educational/vocational services?
Other
(minister)
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board continues to report issues with securing the necessary information and engagement from outside probation and other agencies, which significantly delay men’s access to release on temporary licence (ROTL). An issue which is exacerbated by the introduction of new early release schemes. What more does the Prison Service intend to do to improve the capacity of outside probation and the effectiveness of interfaces with all relevant agencies?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Implementing new early release schemes, such as SDS40, results in spikes in new admissions, as the Prison Service manages capacity across the prison estate. These spikes resulted in a period of higher demand for mental health services. How will the Prison Service ensure that mental health and all other on-site services have the capacity to meet this type of fluctuation in demand?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The poor state of Springhill’s infrastructure seriously impacts its ability to deliver a safe and enabling environment. What is the Prison Service’s plan, over the immediate and longer term, to improve the failing estate?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board looks forward to seeing how continued efforts to join up elements of the Springhill regime result in more men achieving work-related ROTL; developing skills for the long term; and staying in employment post-release.
Governor / Director
Regime