Prison
Cat long term high security
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Long Lartin
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 16 May 2025
HMP Long Lartin experienced another challenging year marked by significant safety issues, including increased self-harm, violence, and prolific drone incursions delivering illicit items. The Board continues to raise concerns about the degrading lack of in-cell sanitation in four wings and the severe deterioration of the prison's infrastructure and maintenance. While some positive developments in education and family visits were noted, fundamental problems persist, many of which are long-standing.
Positive Findings
The chaplaincy is well respected and provides good pastoral care to all prisoners. The appointment of a head of drugs strategy lead should help to restrict supply, reduce demand, and aid prisoners’ recovery from drug dependency. The quality and scope of education continues to improve, and initiatives to improve the quality of family visits have been appreciated. The pre-PIPE unit had a successful year due to an innovative and committed staff team.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
Incidents of self-harm have continued to increase and are more prevalent than in other LTHSE prisons.
Safety
Repeated
Increased levels of violence are attributable to the widespread availability of drugs and lack of purposeful activity.
Safety
Repeated
Outdated and failing security systems are a danger to safety and are unable to prevent frequent drone deliveries of illicit items.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The cells on four wings lack running water and sanitation which falls below modern standards of hygiene and decency.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The continued failure of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to maintain the infrastructure and fabric has deprived prisoners and staff of a decent environment in which to live and work.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
More workshops are now open but there is insufficient work to occupy all prisoners and a lack of purposeful work to provide prisoners with a sense of achievement.
Healthcare
Repeated
In-patient facilities are not suitable for prisoners in poor physical health or for the provision of therapeutic support.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Inefficient management of prisoners’ property continues to be a source of frustration and anger.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Increased officer numbers have improved the regime, but inexperienced officers' lack of adequate training and understanding often adversely affects prisoners’ quality of life and progression. Staff shortages due to sickness, emergency duties, and possibly poor mentoring have frequently impacted prisoner wellbeing. There is an ongoing problem with recruitment and retention of staff, which also contributes to unsatisfactory property management.
Healthcare
The widespread availability of illicit drugs is detrimental to physical and mental health. In-patient facilities are not suitable for prisoners in poor physical health or for therapeutic support, and there are long waiting times for mental health transfers. Staffing levels in healthcare are affected by recruitment delays, and a high number of clinic appointments are cancelled due to uniformed staff shortages. The waiting time to see a GP has risen to 10 weeks.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime improved compared to 2023, but inconsistency due to demands on staff resources leads to frequent workshop closures, boredom, and frustration. Purposeful activity during association remains very limited, and insufficient work is available to occupy all prisoners meaningfully. Four wings still lack in-cell sanitation, necessitating the undignified 'slopping out' process.
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 | 28 | 22 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 4 | 11 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 40 | 26 | |
| Equality | 4 | 3 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 11 | 11 | — |
| Food and kitchens | 8 | 8 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 50 | 30 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 34 | 19 | |
| Miscellaneous | 27 | 18 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 23 | 20 | |
| Property within the establishment | 41 | 30 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 27 | 15 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 22 | 15 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, other | 44 | 21 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, relating to bullying | 37 | 38 | |
| Transfers | 1 | 16 |
Recommendations (16)
Ministry of Justice: 5
HMPPS: 5
Governor / Director: 6
15 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Drones: the increasing number, and the consequences, of illicit items carried into the prison by drones has been well documented and publicised. When will Government action to prevent drone incursions become effective in the LTHSE?
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Response
No fly zones over prisons. HMPPS Head of Security Projects addressed LTHSE IMB briefing in December outlining: multi-agency working to review options: (2) Cross-government working specialist with partners and agencies.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Security systems: much of the existing surveillance technology is obsolete or unserviceable, increasing the vulnerability of prisoners and staff. Will the Minister confirm that funding has been allocated and provide a timeframe to provide a modern, fully operational surveillance system?
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Response
Sufficient coverage to maintain security. Acknowledged maintenance difficulties. System upgrade to be retendered. (2) Meanwhile the prison is managing security.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Unsatisfactory management of infrastructure and maintenance: what measures will the Minister take to ensure that his department improves management of the contract with Amey plc in order that the fabric and infrastructure can be restored to a decent standard and then properly maintained?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Response
Healthcare has been refurbished. Other “out of sight” projects listed. Pending projects include a new kitchen, repairs to kitchen roof and elsewhere. (2) New kitchen project to start in January 2026. Amey performance has improved and they have passed two key performance targets over past four months. The MoJ property team monitor performance.
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Modernisation: what is the Minister's plan to modernise the prison?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Lack of in-cell sanitation: prisoners on four wings continue to use the 'slopping out' process, which falls below modern standards of decency. When does the Government intend to provide all cells with running water and sanitation?
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Response
Focus on upgrades of present system. Not a priority.
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Drones: frequent drone incursions are delivering dangerous illicit items. Will the Prison Service confirm whether it is satisfied that the Government is making available to Long Lartin all the necessary drone counter measures at its disposal?
HMPPS
Safety
Response
Vulnerability assessment undertaken; minor physical vulnerabilities have been addressed. The prison has had some success with its local initiatives.
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Security systems: the maintenance contractor, Amey, has been unable to restore or maintain the ageing surveillance equipment to enable it to provide the prison with adequate security cover. What measures are being taken to install and maintain effective and reliable electronic surveillance and when?
HMPPS
Safety
Response
No response received.
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prison infrastructure, maintenance and projects: repeat question from 2023 - to which specific building and maintenance projects has funding been allocated in the next three years and where does a new kitchen sit in the order of priority?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
No response received.
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Healthcare centre (HCC): what full programme of measures is planned to provide all necessary facilities (including end of life) for in-patients?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Response
In-patient unit has undergone some refurbishment. In-patient policy agreed between the prison and the healthcare service provider.
Recommendation 10
Prison work contracts: what actions is the Prison Service taking to secure quality work contracts particularly in the LTHSE?
HMPPS
Purposeful Activity
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Security systems: operation of current electronic security protection falls below expectation of that originally specified for a high security prison. Pending formal approval and installation of a completely new system, what local short term plans exist to improve confidence in the safe operation of the prison?
Governor / Director
Safety
Response
CCTV work on A-D wings.
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prison infrastructure, maintenance and projects: how will the Governor ensure that prison priorities are understood and acted upon by Amey?
Governor / Director
Estate
Response
Not the responsibility of the Governor.
Recommendation 13
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Litter and waste: what plans are in place to ensure that the prison is consistently kept clear of litter and waste?
Governor / Director
Estate
Response
Some improvement, however A-D wings do not facilitate a remedy. Some specific initiatives including biohazard team.
Recommendation 14
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Prison staffing: following the changes to profiling towards the end of the year, what further measures are proposed to enable all aspects of the regime to operate across the prison (including healthcare)?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Response
Key work and regime have improved during early 2024. New profile should further improve key work sessions.
Recommendation 15
Repeated
Prev. addressed
Key worker sessions: when will regular key worker sessions for all prisoners be reinstated?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
Key work and regime have improved during early 2024. New profile should further improve key work sessions.
Recommendation 16
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Management of property: notwithstanding practical storage constraints, will the Governor undertake to improve the management of prisoners’ property?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
Reception services, prisoners’ access to and property needs to improve. Reduction in compensation claims.
Other IMB Reports for Long Lartin
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
30 Sep 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
Activity: 2
Release: 3
5 Dec 2022
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 2
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.