Prison
Cat women's YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Foston Hall
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 4 April 2025
HMP/YOI Foston Hall is deemed a reasonably safe prison for women, with a significant decrease in self-harm incidents and an increase in its operational capacity. However, the report highlights critical concerns including a notable rise in prisoner-on-prisoner violence, increased illicit items entering the prison, and systemic issues with delayed mental health transfers to secure hospitals. Problems with accommodation, the prisoner application system, property access, and persistent missed healthcare appointments continue to impact prisoner welfare, despite positive efforts in regime maintenance and staff-prisoner interactions.
Positive Findings
The Board considers Foston Hall to be a prison in which staff work to ensure the safety of prisoners, with a significant decrease in self-harm incidents due to a coordinated approach. Efforts to maintain a full regime, including work and education, reflect a strong commitment to fair and humane treatment. Healthcare services are well-managed and comparable to community provision, with improvements in meeting social care needs. There is much effort to encourage education participation and proactive work on release arrangements. The Board also commends the professionalism of CSU staff and positive interactions between staff and prisoners.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisoners with complex and severe mental health needs are frequently received, or remain too long, at HMP Foston Hall, rather than being accommodated and cared for in hospital or in the community in line with the ambitions of the female offender strategy.
Substance Misuse
A significant rise in remand prisoners, short-sentence prisoners, and prisoners recalled for 14 days has led to an increase in drugs and illicit items entering the establishment. As a consequence, prisoners get into debt and are subject to bullying and violence.
Equality/Diversity
There is no evidence that the recent decision to identify pregnancy as a specific mitigating factor in sentencing decisions has had any impact on the increasing number of pregnant prisoners passing through Foston Hall.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The accommodation provided in the CSU and D wing remains inadequate, despite the improvements made within the constraints of the building.
Other
Many prisoners experience problems in relation to their property when transferring between establishments, with property going missing or being delayed.
Safety
Without a body scanner at reception, staff are hampered from detecting drugs concealed by prisoners on arrival.
Safety
The Board is concerned about the rise in prisoner-on-prisoner violence.
Substance Misuse
What increased measures to disrupt the supply and trading of illicit items will be taken by the prison? (in response to increased illicit items due to remand/recall prisoners)
Complaints/Property
Repeated
What action will be taken to improve the working of the prisoner application system to ensure they are all responded to, and within an acceptable time frame?
Other
Repeated
Prisoners often experience considerable difficulties and lengthy delays in accessing their property.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Prisoners often have problems washing and drying their clothes due to the frequency of machines breaking down and laundry arrangements.
Healthcare
Repeated
Prisoners continue to queue outside the medication dispensing hatch, whatever the weather, with no shelter.
Healthcare
Repeated
What else can be done to reduce the number of missed internal healthcare appointments?
Mental Health
What support can be provided for prisoners with low-level mental health needs, such as anxiety and depression?
Mental Health
When will the Access service (a multi-disciplinary team supporting prisoners with highly complex needs and behaviours) be staffed and operational?
Healthcare
There are no social care buddies for prisoners with care and support needs.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The establishment welcomed a significant number of new staff, with training and induction prioritised. Staffing pressures, due to factors like sickness and temporary promotions, have at times hampered the amount of key work undertaken. However, by November, staffing levels had improved, although the number available for full duties remained reduced. When faced with staffing pressures, the priority was to maintain a full regime and activities, particularly work and education.
Healthcare
The healthcare service, provided by Practice Plus Group, is generally well-managed and comparable to community services, despite concerns about missed internal appointments. The mental health team has experienced vacancies and stretched resources, leading to little support for prisoners with low-level mental health needs. A significant concern is the delayed transfer of prisoners with complex mental health needs to secure hospitals. The 'Access service' for highly complex needs has been non-operational since May 2024, representing a significant gap. The healthcare service also does not collect equalities data, hindering monitoring of disproportionate outcomes.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison prioritised maintaining a full regime, including work and education, even during times of staffing pressure. However, ongoing staffing issues reduced employment opportunities and library access. On some wings, pressures led to staggered or partially reduced exercise and association for non-working/studying prisoners, especially at weekends. Significant efforts have been made to promote education and create a welcoming learning environment, with the department now meeting targets for course allocations and achievements, though engaging remand prisoners remains a challenge. Laundry problems, with machines breaking down, are a recurring issue for prisoners.
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) | 29 | 18 | |
| Children and families | 4 | 12 | |
| Complaints procedure | 10 | 11 | |
| Discrimination | 4 | 2 | |
| Food | 5 | 6 | |
| Healthcare | 81 | 75 | |
| Legal | 20 | 19 | |
| Other | 39 | 32 | |
| Property | 29 | 22 | |
| Safeguarding | 1 | 1 | — |
| Security | 11 | 17 | |
| Staff | 10 | 10 | — |
| Visits | 10 | 13 | |
| Welfare | 37 | 24 | |
| Work/Education | 22 | 16 |
Recommendations (16)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 10
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners with complex and severe mental health needs are frequently received, or remain too long, at HMP Foston Hall, rather than being accommodated and cared for in hospital or in the community in line with the ambitions of the female offender strategy. When will this be addressed?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
A significant rise in remand prisoners, short-sentence prisoners, and prisoners recalled for 14 days has led to an increase in drugs and illicit items entering the establishment. As a consequence, prisoners get into debt and are subject to bullying and violence. When will this shift be reversed?
Ministry of Justice
Safety
Recommendation 3
There is no evidence that the recent decision to identify pregnancy as a specific mitigating factor in sentencing decisions has had any impact on the increasing number of pregnant prisoners passing through Foston Hall. When will this have an impact?
Ministry of Justice
Equality
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The accommodation provided in the CSU and D wing remains inadequate, despite the improvements made within the constraints of the building. When will funding be provided to improve their quality and decency?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 5
Many prisoners experience problems in relation to their property when transferring between establishments, with property going missing or being delayed. When will this be addressed?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 6
Without a body scanner at reception, staff are hampered from detecting drugs concealed by prisoners on arrival. When will this equipment be provided, which will go towards creating a safer environment for prisoners?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 7
The Board is concerned about the rise in prisoner-on-prisoner violence. What further action could be taken by Foston Hall to reverse this trend?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 8
Whilst the increase in remand and recall prisoners has led to a rise in illicit items coming into Foston Hall, what increased measures to disrupt the supply and trading of illicit items will be taken by the prison?
Governor / Director
Substance Misuse
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What action will be taken to improve the working of the prisoner application system to ensure they are all responded to, and within an acceptable time frame?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners often experience considerable difficulties and lengthy delays in accessing their property. When will this be addressed?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 11
Prisoners often have problems washing and drying their clothes due to the frequency of machines breaking down and laundry arrangements. How will this be addressed?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners continue to queue outside the medication dispensing hatch, whatever the weather, with no shelter. When will shelter be provided for them?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 13
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What else can be done to reduce the number of missed internal healthcare appointments?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 14
What support can be provided for prisoners with low-level mental health needs, such as anxiety and depression?
Governor / Director
Mental Health
Recommendation 15
When will the Access service (a multi-disciplinary team supporting prisoners with highly complex needs and behaviours) be staffed and operational?
Governor / Director
Mental Health
Recommendation 16
There are no social care buddies for prisoners with care and support needs. How will this be addressed?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Other IMB Reports for Foston Hall
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
13 Jan 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.