Prison
Cat High Security (Category A and B)
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Wakefield
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 12 February 2025
HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison for around 740 men, saw a significant increase in assaults and self-harm during the reporting year, leading the Board to deem it 'less safe'. Key concerns include persistent delays in mental health transfers, a reduction in experienced staff, and urgent needs for infrastructure upgrades. Despite these challenges, healthcare provision is improving, and the education department is praised for its ambitious curriculum and positive prisoner engagement.
Positive Findings
The Board is satisfied with continuous improvements in healthcare provision and deems the prison's overall regime fair and humane. Staff demonstrate exceptional compassion, notably during a prolonged mental health crisis involving 'Prisoner A', and ACCT documentation is consistently good. The prevalence of 'seg-to-seg' transfers is declining, with strong evidence of successful reintegration, and the CSC unit maintains a calm and consistent regime. There has been a reduction in staff churn, improved manager mentoring, and high compliance with essential staff training. The chaplaincy service is highly regarded, pharmacy services are efficient and well-staffed, and an outdoor space with gardening facilities has been opened for healthcare patients. HMP Wakefield is autism accredited, and the neurodiversity support manager has successfully helped four prisoners into employment. Education leadership and management are commended for an ambitious curriculum, effective teaching, and positive prisoner engagement, leading to strong achievement and progress. The Offender Management Unit delivers a very good service, maintaining a full complement of POMs and achieving high rates for timely categorisations.
Key Concerns
Safety
In previous reports, we have described HMP Wakefield as ‘generally safe’. However, there were 136 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in the reporting year (a 28% increase from 106 in the last reporting period) and 136 prisoner-on-staff assaults (a 123% increase on the previous year). Therefore, we deem the prison to be ‘less safe’ than in previous annual reporting periods.
Safety
The procedures to ensure the safety of staff working in the close supervision centre (prison rule 46) must be strengthened immediately.
Safety
The dangers posed to staff were brought into sharp focus when two officers were attacked by a rule 46 prisoner (which allows for the most disruptive, challenging and dangerous prisoners to be managed in a small and highly supervised unit) who was in possession of a bladed object.
Staffing
The Board continues to be concerned about staffing profiles: the ongoing prison officer recruitment campaign and associated use of detached duty is leading to a reduction in the number of experienced prison officers at HMP Wakefield. Furthermore, we believe that the inability of the Governing Governor to oversee the recruitment of band 3 officer grades is unwise.
Staffing
Key work: the Board continues to receive daily updates on the number of recorded key worker sessions from the Governing Governor. We continue to see evidence of key work sessions not being fulfilled due to operational reasons.
Staffing
Of 293 officers, 103 have less than two years’ service, of whom 28 are under the age of 25. The body of experience of the officers is lower than that of last year (and considerably lower than the year before that).
Staffing
Two extremely serious attacks on prison officers, and staff sickness, due to trauma, injury and mental health issues linked to these incidents, has affected the workforce.
Staffing
IMHT critical staffing levels in the early part of the reporting period, with an average of two nurses on duty per shift. The IMHT prioritised safely managing patients acutely unwell or in crisis. This impacted on managing new, routine referrals and caseload input.
Staffing
Dedicated officers [on the Mulberry unit] have had specialist training but do not receive enhanced pay for this specialist role. These officers face daily major challenges, as the men are unpredictable and frequently physically and verbally aggressive.
Estate/Conditions
The Board continues to be very concerned about the security of the prison, notably the physical infrastructure, which now requires urgent improvement.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Board is very dissatisfied with the lack of progress in upgrading the physical security of the prison. It requires immediate improvement.
Estate/Conditions
The physical infrastructure, by virtue of its age, presents challenges in maintaining humane living standards for prisoners and working conditions for staff. This is particularly the case in situations where prisoners experience mental health crises and are unable to be transferred to secure hospital in an expedient fashion.
Estate/Conditions
The physical condition of F-wing is poor and has been for some considerable time. Cellular accommodation is often subject to damage and the consequences of a ‘dirty protest’. Natural ventilation and light is poor, the effects of which are acutely felt in the summer months, when temperatures on the wing can be very uncomfortable.
Estate/Conditions
The pharmacy manager requested an air conditioning unit last October, which they are still waiting for in the dispensing area. This is not only for the comfort of staff but, more importantly, it is needed to keep the stored medications at an appropriate temperature.
Estate/Conditions
The healthcare building is newer than the main residential buildings. Although some improvements have been made, some areas are still in need of need of repair, making it difficult to maintain a hygienic environment.
Mental Health
We continue to be very concerned about the significant delays in accessing transfers to a secure hospital for prisoners who are in urgent need of mental health treatment.
Mental Health
Repeated
Can the Minister explain how the Government intends to address longstanding and yet unresolved problems with the assessment and transfer of prisoners who present with serious mental health and personality disorders from HMP Wakefield to hospital (section 47, Mental Health Act 1983)?
Mental Health
The IMB remains extremely concerned about men who have serious and deteriorating mental health issues being inappropriately housed in the establishment and, frequently, in segregation.
Mental Health
Due to the volume of referrals, waiting times [for assistant psychologist one-to-one sessions] have been up to six months.
Mental Health
Some men who have struggled on the unit are deselected and remain at HMP Wakefield in the general population. These prisoners have complex issues. Symptoms of autism and personality disorder can mirror each other and people can have both. There are now men who are very difficult to place in a suitable location and, in some cases, appear to be deteriorating in terms of engagement and progression.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
As highlighted in our previous report, the age and condition of the residential accommodation invariably affects the ability of prisoners with mobility issues to access a full regime.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The astroturf sports pitch remains unavailable and has been so for several years. The Board urges HMPPS to prioritise the reinstatement of the facility as soon as is reasonably practicable. Opportunities for prisoners to undertake vigorous exercise are likely to have safety benefits for staff and prisoners alike, including the potential for violence and aggression reduction.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Purposeful activity: we remain concerned that too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Opportunities for prisoners to gain accredited qualifications in IT is limited.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The curriculum for IT has been reduced and does not provide enough opportunities for learners to progress to higher levels.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The provision for higher-level courses is limited.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Access to programmes at HMP Wakefield and the wider prison estate continues to be impacted by staff shortages. Reduced delivery at Wakefield means only those within the priority framework can access programmes. Given the population pressures within the prison estate, moves to access interventions elsewhere is also restricted. This situation will have a long-term effect on prisoner progression and their motivation to engage.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Prisoner property: we remain concerned that prisoners do not receive ‘in possession’ property from reception in a timely manner. We ask the Governing Governor to clarify what action is being taken address this. Property delays lead to frustration on the residential wings for prisoners, staff and IMB members alike.
Equality/Diversity
Over half of the substantiated discrimination incident reporting forms (DIRFs) were in relation to race.
Food/Catering
The kitchen has experienced long-standing difficulties with the fryers. For a large part of the year, five or six of the fryers were broken. This impacted the food offering provided by the kitchen; the cooking of chips was particularly problematic, much to the frustration of prisoners and staff alike.
Equality/Diversity
The lack of wheelchair-friendly cells on the main wings means that in-patient cells are also used, inappropriately, by disabled prisoners who do not need any medical care.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
When will the Minister act in respect of prisoners at HMP Wakefield who are substantially over tariff and subject to the consequences of the now discredited and abolished IPP sentences of imprisonment for public protection (see Criminal Justice Act 2003)?
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board is concerned about staffing profiles, noting a reduction in experienced officers due to recruitment campaigns and detached duty, and questions the Governor's inability to oversee Band 3 officer recruitment. While overall staff churn has reduced, the prison over-recruited 60 officers, leading to 35 staff on detached duty elsewhere. The experience level of officers is lower than previous years, with 103 of 293 having less than two years' service. Serious attacks on staff have led to sickness and trauma, impacting the workforce. Key worker sessions are frequently cancelled due to operational reasons, affecting prisoner wellbeing, although new managers have improved mentoring and support for staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are provided by Practice Plus Group, covering primary care, mental health, and pharmacy, with dentistry by Time for Teeth. Waiting times for non-urgent appointments are comparable to the community. Staffing for the healthcare centre and mental health team faces complexities due to high-security clearance requirements, limiting agency staff use. A dedicated team of prison officers supports healthcare, improving appointment attendance and medication distribution. The IMB is extremely concerned about serious mental health cases being inappropriately housed in the prison, often in segregation, with transfers to secure hospitals frequently delayed for months. Mental health team (IMHT) saw critical staffing levels early in the reporting period, impacting routine referrals, though recruitment improved this, and psychiatry provision has increased. The in-patient unit, contracted for physical needs, is frequently used for vulnerable or mentally unwell prisoners awaiting transfer, and wheelchair-friendly cells are lacking on main wings.
Regime & Daily Life
HMP Wakefield provides an overall fair and humane regime, but the age and condition of residential accommodation limit access for prisoners with mobility issues. The physical infrastructure's age poses challenges to humane living and working conditions, especially for prisoners in mental health crises awaiting transfer. Delivering the segregation unit's regime is difficult at full capacity, sometimes requiring prisoners to decline activities for others to participate. Key worker and library sessions are regularly cancelled due to low staffing. The Board remains concerned about insufficient purposeful activity and meaningful engagement in education or work opportunities. For prisoners in the Mulberry unit for autism, staff redeployments cause understaffing and disruptive changes to their stable routine, and external support groups like AA/NA cannot attend due to officer shortages.
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) | 54 | — | |
| Adjudications | 1 | — | |
| Bullying | 0 | — | |
| Canteen | 0 | — | |
| Catalogue Orders | 0 | — | |
| Chapel | 0 | — | |
| Complaints System | 0 | — | |
| DHL | 0 | — | |
| Education | 1 | — | |
| Equality | 0 | — | |
| Finance/Cash | 0 | — | |
| Food | 3 | — | |
| Healthcare | 13 | 35 | |
| IMB | 0 | — | |
| Legal | 1 | — | |
| Letters/Newspapers/Magazines | 0 | — | |
| OMU | 0 | — | |
| Other | 11 | — | |
| Property | 24 | — | |
| Psychology | 1 | — | |
| Public Protection | 0 | — | |
| Reception | 2 | — | |
| Residential | 11 | — | |
| Safer Prisons | 0 | — | |
| Security | 1 | — | |
| Segregation | 0 | — | |
| Self-Harm | 0 | — | |
| Staff | 1 | — | |
| Tensions/Factional | 0 | — | |
| Transfers/Allocations | 2 | — | |
| Violence | 0 | — | |
| Visits | 3 | — | |
| Work | 0 | — |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 3
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will the Minister act in respect of prisoners at HMP Wakefield who are substantially over tariff and subject to the consequences of the now discredited and abolished IPP sentences of imprisonment for public protection (see Criminal Justice Act 2003)?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the Minister explain how the Government intends to address longstanding and yet unresolved problems with the assessment and transfer of prisoners who present with serious mental health and personality disorders from HMP Wakefield to hospital (section 47, Mental Health Act 1983)?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
The procedures to ensure the safety of staff working in the close supervision centre (prison rule 46) must be strengthened immediately.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The astroturf sports pitch remains unavailable and has been so for several years. The Board urges HMPPS to prioritise the reinstatement of the facility as soon as is reasonably practicable. Opportunities for prisoners to undertake vigorous exercise are likely to have safety benefits for staff and prisoners alike, including the potential for violence and aggression reduction.
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board is very dissatisfied with the lack of progress in upgrading the physical security of the prison. It requires immediate improvement.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoner property: we remain concerned that prisoners do not receive ‘in possession’ property from reception in a timely manner. We ask the Governing Governor to clarify what action is being taken address this. Property delays lead to frustration on the residential wings for prisoners, staff and IMB members alike.
Governor / Director
Humane Treatment
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Purposeful activity: we remain concerned that too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities. We ask the Governing Governor to clarify what action is being taken address this.
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 8
Key work: the Board continues to receive daily updates on the number of recorded key worker sessions from the Governing Governor. We continue to see evidence of key work sessions not being fulfilled due to operational reasons. We ask the Governing Governor to clarify what action is being taken address this.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Other IMB Reports for Wakefield
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.