Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Dartmoor
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 4 December 2024
The report for HMP Dartmoor covers a year dominated by uncertainty and eventual temporary closure due to elevated Radon gas levels, leading to extensive prisoner decanting. While initial safety metrics remained low and in-cell phones improved wellbeing, the period was marked by delayed decision-making from HMPPS, significant estate deterioration, and challenges in maintaining a consistent regime and purposeful activity for the fluctuating population. Healthcare provision, despite a new provider, faced issues with staffing, 24-hour care, and external waiting times, while the Board expressed strong concerns about the lack of accountability from Ministers regarding previously raised recommendations.
Positive Findings
The Board found that HMP Dartmoor continued to be a generally safe environment, with uncertainty not leading to increased self-harm, a credit to the population. The installation of in-cell phones positively impacted prisoner wellbeing. Healthcare provision saw successful change and consolidation with new initiatives, improved teamwork, and effective handovers during the decant period. The Board commended the transparency of the education department and the dedication of staff during a difficult and uncertain time, and appreciated the commitment and passion of the SMT in creating purposeful activities.
Key Concerns
Other
Repeated
When will the future of HMP Dartmoor be decided and communicated?
Other
Repeated
grave concerns about the apparent lack of credibility in the Ministerial responses to our questions in recent years. What assurances can the Board be given that the responses are reviewed regularly and that any major planned actions not undertaken are investigated and actioned? Of particular note here would be the Ageing Population Strategy (now over two years’ late), planned overnight health support at HMP Channings Wood (over a year late) and the IPP Annual Report (due six months ago).
Safety
Is HMPPS satisfied that it fully complied with its own PSI on Radon gas monitoring? During this period, 2020-2021, prisoners were frequently locked down for 23 hours a day. The risk to prisoners of prolonged exposure to Radon gas in cells with poor ventilation appears to have been ignored. Why was this not raised?
Overcrowding
Repeated
the continuing occupancy of many cells by two prisoners was not fair or humane. We reported on this at length in last year’s annual report.
Resettlement/Release
some prisoners were transferred out with little notice and no regard paid to the courses they were on to enable progression.
Safety
The Board has been concerned about the lack of Use of Force meetings taking place
Substance Misuse
mobile phones and illegal drugs were still entering the prison via a variety of ways.
Estate/Conditions
Water ingress during wet weather has continued to cause damp and mould in some residential wings... An increase in the number of rats was noticed outside the wings. The prison’s infrastructure, particularly, but not exclusively, on E wing (the oldest wing), was decaying. Windows had been left open... led to an infestation of bats, birds and insects, which exacerbated the decline in the estate.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
there was still no confidence in the discrimination incident reporting form (DIRF) system. Prisoners, again, told us they feared personal comeback if they raised issues.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
the Board received a number of applications (prisoners’ written representations) complaining about the excessive amount of time taken to reply, or the poor quality of responses, to complaints by prisoners. The response quality, as for last year, still seemed to be determined by the individual person responding.
Healthcare
Repeated
The top risks to prisoners throughout the reporting period were: Ambulance waits at the prison and waits outside Derriford Hospital; Neurology outpatients: extreme delays in outpatient follow-up with Derriford neurology team of 18-24 months... Clinical practice: staffing levels continued to be challenging but improved during the year. However, the department was unable to provide 24-hour care, which made the establishment unsafe for some prisoners... Cleaning: this remained an ongoing concern... Financial: the ageing population continued to present challenges, and the service provision did not match the needs.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
the Board continued to be concerned about the lack of consistency from one wing to another, with ad hoc decisions to keep prisoners locked up dependent on which officer was on duty rather than the circumstances at the time. Staff availability was the biggest factor affecting regime provision. Some prisoners complained that their time out of cell was poor, particularly at weekends, and that unlocking was often late, further eroding the time available.
Staffing
Education, provided by Weston College, saw a very challenging period... a result almost exclusively of two factors: the uncertain Radon gas situation... and serious staffing issues, both for front-facing and administrative staff within the education department and the activity hub.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
significant numbers of prisoners not engaged in purposeful activities, a situation exacerbated by up to an additional 49 prisoners being accommodated under cramped and unsuitable doubled-up conditions
Resettlement/Release
several occasions when Board members were informed by prisoners that they had not had, or were unable to, obtain contact with their prison offender managers (POMs) for a significant period, particularly concerning communication about sentence plans or approaching parole board dates.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The staffing situation was difficult throughout the reporting year, with questions arising about the viability of previous staffing levels due to the vastly reduced prisoner population. Staff were placed on short-term detached duty, with permanent transfers scheduled for January 2025. Key working saw an increase but was still difficult for some prisoners to access. The healthcare department experienced a nine-month recruitment freeze due to contract delays, though staffing levels improved later in the year. Education and activities faced serious staffing issues, and staff availability was a major factor affecting regime provision.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision was significantly impacted by the first full year of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust as provider and the complex Radon gas situation. This led to a substantial reduction in the social care needs of elderly, complex patients following the decant of Fox Tor wing. Despite successful changes like nursing apprenticeships and improved complaint procedures, significant risks remained, including long ambulance waits, extreme delays for neurology outpatients (18-24 months), inability to provide 24-hour care, and ongoing cleaning concerns. Financial challenges also persisted in matching service provision to the needs of the ageing population.
Regime & Daily Life
The reporting year was dominated by the Radon gas issue, resulting in prolonged periods of decanting and recanting, and ultimately the temporary closure of the prison. While the reduction in prisoner numbers led to an overall increase in time out of cell, the Board remained concerned about the inconsistency across wings, with ad hoc decisions leading to poor unlocking times and reduced weekend activity. Many prisoners were not engaged in purposeful activities due to staffing issues in education and workshops, a situation exacerbated by past overcrowding. In-cell telephony, however, significantly improved prisoners' ability to maintain family contact.
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 | 29 | 40 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 5 | 3 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 7 | 6 | |
| Equality | 5 | 13 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 10 | 9 | |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 6 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 21 | 26 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 25 | 28 | |
| Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 10 | 18 | |
| Property within the establishment | 15 | 19 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 13 | 27 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 6 | 16 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 26 | 57 | |
| Transfers | 1 | 4 |
Recommendations (7)
HMPPS: 6
Other: 1
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
When will the future of HMP Dartmoor be decided and communicated?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What assurances can the Board be given that the responses are reviewed regularly and that any major planned actions not undertaken are investigated and actioned? Of particular note here would be the Ageing Population Strategy (now over two years’ late), planned overnight health support at HMP Channings Wood (over a year late) and the IPP Annual Report (due six months ago).
Other
(minister)
Accountability
Recommendation 3
Is HMPPS satisfied that it fully complied with its own PSI on Radon gas monitoring?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 4
Lockdown, due to the Covid pandemic, coincided with the elevated Radon gas levels being identified. During this period, 2020-2021, prisoners were frequently locked down for 23 hours a day. The risk to prisoners of prolonged exposure to Radon gas in cells with poor ventilation appears to have been ignored. Why was this not raised?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will the HMPPS Ageing Population Strategy, now two years’ overdue, be published?
HMPPS
Equality
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What progress has been made on the provision of overnight care at a category C prison in Devon? When will it be introduced?
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will the IPP Annual Report, due in March 2024, be published?
HMPPS
Sentence management
Other IMB Reports for Dartmoor
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
19 Jun 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 2
Activity: 1
Release: 3
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.