Prison
Cat Category A local men's prison
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Belmarsh
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 11 October 2024
HMP Belmarsh, a Category A local prison, faces significant challenges in providing purposeful activity and rehabilitation opportunities, particularly for HSU and sentenced prisoners, amid rising illicit item seizures and high violence levels. While healthcare provision has improved under a new provider, mental health support, transfers, and bed shortages remain problematic. The Board is concerned about overcrowding, prolonged segregation stays, and the indefinite detention of IPP prisoners, emphasizing the need for increased resources and improved regimes for vulnerable groups.
Positive Findings
Alterations to the regime have resulted in some improvements without a significant rise in violent incidents. The prison’s systems have been robust in caring for those who self-harm. Healthcare provision, after initial staff shortages with a new provider, is now considered good by the Board. There has been a marked improvement in the key worker programme, with 95% of prisoners allocated a key worker and first sessions held within a month. The Board has been impressed by the prison’s efforts to promote equality and monitor performance against protected characteristics. The chaplaincy is well staffed, well led, and visible, providing valuable support. The incentive scheme is well-understood and generally effective. Improvements in complaints processing due to review and improved staffing. The new exercise regime is working well, with most prisoners receiving their full 60 minutes and spending more time out of their cells. Phoenix Futures has worked hard to engage prisoners in substance abuse rehabilitation, with 60% of ex-offenders continuing drug counselling on release.
Key Concerns
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
Inadequate provision of education, skills and work activities in the prison. The lack of purposeful activity continues to have a deleterious effect on health and wellbeing, opportunities for rehabilitation and, ultimately, on the possibility of reducing reoffending.
Estate/Conditions
Problems with the maintenance of the fabric continued in the reporting year and cells took too long to repair.
Overcrowding
Overcrowding across the estate meant category B, C and D prisoners were not moved to other prisons quickly, and prisoners were denied opportunities to participate in courses that would have helped them address their offending behaviours.
Segregation
Too many prisoners were held in the Segregation Unit for too long; in some cases, for more than 100 days.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
Almost no provision was made for prisoners in the high security unit to access educational opportunities, work and purposeful activities. Exercise sessions were regular but short, prisoners were given very little time to phone their families and legal representatives, and they were obliged to make their calls in a communal area where they could be overheard by fellow prisoners and staff.
Staffing
acute shortage of permanent staff in the Healthcare Centre in the first part of the reporting year and this affected healthcare provision for a time.
Healthcare
There continued to be an issue with prisoners not attending some healthcare appointments.
Healthcare
The shortage of in-patient beds in the Healthcare Centre was exacerbated by a number of long-term prisoner patients.
Safety
Managing a small number of prisoners with the most challenging behaviour required a disproportionate amount of staff time and resources.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The indefinite detention of IPP (imprisonment for public protection) prisoners in Belmarsh who had served many years more than their sentence tariff. During the reporting year, members continued to express their concern about the restrictions placed on IPP prisoners in Belmarsh, the effect on their mental health, and the Government’s failure to expedite their release or resentencing.
Staffing
Shortages of staff in probation meant prisoners were often inadequately prepared for release.
Safety
There has been a rise in illicit items entering the prison.
Other
Repeated
Problems in reuniting newly arrived prisoners with their property continued to be a cause of frustration and distress for prisoners.
Safety
Although there was no significant change in recorded incidents, the violence figures continued to be of concern. The Board detected a rising level of disquiet amongst both staff and prisoners.
Segregation
Disproportionately high numbers of young adults and Muslims were held in the Segregation Unit.
Safety
The number of vulnerable prisoners (VPs) deemed to be at risk of being targeted by other prisoners has increased significantly in the reporting year and keeping them safe has become a significant challenge.
Mental Health
Detention in an adult prison can be a traumatising experience and, in some cases, their mental health suffered. The Board does not believe HMP Belmarsh is adequately resourced and a suitable location for these individuals.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The curtailment of Muslim prayers and Christian services caused considerable unhappiness, and the issue was raised regularly with members of the Board.
Healthcare
Problems throughout the reporting year with the transport of prisoners to external medical appointments.
Substance Misuse
Drug use has spiralled over the last five years and is a major problem in the prison.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Healthcare Centre faced an acute shortage of permanent staff during the initial part of the reporting year, though most problems have since been resolved. The prison experienced a high turnover of staff and a relatively inexperienced officer cohort on houseblocks, but introduced special training for new recruits. Despite these challenges, many dedicated officers demonstrated commitment to prisoner welfare. The key worker programme saw a marked improvement, with 95% of prisoners allocated a key worker by year-end and first sessions typically held within a month, a significant improvement from the previous year.
Healthcare
Healthcare services experienced a challenging transition at the start of the year with a new provider, Practice Plus Group, leading to an acute shortage of permanent staff, especially in mental health. However, by the end of the year, a dedicated and professional team was in place, providing a generally good and comprehensive service. Persistent issues include prisoners missing outpatient appointments, a shortage of in-patient beds in the Healthcare Centre exacerbated by long-term patients, and long delays for transfers to secure mental health hospitals for complex cases.
Regime & Daily Life
The provision of education, skills, and work activities remains woefully inadequate, negatively impacting health, wellbeing, and rehabilitation. While the Board welcomed recent regime relaxations, including offering 60 minutes of daily outdoor exercise to most prisoners, time out of cell still varies greatly, with some basic-regime unemployed prisoners getting only 90 minutes. HSU prisoners face severe restrictions, with limited out-of-cell time, no educational opportunities, and difficulties with private family and legal calls. Efforts to introduce new work and training are slow, and issues with showering after work persist.
Recommendations (14)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 5
Governor / Director: 6
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Will the Minister require the Prison Service to urgently review its procedures for dealing with prisoners’ property, particularly on transfer?
Ministry of Justice
Other
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Very little has changed for prisoners serving an indefinite sentence. The Board would urge the Minister to increase efforts to resolve this issue.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
HMPS has revised its IPP Action Plan (published in April 2023) to ensure all eligible cases are ‘properly considered’, in the hope that IPP prisoners can progress towards ‘a safe and sustainable future release’. A number of prisoners continued to be held in Belmarsh on IPP sentences, in many cases having remained in prison for disproportionate periods in relation to their initial offences. At the time of reporting, there did not appear to be a clear progression pathway, or a realistic possibility of parole.
Recommendation 3
Given the number of sentenced prisoners at Belmarsh, will the Minister provide the resources needed to improve opportunities for rehabilitation and reduce the possibility of reoffending?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Belmarsh received several prisoners with challenging behaviour from other establishments during the reporting year. It is very difficult to manage prisoners who will not adjust to the strict disciplinary regime of a prison such as Belmarsh. While standard prisons may be the best place available to keep these individuals secure, the Board would urge the Prison Service to consider whether different provision is required for such prisoners.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
To repeat the request to the Prison Service in our previous report, will it urgently review the end-to-end process for prisoner property, including looking at the use of technology, the role of the prison escort contractor, how property is recorded, and the prison-to-prison follow up system?
HMPPS
Other
Response
The Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework places an obligation on prisons to transfer property within four weeks. The new vehicle fleet will have additional space for prisoners’ property. The cell clearance process at Belmarsh has been ‘streamlined’ across houseblocks to ensure property is gathered and recorded properly. Designated staff ‘are in place to ensure continuity.
Recommendation 6
We would urge the Prison Service to consider the provision of VP accommodation across the estate.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Prison Service provide the necessary resources to allow significantly more focus on improving opportunities for purposeful activity, with a view to increasing the possibility of rehabilitation and a reduction in reoffending?
HMPPS
Regime
Response
This policy has been established locally. A new activities sequencing policy, which will allow for the development of English and Maths while working in some capacity, is to be trialled on houseblock 2.
Recommendation 8
A number of young offenders were held on remand in Belmarsh and some were new to custody. Whilst their numbers were small, detention in an adult prison can be a traumatising experience and, in some cases, their mental health suffered. The Board would ask the Prison Service to look at whether Belmarsh is a suitable location for these individuals.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor work towards a significant improvement in education and training opportunities for sentenced prisoners, and provide the resources necessary for preparing them for release?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
This is being considered under the Regime Review and will be included in the regime model, which is to be implemented by April 2024.
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Will the Governor improve the regime in HSU to allow more time out of cell, education and other purposeful activity, as well as more access to telephones for family and legal contact?
Governor / Director
Regime
Response
The staff desk is appropriately located for safety and staff are considerate when prisoners use the phone. The phone has got a cover/sides, and from observations, it seems that prisoners choose to sit on a chair and not stand under the cover. All HSU prisoner calls are live monitored.
Recommendation 11
Will the Governor work with the healthcare provider to ensure admission to the hard-pressed in-patient unit is made on a basis of clinical need only?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 12
Will the Governor continue efforts to reduce violence and the flow of illicit items, in particular the rise in drug use in the prison?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 13
Will the Governor work with the various stakeholders in the procurement and preparation of food to improve the nutritional content and quality?
Governor / Director
Food
Recommendation 14
Will the Governor work with the facilities management supplier to improve the time it takes to repair out-of-action cells?
Governor / Director
Estate
Other IMB Reports for Belmarsh
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.