Prison
Cat B, C, D, local, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Norwich
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 2 October 2024
HMP/YOI Norwich, a multi-functional prison, faces significant challenges with dilapidated buildings and high levels of violence and self-harm during the reporting year. While staff show dedication, issues like low prisoner pay, inadequate healthcare access, and a failing key worker system undermine efforts for rehabilitation and humane treatment. The IMB raises repeated concerns about unsuitable detention for mentally unwell prisoners and substandard facilities, particularly the segregation unit.
Positive Findings
The IMB commends the resettlement team's excellent work in preparing prisoners for release and helping them secure accommodation, with the prison exceeding its target for first-night accommodation. Staff are generally committed to maintaining safety, acting professionally towards self-harming prisoners and managing violence effectively. Relationships between staff and prisoners are largely good, and multi-faith pastoral support is strong. The new library and practical workshops are welcomed, offering valuable qualifications and support. Staffing levels are near capacity, improving prisoner interactions.
Key Concerns
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisoners with severe mental health issues or learning difficulties are still being held in custody.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
A realistic minimum rate for prisoners’ pay under Prison Service Order (PSO) 4460 has not been set, leading to extreme financial hardship and poverty.
Segregation
Repeated
The new policy framework relating to prisoners detained in segregation has not been published despite previous commitments.
Estate/Conditions
There has not been a full overhaul of the boilers and heating systems, leading to prisoners being without heating for days in sub-zero temperatures.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The segregation unit is not up to standard and requires improvement and expansion given the expansion of HMP Norwich in 2025.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
There are no adequate local laundry facilities in HMP Norwich, and the external laundry (HMP Whitemoor) is inadequate.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
There are problems with the circulation and comprehension of communications released to prisoners, especially Governor’s notices to prisoners (GNTP).
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
There is a lack of prompt repair/replacement of wing washing machines and driers.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
Prisoners with disabilities and older prisoners do not have the same access to jobs, education and gym, and adjustments are not made to meet their needs.
Safety
Repeated
Concerns remain about ACCT documents and further improvements are needed in the management of the ACCT process and completion of documents by staff.
Other
Repeated
The issue of safeguarding prisoners’ property when they are moved around the prison estate has not improved, with property frequently being lost in transit.
Segregation
Repeated
Prisoners are behaving in such a way so they are held in the segregation unit for longer periods, with the unit now appearing to be a destination of choice for some prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Dilapidated buildings with leaking roofs, broken heating, faulty lighting and washing machine failures have continued to undermine efforts for safety and reform.
Safety
HMP/YOI Norwich has a medium-to-high rate of violence against comparator prisons, with prisoner-on-prisoner assaults being too frequent and gang-related assaults a concern.
Safety
Concerns exist over the safety of housing vulnerable prisoners on landings near non-vulnerable prisoners.
Mental Health
Repeated
Levels of self-harm in the prison population remain high, and the mental health team is overstretched.
Safety
Prisoners continue to report that it takes a long time for staff to respond to cell bells.
Estate/Conditions
Norwich is one of the few prisons without access to safety cells, despite allocated funding being withdrawn.
Equality/Diversity
The language line (The Big Word) is available but not consistently used, leading to foreign national prisoners being confused and uninformed on arrival.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Prisoners are still reporting that they arrive in their cells on the first night to find items missing, or cells dirty and barely habitable.
Safety
Violence in the prison has continued at a high level due to an increased number of gang members involved in county lines drug dealing.
Substance Misuse
Illicit mobile phones, SIM cards and phone chargers continue to be found on a regular basis.
Substance Misuse
Large amounts of drugs remain available within the prison, and Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) has still not been restarted, reducing the ability to prove suspicions.
Food/Catering
Repeated
Serveries on A, B and C wings are still not being monitored appropriately by staff, resulting in the uneven distribution of food.
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisoners with mental health issues continue to be held in the segregation unit due to a lack of other suitable places of safety or delays in sectioning.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The key worker process in HMP/YOI Norwich has not functioned as it should, with low prisoner awareness of key workers and limited contact.
Equality/Diversity
Prisoners with disabilities or those of pensionable age are locked up during the day due to inability to work, which the Board considers inappropriate.
Equality/Diversity
Some prisoners with mobility issues are housed in inappropriate accommodation, making it difficult to access showers and serveries, compounded by non-functioning lifts.
Healthcare
Repeated
The Healthcare Centre remains without a shower accessible to prisoners with disabilities, an issue reported in many previous annual reports and considered a breach of the Equality Act 2010.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Prisoners on remand and those who are unsentenced are still being told to work or face having their incentives status downgraded, which is in breach of PSOs.
Healthcare
Large numbers of healthcare appointments are lost due to the lack of available officers to escort prisoners.
Equality/Diversity
The location of the centralised library on the top floor of the education block prevents those with mobility issues from accessing its facilities easily.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Due to severe budgetary constraints, prison wages were standardised resulting in significant decreases, which has demotivated prisoners and impacted their willingness to work or attend education.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
There is no provision for offending behaviour programmes at HMP/YOI Norwich, particularly for long-term sentenced prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
There are still problems in providing prisoners with PIN numbers for phone calls, particularly impacting new arrivals.
Other
Prisoners are upset by the poor-quality photocopying of their mail, especially children’s drawings, and delays in receiving mail.
Board Commentary
Staffing
While staffing levels are reported to be near capacity, enabling more positive prisoner interactions, the mental health team remains overstretched, leading to key workers being diverted. External appointments are often cancelled due to staff shortages, and new officers receive more criticism than experienced ones. The key worker scheme has not functioned effectively, though a relaunch is planned. The prison also faces recruitment challenges for pharmacy and Phoenix Futures staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare is generally comparable to community provision, but appointments are frequently cancelled due to staff shortages and escort unavailability. The mental health team faces very heavy caseloads, and access to mental health support is challenging for many prisoners. The healthcare centre lacks accessible showers for disabled prisoners, an issue repeatedly raised. Concerns persist regarding the cleanliness of healthcare areas, recruitment of pharmacy staff, and lengthy dental waiting lists.
Regime & Daily Life
The prison has restored a full regime post-COVID-19, but attendance in education and work remains low, partly due to a significant reduction in prisoner pay which has demotivated individuals. Gym sessions are often cancelled as PE staff are diverted, and many prisoners experience short unlock times, limiting socialisation and exercise. Segregated prisoners have minimal purposeful activity, with limited in-cell education, no gym facilities, and only small exercise yards, failing to meet segregation policy aims.
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) | 12 | 14 | |
| Canteen and private cash | 8 | 5 | |
| Clothing and bedding | 9 | 10 | |
| Complaints | 4 | 5 | |
| Drugs | 0 | 0 | |
| Employment and pay | 2 | 4 | |
| Food | 12 | 16 | |
| Healthcare | 16 | 21 | |
| Legal | 3 | 5 | |
| Other | 3 | 6 | |
| Programmes (including offending behaviour) | 0 | 0 | |
| Property | 19 | 13 | |
| Race relations | 0 | 0 | |
| Regime (including showers, visits, PE, time out of cell) | 12 | 14 | |
| Religious | 0 | 0 | |
| Safeguarding (including bullying, vulnerable prisoners, self-harm) | 11 | 24 | |
| Segregation | 2 | 2 | — |
| Staff conduct | 2 | 2 | — |
| Total | 117 | 145 | |
| Transfers to other prisons | 0 | 0 | |
| Violence | 0 | 0 | |
| Welfare | 2 | 2 | — |
Recommendations (12)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 4
Governor / Director: 6
10 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Will the Minister please explain why prisoners with severe mental health issues or learning difficulties are still being held in custody?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Response
The Government response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill was only published in March 2024. In the meantime, the Board continues to encounter inhumane treatment through the imprisonment of men with severe mental health issues and/or learning difficulties, who are housed within the HCC or in segregation for their own safety and the safety of other prisoners and staff. The Board is of the view that these prisoners should never have been sent to HMP Norwich but located in establishments that would properly address their issues.
Recommendation 2
Will the Minister please advise when a realistic minimum rate for prisoners’ pay will be set under Prison Service Order (PSO) 4460, with corresponding increases made to prison budgets? The Board considers the current levels too low and notes that they have not been reviewed for several years.
Ministry of Justice
Regime
Response
Prisoners in HMP Norwich have been faced with wage cuts, on average, of 24% and then faced with large increases in the cost of their canteen. This has led to extreme financial hardship and poverty within the prison.
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
When will the new policy framework relating to prisoners detained in segregation be published?
HMPPS
Segregation
Response
Our concerns were raised in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 reports. The Board was told that the new policy framework was expected to be issued in May 2023, then in December 2023.
Recommendation 4
Will the Prison Service please advise when there will be a full overhaul of the boilers and heating systems in HMP Norwich?
HMPPS
Estate
Response
During the winter, the boilers broke down on several occasions. Despite efforts made by the staff, prisoners were left without heating in their cells for days at a time. As temperatures fell below zero, the Board finds it unacceptable for prisoners to live in these conditions, which involved them wearing two layers of clothing to keep warm at night.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Given the expansion of HMP Norwich in 2025, are there plans to improve and expand the segregation unit? The current unit is not up to standard.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Could the Prison Service please explain why there are no adequate local laundry facilities in HMP Norwich, when the external laundry (HMP Whitemoor) available is inadequate?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
There would still appear to be a problem with the circulation and comprehension of communications released to prisoners, especially Governor’s notices to prisoners (GNTP). Of the prisoners who responded to the IMB’s 2023-2024 questionnaire, only 33% found them easy to access and only 48% understood their content. What steps could be taken to improve the situation?
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What steps will the Governor take to ensure the prompt repair/replacement of wing washing machines and driers?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners with disabilities and those who are older do not have the same access to jobs, education and gym. What adjustments will the Governor make to meet their needs?
Governor / Director
Equality
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board still has concerns about ACCT documents and would like to see further improvements in the management of the ACCT process and completion of documents by staff.
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board has highlighted the issue of safeguarding prisoners’ property when they are moved around the prison estate, but with little change. How does the Governor propose to improve processes so that property does not get lost?
Governor / Director
Other
Recommendation 12
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board has noticed that prisoners are behaving in such a way so they are held in the segregation unit for longer periods of time, refusing to go back onto the wings. The unit now appears to be a destination of choice for some prisoners. What action does the Governor intend to take to stop this happening?
Governor / Director
Segregation
Other IMB Reports for Norwich
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.