Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Wealstun
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 20 September 2024
HMP Wealstun, a Category C training and resettlement prison, experienced significant population pressures and increased prisoner churn during the reporting year. While some areas like healthcare access and catering showed improvements, the Board raised serious concerns regarding the persistently high levels of self-harm and violence attributed to illicit materials, the poor condition of older wings, and the restrictive regime offering limited time out of cell and part-time work. The report highlights an urgent need for increased funding for staffing, purposeful activity, and addressing systemic issues related to prisoner welfare and rehabilitation.
Positive Findings
The Board found many positive aspects at HMP Wealstun, including good interventions by staff with vulnerable prisoners and positive staff-prisoner relationships, especially within the segregation unit. Healthcare provision showed improvements with quicker appointments for GPs and dentists, and the opening of a second medication-dispensing hatch. The catering team was highly praised for the quality and variety of food, supported by the in-house bakery and fresh produce. The new K wing accommodation was well-received by both staff and prisoners, offering a more relaxed regime.
Key Concerns
Overcrowding
The significant increase in prison capacity and high number of receptions (up 21%) due to population pressures has impacted reception and induction processes.
Safety
The level of self-harm remains quite high, with incidents tending to be by prolific self-harmers.
Substance Misuse
Despite increased security, illicit materials, such as drugs and mobile phones, continue to enter the establishment, leading to increased debt, bullying, and violence between prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The condition of the older A and B wings, built in the 1960s, remains a concern as they need significant remedial action or replacement, and do not provide a humane environment for prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The regime offers mainly part-time work and continues to provide only a limited amount of time out of cell, especially at weekends, negatively impacting prisoner progression and rehabilitation.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Repeated
The lack of education and training places available, coupled with prisoners generally working only on a part-time basis, negatively impacts their rehabilitation prospects.
Staffing
The number of key worker sessions remains very low, indicating insufficient funding for staff when the OMiC system was introduced.
Resettlement/Release
The increased churn of prisoners and the transfer of a significant number of prisoners with limited time to serve place considerable pressure on the Offender Management Unit and hinder preparation for successful resettlement.
Mental Health
Repeated
Prisons are being used to house severely mentally ill people whilst they await a place in a suitable institution, which the Board considers inhumane.
Other
Repeated
The Board remains concerned about the inhumane treatment of prisoners imprisoned for public protection (IPP) across the prison estate.
Other
Budgets for prisons do not include sufficient funding to meet the additional costs caused by the increase in prison population, early release scheme, and considerable churn of prisoners.
Overcrowding
Repeated
Housing two prisoners in double cells is inconsistent with the obligation to provide high standards of decency for prisoners, particularly in respect of toilet facilities.
Staffing
There is insufficient funding for staff in all functional areas, not just additional officers, when populations are increased, impacting departments like OMU, resettlement, workshops, education, and healthcare.
Equality/Diversity
The change of responsibilities for equality and diversity to the safer custody team may impact on the importance of this area of work.
Board Commentary
Staffing
While some healthcare areas like primary care are fully staffed, pharmacy still carries vacancies, necessitating agency staff. The increase in prison population and high churn rate place significant strain on reception, OMU, and other functional areas, impacting staff's ability to engage in constructive work and deliver key worker sessions effectively. The Board notes that officers are still being sent on detached duty, contributing to staffing issues and impacting regimes. There's a concern that funding increases mainly focus on officer numbers, neglecting other vital departments.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Practice Plus Group and various subcontractors, have seen improvements, particularly in dental waiting times and the installation of a second medication-dispensing hatch, easing access and staff pressure. While primary care and mental health teams are largely fully staffed, pharmacy still contends with vacancies, necessitating agency cover. The Board notes that, despite these improvements, an increase in prison population will likely require further investment in healthcare staffing.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime at HMP Wealstun remains a significant concern, with prisoners, particularly those not in work or education, experiencing limited time out of cell, especially at weekends. Most prisoners are only offered part-time work, and despite efforts, there has been little progress in increasing full-time work or education opportunities due to funding limitations. The lack of flexibility in the regime means prisoners can lose association time due to appointments, further restricting their time out of cell.
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) | 45 | 38 | |
| Discipline/Adjudication | 2 | 2 | — |
| Drugs/Alcohol | 1 | 1 | — |
| Family contact | 2 | 1 | |
| Food/Kitchen | 8 | 12 | |
| Healthcare | 21 | 26 | |
| IPP | 1 | 0 | |
| Other | 14 | 9 | |
| Property | 41 | 43 | |
| Race/Religion | 3 | 1 | |
| Release/Resettlement | 1 | 1 | — |
| Segregation | 4 | 4 | — |
| Staff care/attitude | 15 | 13 | |
| Visits | 23 | 18 | |
| Work/Pay | 5 | 7 |
Recommendations (12)
Ministry of Justice: 3
HMPPS: 5
Governor / Director: 4
6 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
As referenced in our previous report, what steps will the Minister take to ensure that prison is not used to house severely mentally ill people whilst they await a place in a suitable institution?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 2
When will the Minister end the inhumane treatment of prisoners imprisoned for public protection (IPP) across the prison estate and release all remaining IPP prisoners with no conditions?
Ministry of Justice
Other
Recommendation 3
How will the Minister ensure that budgets for prisons include sufficient funding to meet the additional costs caused by the increase in prison population, early release scheme and considerable churn of prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
Other
Recommendation 4
Repeated
As referenced in our last report, what is the prison service doing to ensure that two prisoners are not housed in double cells, as this is inconsistent with the obligation to provide high standards of decency for prisoners, particularly in respect of toilet facilities?
HMPPS
Overcrowding
Recommendation 5
Repeated
As referenced in our last report, when is it planned to consider a complete refurbishment or replacement of the older wings (A and B wings)? It is increasingly apparent that this accommodation, built in the 1960s, needs significant remedial action for a number of reasons and is not a humane environment for prisoners.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
How will the prison service ensure that prisons receive appropriate funding for staff in all functional areas and not just additional officers when populations are increased? This includes OMU, the business hub, resettlement, workshops, education and the healthcare department.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 7
How will the prison service ensure that prisons receive appropriate funding to cover the considerable amount of extra work caused by the increased churn (reception, OMU, finance, resettlement) so that prisoners are able to access everything they require throughout their sentence?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 8
How will the prison service ensure that additional funding is made available as the population increases to cover any additional costs such as prisoner wages, clothing and workshops.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How will the Governor ensure that information in an ACCT file only includes paperwork for one week whilst archiving and storing the remainder, as stated in the response to the 2022-2023 annual report (see ‘response to the last report’, below)?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How is the Governor planning to increase time out of cell for prisoners by increasing the regime and providing more work and education opportunities, as this would help with their progression?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 11
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
How is the Governor planning to increase workshop and education capacity so that prisoners are able to work full time, with multiple benefits including wellbeing, in addition to more money for canteen (where prisoners can buy snacks, drinks, toiletries, etc)?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 12
How is the Governor planning to ensure that the change of responsibilities for equality and diversity to the safer custody team does not impact on the importance of this area of work?
Governor / Director
Equality
Other IMB Reports for Wealstun
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.