Prison
Cat B
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Rye Hill
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 13 September 2024
HMP Rye Hill is a privately run Category B training prison for men convicted of sexual offences, currently transitioning to become an all-Category C facility, holding 662 prisoners against an operational capacity of 625. The report highlights improvements in education and employment, good staff-prisoner relationships, and a new neurodiversity team, but raises significant concerns about the systemic injustice of IPP sentences, protracted compassionate release processes, and persistent issues with property transfers and inter-prison moves.
Positive Findings
The induction process continues to run well, and violent incidents remain low, with illicit item finds also decreasing. Staff and prisoner relationships are strong, supported by an active prison council and effective key worker schemes. Healthcare provision is similar to last year with improved waiting times for most clinics, and a new neurodiversity team is in place. Employment levels are high, and education attendance and successful course completions have improved, complemented by various enrichment activities and a successful 'Making Sense of a Long Sentence' programme.
Key Concerns
Other
Repeated
The Board remains concerned that there is no centrally directed, long-term solution to the injustice of the IPP (imprisoned for public protection) sentence and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of affected prisoners. The IMB has raised this for a number of years, but since the rejection of the Justice Select Committee’s recommendations, there does not seem to have been any alternatives put forward. We acknowledge the work HMP Rye Hill has done internally to support these prisoners, but as many have complex needs, additional budget and central support for individual progression plans may be the only way these prisoners stand any chance of release.
Healthcare
Repeated
The Board is still concerned that the process remains unnecessarily difficult, particularly as it requires a GP’s diagnosis of terminal illness to be confirmed by a hospital consultant. The long waiting times to see an NHS consultant add unnecessary delays, which can be the difference between a prisoner dying while still in prison or in a setting of their choice.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
The Board remains concerned that prisoner-requested transfers within the estate have remained all but impossible, meaning that many prisoners remain held a long distance from their family and friends. While acknowledging that the over-population issue is partly to blame, there does not seem to be any active consideration of family ties when decisions are made on where prisoners are located, which can have a serious impact on their mental wellbeing.
Other
Repeated
The Board is disappointed that the problem continues of prisoner property not being sent when transferring into HMP Rye Hill.
Estate/Conditions
There remains some concern about the accelerated time frame for the opening of the new building and subsequent migration to an all-category C establishment.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The key worker process is well embedded, with sessions mostly meeting targets, though temporary staff secondments to other G4S prisons occasionally caused shortfalls. The healthcare department experienced a leadership change and administrative difficulties, making information retrieval challenging, but recruitment for support staff is underway. The offender management unit restructured into 'pods' to improve continuity for prisoners, which is hoped to improve service delivery.
Healthcare
The transition to the new healthcare provider, Practice Plus Group (PPG), is complete, but the head of healthcare has recently left. While clinical care provision is similar to last year with improved waiting times for most clinics, administrative information from healthcare has become difficult to obtain, leading to lengthy response times for prisoner requests. Demand for hospital outpatient appointments remains high, often exceeding escort availability, which is the most common healthcare-related IMB application. A neurodiversity team is now in place, providing support for prisoners with ADHD, autism, or learning difficulties, and mental health caseloads average 65 prisoners with quick assessment waiting times.
Regime & Daily Life
Time out of cell has not returned to pre-COVID levels, but all prisoners are unlocked for work/activities during the day. All receive structured association time in evenings and weekends, with access to off-unit activities. The current regime, which does not involve all prisoners being unlocked together for unstructured activity, is preferred by older and frailer prisoners as it creates less crowded units.
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 | 13 | 3 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 2 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 18 | 7 | |
| Equality | 1 | 6 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 3 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 1 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 33 | 22 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 7 | 9 | |
| Miscellaneous | 5 | 4 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 14 | 8 | |
| Property within the establishment | 10 | 7 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 14 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary parole), parole, release dates, recategorisation | 8 | 8 | — |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 27 | 23 | |
| Transfers | 8 | 4 |
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board remains concerned that there is no centrally directed, long-term solution to the injustice of the IPP (imprisoned for public protection) sentence and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of affected prisoners. The IMB has raised this for a number of years, but since the rejection of the Justice Select Committee’s recommendations, there does not seem to have been any alternatives put forward. We acknowledge the work HMP Rye Hill has done internally to support these prisoners, but as many have complex needs, additional budget and central support for individual progression plans may be the only way these prisoners stand any chance of release. When and how will the Minister address this serious injustice?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
The board is aware of the Prison Service IPP reviews and announcements at the end of the reporting period and also the new initiatives that Rye Hill is putting in place to support this cohort. However, we are still concerned that they will make little material difference to those with complex needs without dedicated budget provision. The issue of IPP progression has been repeated raised in annual reports and the recent decision to not accept the review recommendations has increased the anxiety for these prisoners.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board was pleased that one terminally ill prisoner was given compassionate release during the reporting period. However, the Board is still concerned that the process remains unnecessarily difficult, particularly as it requires a GP’s diagnosis of terminal illness to be confirmed by a hospital consultant. The long waiting times to see an NHS consultant add unnecessary delays, which can be the difference between a prisoner dying while still in prison or in a setting of their choice.
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 3
Repeated
The Board remains concerned that prisoner-requested transfers within the estate have remained all but impossible, meaning that many prisoners remain held a long distance from their family and friends. While acknowledging that the over-population issue is partly to blame, there does not seem to be any active consideration of family ties when decisions are made on where prisoners are located, which can have a serious impact on their mental wellbeing.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
The Board is disappointed that the problem continues of prisoner property not being sent when transferring into HMP Rye Hill. With the requirement to send the old property card (an official record of a prisoner’s personal items) with the prisoner now established, could the admissions’ process include a check against the old card while the new card is created? This would highlight missing items, which could be immediately reported to sending prison.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 5
The Board has no areas for development it wishes to highlight within the reporting period. However, there remains some concern about the accelerated time frame for the opening of the new building and subsequent migration to an all-category C establishment. Monitoring in the coming reporting period will focus on the allocation of prisoners to the new accommodation blocks, as well as on the support provided to the more complex category B prisoners to help them progress before it becomes necessary for them to move to a new establishment, which may disrupt their progression.
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. addressed
The Board is concerned about the number of older prisoners who have complained to the IMB about being required to retake English and maths Level 1 qualifications to obtain a particular work role, because they have no way to prove their qualification/s. We would like to see a balanced approach taken when prisoners are clearly proficient in the skills even when formal certificates cannot be produced.
Governor / Director
Education
Response
There have been no further applications to IMB concerning this issue and there now seems to be a more pragmatic approach where prisoners can sit the relevant test without having to attend the course so they then have a formal record of their achievement level.
Other IMB Reports for Rye Hill
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
20 Aug 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 4
Activity: 3
Release: 4
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.