Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
High Down
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 11 July 2024
HMP High Down, a Category C training and resettlement prison, experienced significant increases in assaults and illicit item finds during 2023, raising serious safety concerns. Staffing shortages in key work and the Offender Management Unit severely impacted regime delivery and prisoner progression. While improvements were noted in mental health transfer times and family contact, persistent issues with property loss, poor shower conditions, and limited purposeful activity for prisoners, particularly vulnerable ones, remained key challenges.
Positive Findings
The Board noted several positive developments including a reduction in healthcare concerns and improvements in mental health transfer times. There were also positive changes in family contact provision, such as coffee mornings for prisoners with no social visits. The prison's central kitchen was well-run, and efforts to reduce self-harm and address discrimination in incentives schemes were commended. The Board welcomed the planned PIPE unit and the employment of a neurodiversity support manager.
Key Concerns
Safety
There was a significant increase in assaults - prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff - and a less significant increase in self-harm.
Substance Misuse
There was a huge increase in finds of illicit items, especially drugs and mobile phones. It is impossible to know how much was not found, but ingress of illicit items is a major concern.
Segregation
Repeated
Prisoners are still being held in CSRU, despite failing the medical algorithm to say that they are fit for segregation conditions. There was an increase in the number of prisoners held in CSRU for over 42 days and in the use of special accommodation.
Staffing
Repeated
There was a lack of key work and too few key workers, with key work being the first activity cancelled due to staff shortages.
Other
Repeated
Property remained a significant issue, particularly property being lost during transfer between prisons.
Estate/Conditions
The old showers have still not been refurbished and the condition of the newly refurbished showers is deteriorating due to a lack of ventilation.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Accessibility for prisoners with mobility issues is a concern, particularly as houseblock lifts remain out of order, impacting access to healthcare and exercise.
Staffing
The lack of prison probation workers in the Offender Management Unit (OMU) resulted in enormous workloads for those in post, hindering prisoner progression.
Education/Purposeful Activity
The Board remains concerned about the poor attendance rates for education classes.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
There are not enough education and employment places for each prisoner, with very few opportunities for vulnerable prisoners (VPs).
Overcrowding
Due to overcrowding in the prison estate, prisoners are being transferred into Category C conditions before they are able to comply with the regime, threatening prison stability and increasing violence.
Food/Catering
The houseblock servery areas are generally not clean, and the lack of portion control leads to wide disparities in how much prisoners get to eat.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages significantly impacted various areas, especially key work delivery, which was frequently cancelled. The Offender Management Unit faced severe understaffing with only three of 10.8 probation officer posts filled, leading to enormous caseloads exacerbated by recruitment directives prioritising community roles. Cross-deployment of staff and issues with tutor recruitment also affected regime and education provision.
Healthcare
Healthcare saw a reduction in overall concerns and IMB applications, but dental waiting times remain a significant concern, with some prisoners waiting months. While mental health transfer times improved to an average of 31.5 days, this is still beyond the 28-day target, and one prisoner waited 93 days. The planned specialist personality disorder unit is still under development, and the mental health team does not manage prisoners with behavioural problems.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime at HMP High Down falls short of expected Category C standards, with a lack of purposeful activity being a persistent challenge. Late arrival of prisoner transfers and staff cross-deployment frequently disrupted the daily routine, leading to cancelled key work sessions and evening associations. Many full-time workers reported not accessing the regime upon returning to their houseblocks, and a quarter of prisoners were observed locked in cells during working hours.
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) | 308 | 247 | |
| Canteen | 12 | 29 | |
| Discipline | 77 | 50 | |
| Discrimination | 20 | 11 | |
| Education | 49 | 33 | |
| Family contact | 47 | 58 | |
| Food | 30 | 30 | — |
| Healthcare | 104 | 147 | |
| Legal | 5 | 4 | |
| Money | 6 | 8 | |
| Other | 115 | 94 | |
| Property | 236 | 138 | |
| Purposeful activity | 44 | 35 | |
| Regime | 21 | 17 | |
| Release | 11 | 11 | — |
| Safety | 17 | 14 | |
| Segregation | 67 | 56 | |
| Staff | 100 | 106 | |
| Total | 1,333 | 1,133 | |
| Transfers (internal) | 3 | 1 | |
| Visits | 41 | 37 | |
| Welfare | 21 | 21 | — |
| Work | 8 | 10 |
Recommendations (12)
Other: 3
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 6
5 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Prisoners are still being held in CSRU, despite failing the medical algorithm to say that they are fit for segregation conditions. What does the Minister intend to do about this ongoing problem?
Other
(minister)
Segregation
Recommendation 2
Due to overcrowding in the prison estate, prisoners are being transferred into category C conditions before they are able to comply with the regime. This threatens the stability of the prison and leads to an increase in violence. It also puts enormous pressure on the CSRU. What steps does the Minister intend to take to prevent this from happening?
Other
(minister)
Overcrowding
Recommendation 3
The lack of prison probation workers in OMU resulted in enormous workloads for remaining probation staff. Recruitment directives, prioritising community probation workers, makes recruitment more difficult. What does the Minister intend to do about the probation staffing issues within prisons?
Other
(minister)
Staffing
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Despite the implementation of the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework, loss of property, particularly during transfer between prisons, continues to be a problem. What can the Prison Service do to tackle this issue?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 5
The unrefurbished showers at HMP High Down are in an unacceptable state, but the Board has been told there is insufficient funding for them to be upgraded. What does the Prison Service intend to do to improve the showers?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 6
The number of illicit items coming into HMP High Down is a major concern. What steps can the Prison Service take to ensure the prison is supported in tackling this issue?
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 7
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the prison put measures in place to deliver key work more regularly and ensure there are enough key workers for every prisoner?
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 8
How does the prison intend to tackle low attendance rates for education?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 9
How can the prison ensure that all prisoners have access to regime, including full-time workers who do not get back to the houseblock until late in the afternoon?
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 10
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Can the prison improve the provision of work and education for VPs?
Governor / Director
Education
Recommendation 11
Repeated
What can the prison do to improve accessibility for prisoners with mobility issues so they are able to access healthcare and exercise?
Governor / Director
Estate
Recommendation 12
What steps can be taken to improve cleanliness in the houseblock serveries and improve portion control to ensure all prisoners receive enough food?
Governor / Director
Food
Other IMB Reports for High Down
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
31 Jul 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 2
Respect: 3
Activity: 1
Release: 2
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.