Prison
Cat C resettlement
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Humber
IMB Annual Report 2023 · Published 5 July 2024
HMP Humber, a Category C resettlement prison, experienced significant prisoner 'churn' in 2023. While safety remains generally good and offender management is a strength, the Board raised serious concerns about overcrowding, with 30% of prisoners sharing single cells. Delays in mental health transfers and insufficient purposeful activity also posed challenges. The IMB noted issues with property loss and the need to improve the key worker scheme, despite positive work in reception and reducing OASys backlogs.
Positive Findings
The Board found HMP Humber to generally be a safe place, with safety and offender management highlighted as strengths, and commends staff for their efforts. They welcomed the reduction in OASys backlog, the positive impact of the 'ready for release' wing, and collaborative healthcare working with HMP Hull. Reception processes were well-managed, and the body scanner proved invaluable. Outdoor activities and varied gym programs, including a successful football club partnership and Duke of Edinburgh's awards, were maintained and contributed to wellbeing. Staff in the segregation unit were noted for their professionalism and support.
Key Concerns
Healthcare
Patients with long-term conditions did not always receive the care and treatment they needed.
Education/Purposeful Activity
There were not enough education, skills or work places to meet the needs of a quarter of the prison population.
Resettlement/Release
Too many prisoners were released to no fixed abode or to unsustainable accommodation.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Attendance was low in education, skills and work, particularly in prison industries.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Too few prisoners gained qualifications in mathematics, particularly at Level 1.
Education/Purposeful Activity
In too many of the prison industry workshops, tasks lacked challenge and did not need prisoners to develop new technical skills or knowledge.
Safety
The prison was not doing enough to tackle the behaviour of perpetrators of violence.
Safety
Violence and self-harm were often related to prisoners being in debt to others.
Safety
Body-worn video cameras were not activated early enough to capture incidents in full.
Healthcare
Some areas of medicines management were weak.
Healthcare
Some clinical areas did not meet infection-control standards, creating unnecessary risk.
Equality/Diversity
There were gaps in the provision for prisoners with disabilities.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The substantial increase in turnover, or ‘churn’, of prisoners arriving and leaving the prison, and the significant increase in prisoners arriving with a short time to serve.
Overcrowding
Repeated
30% of prisoners at HMP Humber share cells that were designed for single use. Rather than an improvement, this represents an increase on the figures for the previous reporting year.
Other
Repeated
Complaints about prisoners’ property form the majority of applications received by the Board. We have previously reported on the proactive approach taken at the establishment, but despite the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework, the overall position does not appear to have improved.
Mental Health
Repeated
The length of time taken to transfer prisoners from the establishment who have been diagnosed with a serious mental health issue or have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act to a secure hospital.
Staffing
Repeated
The key worker scheme will return to the quality and effectiveness we identified prior to the Covid pandemic.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The IMB itself is severely understaffed, operating with only 6 out of a recommended 16 members. Within the prison, staff and prisoner relationships are constructive but sometimes restricted by staffing issues, including 84 new staff and 67 leavers (26 resignations). Staff vacancies, restricted duties, and long-term sick leave continue to impact the delivery of key worker sessions. While general healthcare staffing has improved and the kitchen is fully staffed, the mental health team faces ongoing recruitment challenges and a high reliance on agency staff.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are primarily provided by Spectrum, with CGL for substance misuse, TEWV for mental health, and Time for Teeth for dental. General healthcare staffing has improved, reducing agency reliance, and previous complaint backlogs have been cleared. While clinics are appropriate and waiting times reasonable, the mental health team struggles with recruitment and agency staff, leading to longer waits for non-urgent assessments and limited services for less serious conditions. Significant concerns persist regarding the lengthy delays in transferring prisoners with serious mental health issues to secure hospitals, and issues exist with healthcare accommodation, particularly the lack of privacy and potentially threatening atmosphere at the medicine hatch.
Regime & Daily Life
The change to a Category C resettlement prison has significantly increased prisoner 'churn', impacting the overall regime and processes. Overcrowding remains a serious concern, with 30% of prisoners sharing cells designed for single occupancy, an increase from the previous year, leading to cramped conditions and lack of privacy. While outdoor activities and varied gym programs are maintained, and a buddy scheme for vulnerable prisoners is positive, there are not enough education, skills, or work places for the population, and attendance is low. The high turnover of short-stay prisoners makes it difficult for men to engage in meaningful training and obtain qualifications.
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 | |
| Drugs & alcohol | 1 | 3 | |
| Education, training & work | 10 | 18 | |
| Finance & legal | 32 | 30 | |
| Food | 10 | 12 | |
| Healthcare | 22 | 51 | |
| Other | 36 | 30 | |
| Property | 196 | 132 | |
| Security (including segregation) | 5 | 8 | |
| Staff conduct | 8 | 12 | |
| TOTAL | 381 | 355 | |
| Visits (including social & legal) | 16 | 21 |
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
The Board would like to ask the Minister when sufficient resources will be made available to the establishment to ensure this work can continue and be developed.
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board repeats this view: that forcing men to share cell accommodation designed for single occupancy and which contains toilet and washing facilities with little or no privacy is neither decent nor fair. The requirement to insist on such use reflects poorly on HMPPS.
HMPPS
Overcrowding
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board would ask HMPPS do more to improve the situation and acknowledge the importance of their property to prisoners who have been deprived of their liberty.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board would commend staff for the care they have given in cases during the reporting year, but feel it is an unreasonable demand on them and would ask the Prison Service to take all necessary steps to ensure such transfers are expedited.
HMPPS
Mental Health
Recommendation 5
The Board acknowledges the 12 key concerns identified by HMIP in its recent report and agrees they should be progressed during the coming reporting year, subject to the necessary resources being available. The Board will endeavour to structure its monitoring to reflect these concerns and the progress made in addressing them.
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board, in particular, hopes that the key worker scheme will return to the quality and effectiveness we identified prior to the Covid pandemic. The Board acknowledges the difficulties caused by the regular turnover of prisoners but firmly believes an effective key worker programme is vital for a safe and effective establishment.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Other IMB Reports for Humber
2022
Published 23 Jun 2023
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
27 Nov 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.