IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 88
Assaults: 15
Staff assaults: 2
The reporting period for HMP Ashfield was marked by significant change, including a new contract with Serco and the establishment of a new therapeutic community. While the Board found the prison generally safe, with high prisoner satisfaction in feeling secure, there were increases in self-harm and violence incidents compared to unusually low previous year figures. Key concerns include persistent staffing challenges impacting morale, inadequate social and dementia care for the aging population, and issues with the new split-week regime affecting purposeful activity and pay.
Key concerns identified
- Urgent need for a comprehensive national older prisoner related strategy.
- Inadequate social care, including end-of-life and dementia care, for people convicted of sexual offences.
- Pressure on probation services inside and outside prison, leading to concerns about prisoners being released without appropriate accommodation.
- Lack of progress on providing individual prisons with reoffending rates information, which was suggested last year.
- Category D prisoners being transferred to HMP Ashfield without prior adjudication or opportunity to put their case.
- Need for improvements to simplify and fair the new split work week and related pay structure.
- Low staff morale resulting from the impact of key work reporting, providing escort staff in hospital, and occasional redeployment to other Serco prisons.
- The continued closure of the charity shop due to building work and staff shortages.
- Inadequate social care, including end-of-life and dementia care, for people convicted of sexual offences.
- Pressure on probation services inside and outside prison, leading to concerns about prisoners being released without appropriate accommodation.
- Lack of progress on providing individual prisons with reoffending rates information, which was suggested last year.
- Category D prisoners being transferred to HMP Ashfield without prior adjudication or opportunity to put their case.
- Need for improvements to simplify and fair the new split work week and related pay structure.
- Low staff morale resulting from the impact of key work reporting, providing escort staff in hospital, and occasional redeployment to other Serco prisons.
- The continued closure of the charity shop due to building work and staff shortages.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 69
Assaults: 7
Staff assaults: 0
HMP Ashfield, a Category C training and treatment centre for men convicted of sexual offences, has demonstrated an impressive safety record with significant reductions in self-harm and violence. The prison has managed a period of uncertainty due to contract changes well, ensuring good standards of accommodation, healthcare, and key working, which has been externally recognised as an exemplar. However, challenges remain, including delays in ministerial decisions on transfers, difficulties in securing resettlement places, and prisoner dissatisfaction with movement restrictions, which are perceived to make Ashfield feel more like a Category B prison.
Key concerns identified
- Delays in Secretary of State decisions for open conditions transfers for life-sentenced and IPP prisoners.
- Lack of suitable accommodation for a small number of prisoners on release.
- Prisons not routinely informed of reoffending data post-release.
- Limited number of resettlement prisons accepting people convicted of sexual offences.
- Lack of systematic monitoring and quality assurance for incentives policy application and consistency in awarding positive comments.
- Need for review of movement restrictions and clear communication of rationale.
- Assurances needed for adequate resourcing and staffing of the equality and diversity department under the new contract.
- Lack of suitable accommodation for a small number of prisoners on release.
- Prisons not routinely informed of reoffending data post-release.
- Limited number of resettlement prisons accepting people convicted of sexual offences.
- Lack of systematic monitoring and quality assurance for incentives policy application and consistency in awarding positive comments.
- Need for review of movement restrictions and clear communication of rationale.
- Assurances needed for adequate resourcing and staffing of the equality and diversity department under the new contract.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 159
Assaults: 24
Staff assaults: 6
HMP Ashfield, a Category C training prison for sex offenders, maintained a largely safe and secure environment with low violence and drug incidents, and an improved healthcare staffing situation during the reporting year. The Board observed positive staff-prisoner relationships and robust keywork. However, key concerns persist regarding lengthy delays in ministerial decisions on parole for IPP prisoners, the recurring problem of prisoner property loss during transfers, and the inability of the prison to provide accurate accounts for the Prisoner Trust Fund. The Board also noted that recent changes to prisoner movements have caused dismay, making the prison feel more restrictive.
Key concerns identified
- Lengthy delays in Minister's decision-making for parole board recommendations for IPP/life-sentenced prisoners.
- Persistent issue of prisoner property loss during inter-prison transfers, despite numerous assurances.
- Lack of plans for specialist custodial centres for elderly prisoners with dementia or terminal illness.
- Inability to produce accurate income and expenditure accounts for the Prisoner Trust Fund (PTF) for several years, despite repeated requests.
- Local Incentives Policy implementation is perceived as disciplinary rather than incentivising and lacks consistent application.
- Recent tightening of prisoner movements makes the prison feel more like a Category B, causing dismay among long-stay prisoners.
- Ongoing problems with unhygienic in-cell wash basins and some showers.
- Long waiting list for optician services and lack of an in-patient care facility for seriously ill prisoners.
- Concerns about the number of cancelled education and training sessions.
- Lack of practical support for the Equalities PCO and insufficient analysis of diversity and equality data.
- Persistent issue of prisoner property loss during inter-prison transfers, despite numerous assurances.
- Lack of plans for specialist custodial centres for elderly prisoners with dementia or terminal illness.
- Inability to produce accurate income and expenditure accounts for the Prisoner Trust Fund (PTF) for several years, despite repeated requests.
- Local Incentives Policy implementation is perceived as disciplinary rather than incentivising and lacks consistent application.
- Recent tightening of prisoner movements makes the prison feel more like a Category B, causing dismay among long-stay prisoners.
- Ongoing problems with unhygienic in-cell wash basins and some showers.
- Long waiting list for optician services and lack of an in-patient care facility for seriously ill prisoners.
- Concerns about the number of cancelled education and training sessions.
- Lack of practical support for the Equalities PCO and insufficient analysis of diversity and equality data.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 157
Assaults: 15
Staff assaults: 3
HMP Ashfield, a Category C training prison for convicted male sex offenders, maintained a safe environment despite increased self-harm (157 incidents) and violence (15 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults). The prison returned to a normal regime in March 2022 following Covid-19 restrictions. Key concerns include staff shortages in healthcare, ongoing issues with last-minute accommodation for released prisoners, and continued perceptions of discrimination among BAME prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The continuing problem of last minute securing of approved premises accommodation shows no signs of abating.
- National shortage of nursing staff and mental health resources, posing a risk to Ashfield's health service.
- Frequent disruption to transfers due to late cancellations and delays by the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS).
- Continuing perceptions of discrimination among Black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners, despite statistical evidence to the contrary.
- Lack of plans to extend library services beyond the core function.
- Routine information about the Prisoner Trust Fund (PTF) balances and expenditure has not been available to the Board.
- National shortage of nursing staff and mental health resources, posing a risk to Ashfield's health service.
- Frequent disruption to transfers due to late cancellations and delays by the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS).
- Continuing perceptions of discrimination among Black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners, despite statistical evidence to the contrary.
- Lack of plans to extend library services beyond the core function.
- Routine information about the Prisoner Trust Fund (PTF) balances and expenditure has not been available to the Board.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 67
Assaults: 13
Staff assaults: 3
HMP Ashfield is judged to be a well-managed Category C prison for sex offenders, maintaining high standards and humane treatment despite significant COVID-19 challenges. The prison effectively managed the pandemic, achieving low infection rates and progressively easing restrictions to maximize purposeful activity. Key concerns include persistent difficulties in securing suitable accommodation for released prisoners, a severe reduction in offending behaviour programme places, and issues with mental health support and equality and diversity monitoring.
Key concerns identified
- Difficulties in securing appropriate and timely accommodation for prisoners released, especially for those convicted of sexual offences.
- Severe reduction in Offending Behaviour Programme (OBP) places due to COVID-19, causing anxiety and potential parole delays for prisoners.
- Concerns about the planned reduction of Category D places at HMP Leyhill and the limited geographical availability of other open prisons for sex offenders.
- The prison does not routinely collect ethnicity data for behaviour warnings, hindering investigation into perceived disproportionality for BAME prisoners.
- Ineffective Diversity and Equality Action Team (DEAT) meetings due to untimely scheduling and insubstantial minutes.
- Lack of access to neurodiverse specialists, impacting support for prisoners with conditions like ADHD, Asperger's, and autism.
- Significant decline in prisoner satisfaction with catering quality and portion sizes since the change of supplier.
- Severe reduction in Offending Behaviour Programme (OBP) places due to COVID-19, causing anxiety and potential parole delays for prisoners.
- Concerns about the planned reduction of Category D places at HMP Leyhill and the limited geographical availability of other open prisons for sex offenders.
- The prison does not routinely collect ethnicity data for behaviour warnings, hindering investigation into perceived disproportionality for BAME prisoners.
- Ineffective Diversity and Equality Action Team (DEAT) meetings due to untimely scheduling and insubstantial minutes.
- Lack of access to neurodiverse specialists, impacting support for prisoners with conditions like ADHD, Asperger's, and autism.
- Significant decline in prisoner satisfaction with catering quality and portion sizes since the change of supplier.
Ashfield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 68
Assaults: 4
Staff assaults: 0
HMP Ashfield continues to be a well-run Category C prison for men serving sentences for sexual offences, known for its safe environment and humane treatment. Despite the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily regime and programme delivery, staff were highly commended for their support and resilience. Key concerns include the persistent lack of suitable accommodation for release, issues with property management from other establishments, and the growing backlog for intervention programmes due to COVID-19 restrictions, which could hinder prisoner progression and parole.
Key concerns identified
- Prisoners’ progression to resettlement, particularly the lack of suitable accommodation, including approved premises.
- Adverse impact on prisoners' wellbeing if HMPPS COVID-19 restrictions continue for a prolonged period.
- Significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the delivery of intervention programmes, potentially affecting parole and release.
- Missing property in former establishments continues to be a top cause for complaint.
- Incomplete or inappropriate contact arrangements for prisoners transferring in, which has worsened.
- Progression wing plans not advancing sufficiently.
- Lack of diabetic items available from the prison shop.
- Irregular attendance of nominated senior managers at equality and diversity forums.
- Reduction in frequency and lack of in-depth analysis at diversity and equality action team meetings.
- Limited workshops (e.g., on approved premises, open prisons) compared to previous years.
- Adverse impact on prisoners' wellbeing if HMPPS COVID-19 restrictions continue for a prolonged period.
- Significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the delivery of intervention programmes, potentially affecting parole and release.
- Missing property in former establishments continues to be a top cause for complaint.
- Incomplete or inappropriate contact arrangements for prisoners transferring in, which has worsened.
- Progression wing plans not advancing sufficiently.
- Lack of diabetic items available from the prison shop.
- Irregular attendance of nominated senior managers at equality and diversity forums.
- Reduction in frequency and lack of in-depth analysis at diversity and equality action team meetings.
- Limited workshops (e.g., on approved premises, open prisons) compared to previous years.