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.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 90
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison, has a population of 460 men. The Board noted significant improvements in healthcare and positive engagement in DARS and family visits, alongside strong staff dedication. However, chronic staff shortages severely impact the regime, leading to frequent lockdowns and cancelled activities. Key concerns include an ineffective maintenance contract, persistent property issues during transfers, and the detrimental impact of the birthday parcel policy. The Board also highlighted tired accommodation, hygiene issues, and a high number of self-harm incidents.
Key concerns identified
- The maintenance contract with Amey is viewed as expensive and ineffective, hampering necessary repairs such as TV signal updates, laundry facilities, and toilets.
- Significant problems with property during transfers, including bags failing to arrive with men and valuables not being sent.
- Increasing numbers of long-term residents are being transferred out of Buckley Hall against their will, disrupting family ties and progression.
- The policy prohibiting birthday parcels sent by family members is detrimental to men without sufficient funds to purchase items from the catalogue.
- There is an ongoing delay in introducing the promised 'handyman scheme'.
- Incidents of self-harm are high, with 81 reported in the final quarter of the reporting year.
- Accommodation and facilities are tired, with poor quality repairs, frequent shower outages, and an inconsistent television signal.
- Overcrowding is an issue, with cells being small for two people, leading to men being sent to CSU for refusing to share.
- Persistent hygiene concerns in the serveries, where food is often left uncovered overnight.
- Rats are a significant problem, exacerbated by rubbish bags left in unsecured cabinets outside wings.
- Cooking equipment on most landings is unhygienic and unsafe, and a dedicated wing kitchen proposal is stalled due to population pressures.
- The waste compactor has been out of use for much of 2025, leading to expensive and insufficient skip usage.
- Significant problems with property during transfers, including bags failing to arrive with men and valuables not being sent.
- Increasing numbers of long-term residents are being transferred out of Buckley Hall against their will, disrupting family ties and progression.
- The policy prohibiting birthday parcels sent by family members is detrimental to men without sufficient funds to purchase items from the catalogue.
- There is an ongoing delay in introducing the promised 'handyman scheme'.
- Incidents of self-harm are high, with 81 reported in the final quarter of the reporting year.
- Accommodation and facilities are tired, with poor quality repairs, frequent shower outages, and an inconsistent television signal.
- Overcrowding is an issue, with cells being small for two people, leading to men being sent to CSU for refusing to share.
- Persistent hygiene concerns in the serveries, where food is often left uncovered overnight.
- Rats are a significant problem, exacerbated by rubbish bags left in unsecured cabinets outside wings.
- Cooking equipment on most landings is unhygienic and unsafe, and a dedicated wing kitchen proposal is stalled due to population pressures.
- The waste compactor has been out of use for much of 2025, leading to expensive and insufficient skip usage.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison, has seen improvements in healthcare provision and staff-prisoner relationships. However, the report highlights significant concerns including persistent security weaknesses, frequent regime disruptions due to staff shortages, and the deteriorating state of the prison’s infrastructure. The Board is particularly worried about the high levels of self-harm, inadequate support for IPP prisoners, and the restrictive nature of social video calls.
Key concerns identified
- Security weaknesses at the prison gate and identified in the security audit.
- Frequent regime disruptions and wing lockdowns due to staff shortages.
- Poor building fabric, including unreliable heating and showers.
- Concerning levels of self-harm incidents and ACCT documents.
- Ongoing issues with support and release planning for IPP prisoners and general resettlement funding.
- Restrictive timing of social video calls impacting family contact.
- Lack of specific support networks for the increasing older prisoner population.
- Frequent regime disruptions and wing lockdowns due to staff shortages.
- Poor building fabric, including unreliable heating and showers.
- Concerning levels of self-harm incidents and ACCT documents.
- Ongoing issues with support and release planning for IPP prisoners and general resettlement funding.
- Restrictive timing of social video calls impacting family contact.
- Lack of specific support networks for the increasing older prisoner population.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C prison, reported a population of 465 against an operational capacity of 469 for the year ending July 2023. The Board observed positive staff-prisoner relationships, new mental health initiatives like 'The Hive', and an employment hub aiding resettlement. Key concerns included low establishment stability, delays in prison maintenance and transfers, the negative impact of the IPP resentencing decision, and persistent regime disruptions due to staffing shortages and roll call errors.
Key concerns identified
- The stability at Buckley Hall is low throughout the establishment.
- CCTV has still not been installed in the healthcare building, requiring additional staff.
- The decision to reject IPP resentencing recommendations has had a very negative impact.
- There are significant delays in recategorisation and ministerial sign-off for Cat D transfers.
- Slow progress continues in prison maintenance (showers, repairs) and transfers due to overcrowding.
- Issues persist with medication dosages being reduced without thorough explanation to patients.
- Prisoners with severe mental health issues are kept in segregation for too long due to lack of secure hospital places.
- Frequent errors in roll call lead to disruptions, and wings are regularly locked down due to staffing.
- CCTV has still not been installed in the healthcare building, requiring additional staff.
- The decision to reject IPP resentencing recommendations has had a very negative impact.
- There are significant delays in recategorisation and ministerial sign-off for Cat D transfers.
- Slow progress continues in prison maintenance (showers, repairs) and transfers due to overcrowding.
- Issues persist with medication dosages being reduced without thorough explanation to patients.
- Prisoners with severe mental health issues are kept in segregation for too long due to lack of secure hospital places.
- Frequent errors in roll call lead to disruptions, and wings are regularly locked down due to staffing.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 132
Assaults: 12
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison, has seen a positive trajectory post-pandemic, with an improved mood among prisoners and the return of full education and activity regimes. While generally safe with strong staff-prisoner relationships, the prison faces significant challenges including staff shortages impacting key work and daily routines, and an unsettled healthcare provision following a change in provider. Key concerns include administrative delays, insufficient funding for vital infrastructure, and a need to improve attendance at activities and equality and diversity initiatives.
Key concerns identified
- Delays in approving moves to open conditions and a need to reduce the number of IPP prisoners.
- Lengthy delays in transferring prisoner monies between private and public sector prisons.
- Lack of funding for CCTV installation in the healthcare building and for the new incentivised substance-free living unit.
- Delays in transferring Category B recategorised prisoners to appropriate prisons.
- The need to ensure effective and valued healthcare provision following a change in provider.
- Persistent inaccuracies in daily roll checks, causing regime disruption.
- Poor prisoner attendance at and allocation to purposeful activities.
- Insufficient social activities during evening association.
- A need to restore emphasis on equality and diversity and raise key work session delivery.
- Lengthy delays in transferring prisoner monies between private and public sector prisons.
- Lack of funding for CCTV installation in the healthcare building and for the new incentivised substance-free living unit.
- Delays in transferring Category B recategorised prisoners to appropriate prisons.
- The need to ensure effective and valued healthcare provision following a change in provider.
- Persistent inaccuracies in daily roll checks, causing regime disruption.
- Poor prisoner attendance at and allocation to purposeful activities.
- Insufficient social activities during evening association.
- A need to restore emphasis on equality and diversity and raise key work session delivery.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
The reporting year at HMP Buckley Hall (Aug 2020 - July 2021) was largely defined by Covid-19, leading to significant operational challenges and a restrictive regime. Despite these difficulties, the IMB judged the prison to be safe, with dedicated leadership and staff, and good healthcare provision. Key concerns persist regarding prisoner progression, funding for new initiatives, and some basic decency issues such as secure in-cell medication storage and shower quality.
Key concerns identified
- The absence of an independent adjudicator.
- Delays in transfers to open and resettlement prisons.
- Lack of secure in-cell medication facilities.
- Issues with transferring prisoner monies between prisons.
- Insufficient key worker sessions and engagement opportunities.
- Deteriorating wing showers and laundry facilities.
- Delays in transfers to open and resettlement prisons.
- Lack of secure in-cell medication facilities.
- Issues with transferring prisoner monies between prisons.
- Insufficient key worker sessions and engagement opportunities.
- Deteriorating wing showers and laundry facilities.
Buckley Hall
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 105
Assaults: 54
Staff assaults: 20
HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison with an operational capacity of 459, received positive HMIP inspection results and was ranked highly among UK prisons. Staff efforts to keep prisoners safe during the COVID-19 lockdown were commended, with minimal positive cases. Key concerns included high rates of cancelled external medical appointments, under-completion of key worker sessions due to staffing pressures, and the lack of in-cell telephones. The regime was significantly restricted during lockdown, causing boredom, though out-of-cell time increased by the reporting year's end.
Key concerns identified
- Inconsistent and disrupted regime, including inaccurate roll checks, delays in daily unlock, and limited out-of-cell time during lockdown, impacting access to activities and services.
- Significant issues with prisoner property transfers, particularly for long-serving prisoners, leading to frustration and IMB applications.
- High rates of cancelled outside medical appointments (up to 31%) due to insufficient escort staff, forcing difficult prioritisation decisions for healthcare.
- Pressure on and under-completion of key work sessions due to staff redeployment, sickness, and vacancies, undermining this vital support.
- Staffing concerns in the security department and for key workers, impacting operational effectiveness and prisoner support.
- Continued lack of in-cell telephones, hindering communication with families, legal representatives, and support teams, especially for vulnerable prisoners.
- Unused wing healthcare rooms due to lack of electricity and separate locks, and inadequate dining facilities on wings.
- Significant issues with prisoner property transfers, particularly for long-serving prisoners, leading to frustration and IMB applications.
- High rates of cancelled outside medical appointments (up to 31%) due to insufficient escort staff, forcing difficult prioritisation decisions for healthcare.
- Pressure on and under-completion of key work sessions due to staff redeployment, sickness, and vacancies, undermining this vital support.
- Staffing concerns in the security department and for key workers, impacting operational effectiveness and prisoner support.
- Continued lack of in-cell telephones, hindering communication with families, legal representatives, and support teams, especially for vulnerable prisoners.
- Unused wing healthcare rooms due to lack of electricity and separate locks, and inadequate dining facilities on wings.