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.
Doncaster
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,063
Assaults: 303
HMP Doncaster was rated the top local prison nationally, demonstrating strong performance in areas like refurbishment and support services. Despite an improved regime and full staffing, significant challenges persist, including increased prisoner violence due to overcrowding, and persistent, prolonged delays in mental health transfers. The IMB highlights critical issues such as national probation staffing deficits, property management concerns, and unanswered cell bells, calling for urgent attention from government and prison management.
Key concerns identified
- Prolonged delays transferring mentally ill patients to secure hospitals.
- The continued high number of prisoners doubled up in single-cell accommodation.
- Prisoner violence has seen an increase, largely due to overcrowding, an increase in out-of-area prisoners and gang-related issues.
- Significant backlog in the vetting system causing lengthy delays for new officers and staff.
- The national Probation Service is critically understaffed and poorly managed, impacting support for prisoners pre- and post-release.
- The continued high number of cell bells unanswered within the required timeframe.
- Internal property issues remain a concern for the Board and cause great frustration for prisoners.
- The continued high number of prisoners doubled up in single-cell accommodation.
- Prisoner violence has seen an increase, largely due to overcrowding, an increase in out-of-area prisoners and gang-related issues.
- Significant backlog in the vetting system causing lengthy delays for new officers and staff.
- The national Probation Service is critically understaffed and poorly managed, impacting support for prisoners pre- and post-release.
- The continued high number of cell bells unanswered within the required timeframe.
- Internal property issues remain a concern for the Board and cause great frustration for prisoners.
Doncaster
PRISON
Doncaster
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 831
The Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Doncaster reports a generally fair and humane treatment of prisoners, with good staff-prisoner relationships and improved education attendance. However, the prison faces significant challenges, primarily due to severe overcrowding and population pressures, leading to inhumane double occupancy of cells and restricted regimes. Key concerns include extended waits for mental health transfers, a problematic reception and induction process, and insufficient community support for released prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- Population pressures affecting reception and induction processes.
- Overcrowding and double occupancy of single cells.
- Extended waits for mental health transfers to secure hospitals.
- Difficulties with resettlement for out-of-area prisoners, leading to releases as 'no fixed abode'.
- Lack of adequate probation and community support for released prisoners.
- Cell bells not being answered quickly enough.
- Insufficient support and progression for IPP prisoners.
- Overcrowding and double occupancy of single cells.
- Extended waits for mental health transfers to secure hospitals.
- Difficulties with resettlement for out-of-area prisoners, leading to releases as 'no fixed abode'.
- Lack of adequate probation and community support for released prisoners.
- Cell bells not being answered quickly enough.
- Insufficient support and progression for IPP prisoners.
Doncaster
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Doncaster has shown overall improvements in calmness, cleanliness, and staff-prisoner engagement despite challenges. Key strengths include support for transgender prisoners and multiple faiths, appropriate segregation use, and positive resettlement initiatives like the 'departure lounge'. However, concerns remain regarding persistent restricted regimes due to staffing levels, the experience mix of officers, and prisoners' lack of confidence in complaint systems for equality issues and effective engagement with healthcare processes.
Key concerns identified
- Continued restricted regime due to staffing shortages
- The mix of experienced vs. less experienced officers
- Prisoners' lack of confidence in the equality/discrimination (DIRF) investigation system
- Prisoners' difficulty in engaging effectively with healthcare processes
- Loss of prisoners' property, particularly affecting those with limited funds or sentimental items
- Decency concerns around mandatory cell-sharing with limited space and screened toilets
- Potential erosion of prisoners' spending power due to inflation and rising canteen prices for prison work earnings
- The mix of experienced vs. less experienced officers
- Prisoners' lack of confidence in the equality/discrimination (DIRF) investigation system
- Prisoners' difficulty in engaging effectively with healthcare processes
- Loss of prisoners' property, particularly affecting those with limited funds or sentimental items
- Decency concerns around mandatory cell-sharing with limited space and screened toilets
- Potential erosion of prisoners' spending power due to inflation and rising canteen prices for prison work earnings
Doncaster 2019 –
PRISON
Concerns
The reporting year for HMP Doncaster (October 2019 – September 2020) was dominated by Covid-19, which heavily impacted the prison regime and the IMB's monitoring capabilities. The Board praised staff dedication during the pandemic and noted positive changes in senior management and improvements in the DIRF and healthcare complaints processes. However, key concerns persisted regarding self-harm risks, drug use, and the timely provision of healthcare, especially mental health services.
Key concerns identified
- The negative impact of a restricted Covid regime, especially concerning self-harm and reduced contact with family and friends.
- Ongoing drug use within the prison.
- Timeliness and effectiveness of meeting prisoners' physical and mental health needs, including mental health staffing capacity and access to appointments.
- Inconsistent use of the Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) for complaints related to protected characteristics.
- The critical importance of actioning all lessons learned from PPO reports and internal investigations into deaths in custody.
- Ongoing drug use within the prison.
- Timeliness and effectiveness of meeting prisoners' physical and mental health needs, including mental health staffing capacity and access to appointments.
- Inconsistent use of the Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) for complaints related to protected characteristics.
- The critical importance of actioning all lessons learned from PPO reports and internal investigations into deaths in custody.