IMB Annual Reports

bullet In relation to Richmond and Plymouth, the Board asks what the plan is for these buildings – keep them going at any cost, some form of replacement programme or is there no plan in place?
bullet Across the female estate an increasing number of women are experiencing crisis associated with serious mental illness. They need treatment in a specialist hospital setting.
bullet An increasingly complex group of women with more serious risk profiles are being transferred to a prison with no cellular accommodation.
bullet The staffing establishment was set at a time when the prison was very different than today. This situation needs to be addressed at a strategic level.
bullet Property is a systemic problem across the prison services: digital solutions have proved effective in improving this situation.
bullet The Board is interested in the plan to increase the number and quality of keywork sessions.

- The increasingly complex nature of the prison population has led to a rise in self-harm, violence, and bullying, making some women feel unsafe.
- The prison faces staffing resource concerns, with a minimal number of officers available impacting the basic regime and staff morale.
- The poor and dilapidated conditions of Richmond and Plymouth houses, dating back to WWII, remain a long-standing and unresolved issue for over 20 years.
- The use of the Care and Support Unit (CSU) to manage women with acute mental illness awaiting hospital transfer is a disturbing and unacceptable systemic problem.
- Property delays and losses, particularly during transfers, continue to be a significant and distressing problem for women, often remaining unresolved.
- The regime is more restrictive compared to pre-pandemic, with inadequate opportunities for fresh air and meaningful exercise for women.
- The education budget has seen no increase for over 10 years, leading to a real-terms reduction in resources.
- The increasing number of women transferred with short sentences or close to release impedes rehabilitative work and preparation for release.
- Ongoing problems with medication management, including administration processes, control of prescription trading, and dispensary design.

- The poor and dilapidated condition of Richmond and Plymouth houses, repeatedly raised since 1999, remains unresolved and requires replacement.
- A significant increase in self-harm incidents, particularly among a small number of women, and increased levels of violence, reflecting a more complex and challenging prison population.
- Population pressures and rapid turnover, including women serving short sentences, destabilise the prison and challenge its rehabilitative ethos.
- Persistent and systemic problems with prisoners' property being delayed or lost on transfer, causing unnecessary distress and remaining unresolved across the prison estate.
- The need for healthcare currently outstrips available resources, especially for complex mental health needs, and problems with roll call lead to cancelled appointments.
- Plans for a major capital programme to increase operational capacity and develop the prison's function have been put on hold, which is seen as a retrograde step.
- Inconsistent application of rules, inappropriate staff behaviour, and inadequate delivery of key work sessions due to operational pressures.
- The persistent problem of prisoners trading prescription medications, despite previous recommendations for better control, posing safety risks.

- The condition of Richmond and Plymouth houses, which are not fit for purpose and need replacing, a concern raised for nearly 20 years.
- Delayed or lost property on transfer, a systemic issue across the prison service that causes unnecessary distress and is an increasing cause for concern.
- Increasing numbers of women being transferred shortly before their release date, making it impossible to prepare them for resettlement.
- The ongoing challenges in the provision of education since the pandemic, leading to low take-up and attendance.
- Concerns that women do not feel comfortable submitting Discrimination Incident Report Forms (DIRFs), despite an excellent equalities structure.
- The inability to recruit a trainee psychologist on site due to the absence of on-site supervision from a consultant psychologist, impacting women's mental wellbeing.

- The condition of Richmond and Plymouth houses remains unfit for purpose, with structural issues, damp, cold, and a rat infestation, despite consistent efforts by local managers.
- Delayed or lost property on transfer to Drake Hall is a systemic national problem causing significant distress to prisoners.
- There is a lack of private and confidential interview space for mental healthcare staff, hindering therapeutic interventions.
- No specialist facility existed for a prisoner with a severe eating disorder, forcing the prison to manage the case without adequate external support.
- Increasing numbers of prisoners are transferred shortly before their release date, harming their successful transition from prison.
- Prison Service guidance on prisoner banking programs prevents women in open conditions with more than six months to serve from opening accounts, impeding their rehabilitation.
- The showers on the open unit suffer from structural mould and damp, requiring a long-term solution.
- A minority of ethnic minority prisoners feel treated unfairly, with a low number of Discrimination Incident Reporting Forms (DIRFs) submitted and a lack of independent scrutiny panel meetings.
- Some replies to prisoner complaints are rudimentary or delayed, and women report submitted complaints going unreceived.

- The condition of Richmond and Plymouth houses, which are not fit for purpose.
- Issues relating to delayed or lost property on transfer to Drake Hall.
- Lack of private space for the mental healthcare team to provide therapeutic interventions.
- The increasing number of prisoners transferred to Drake Hall shortly before their release date.
- The delay in rolling out the Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) system across the women’s estate.
- The impact of shielding on the long-term wellbeing and rehabilitation prospects of prisoners in the Truro unit.
- Mitigating the long-term impact of the pandemic on some prisoners’ mental health.