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.
Featherstone
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Featherstone faced challenges including the dilapidated state of its facilities, persistent issues with property management, and stretched healthcare services, particularly for mental health. However, the Board observed improvements in staffing levels, education provision, and reduced waiting times for doctors and dentists. Key concerns remain around the prison's aging infrastructure, the treatment of mentally unwell prisoners in segregation, and inconsistent staff culture.
Key concerns identified
- The prison is in a dilapidated state, with old and dated kitchen equipment, and significant investment is needed.
- Mental health issues are serious, and prisoners with high needs are inappropriately housed in segregation with untrained staff, requiring speedy transfer to suitable accommodation.
- Low healthcare staffing causes regime disruption due to medication delays, an issue needing a systemic solution.
- A cultural problem persists among a small group of staff, requiring continued vigilance from senior management.
- Property management remains a significant issue, with items often missing during transfers and within the prison.
- Rodent infestation was a problem throughout the reporting year.
- Food quality and portion sizes continue to be an issue for prisoners, a concern also raised in the previous year.
- Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) are often not turned on or are non-functional, hindering safety monitoring.
- Mental health issues are serious, and prisoners with high needs are inappropriately housed in segregation with untrained staff, requiring speedy transfer to suitable accommodation.
- Low healthcare staffing causes regime disruption due to medication delays, an issue needing a systemic solution.
- A cultural problem persists among a small group of staff, requiring continued vigilance from senior management.
- Property management remains a significant issue, with items often missing during transfers and within the prison.
- Rodent infestation was a problem throughout the reporting year.
- Food quality and portion sizes continue to be an issue for prisoners, a concern also raised in the previous year.
- Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) are often not turned on or are non-functional, hindering safety monitoring.
Featherstone
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Featherstone, a Category C training prison, faced significant challenges during the reporting year ending October 2023, primarily stemming from the dilapidated state of its infrastructure and chronic staffing shortages across key departments like healthcare and the OMU. These issues led to regime disruptions, delays in medication, and a persistent problem with property management. While there were positive developments such as improved education outcomes and a reduction in violence, the Board raised serious concerns regarding the inappropriate housing of mentally unwell prisoners in the CSU and inadequate gate security.
Key concerns identified
- Dilapidated state of the prison, with temporary repairs not addressing underlying problems.
- Chronic staffing shortages impacting healthcare, the Offender Management Unit, and leading to regime disruptions and medication delays.
- Inappropriate and prolonged housing of prisoners with severe mental health issues in the Care and Separation Unit.
- Inadequate gate security measures leading to concerns about illicit item smuggling.
- Persistent issues with prisoner property, both on transfer and within the establishment.
- Concerns regarding the quantity, quality, and inconsistent portion sizes of food provided to prisoners.
- Chronic staffing shortages impacting healthcare, the Offender Management Unit, and leading to regime disruptions and medication delays.
- Inappropriate and prolonged housing of prisoners with severe mental health issues in the Care and Separation Unit.
- Inadequate gate security measures leading to concerns about illicit item smuggling.
- Persistent issues with prisoner property, both on transfer and within the establishment.
- Concerns regarding the quantity, quality, and inconsistent portion sizes of food provided to prisoners.
Featherstone
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Featherstone experienced a challenging year, marked by significant staffing issues that disrupted the regime and various services, including healthcare and purposeful activity. The prison's aging infrastructure is a major concern, along with the inadequate management of mentally ill prisoners in segregation. While violence reduced and overall safety improved, issues with staff culture, property management, and inconsistent use of body-worn cameras persist.
Key concerns identified
- The dilapidated state of the prison, with no apparent plan for significant investment.
- The inappropriate housing of mentally ill prisoners in segregation units with untrained staff, and delays in transferring them to suitable facilities.
- Inconsistent performance of the prison applications system.
- A problematic culture among a small group of staff, requiring continued vigilance from senior management.
- Persistent staffing shortages affecting various departments and the effective use of resources.
- Significant ongoing issues with prisoner property, both on transfer and within the establishment, exacerbated by staff shortages and inadequate investigation of losses.
- Inconsistent and insufficient use of body-worn cameras by prison officers, hindering investigations into alleged uses of force.
- Concerns regarding the quality, quantity, and inconsistent portion sizes of food.
- The inappropriate housing of mentally ill prisoners in segregation units with untrained staff, and delays in transferring them to suitable facilities.
- Inconsistent performance of the prison applications system.
- A problematic culture among a small group of staff, requiring continued vigilance from senior management.
- Persistent staffing shortages affecting various departments and the effective use of resources.
- Significant ongoing issues with prisoner property, both on transfer and within the establishment, exacerbated by staff shortages and inadequate investigation of losses.
- Inconsistent and insufficient use of body-worn cameras by prison officers, hindering investigations into alleged uses of force.
- Concerns regarding the quality, quantity, and inconsistent portion sizes of food.
Featherstone
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 239
Assaults: 40
Staff assaults: 36
HMP Featherstone's IMB report for 2020-21 highlights resilience during Covid-19, with staff and prisoners adapting well, leading to reductions in self-harm and violence. Key concerns include the poor state of the prison's infrastructure, ongoing issues with transferred contracts affecting service provision, and persistent problems with prisoner property. The Board commends efforts in drug reduction and staff dedication in challenging units but calls for urgent investment in the estate, improved contract procurement, and sustained focus on staff culture and healthcare provisions.
Key concerns identified
- The physical environment of Featherstone, built in the 1970s, remains poor with substandard showers, windows, and heating, requiring urgent investment.
- Contract transfers, particularly for pharmacy, continued to cause significant service disruptions, questioning the procurement process.
- Incoming prisoners arrived with concealed drugs and Covid-19, highlighting issues with precautions taken by transferring prisons.
- Prisoner property issues, especially on transfer, persist and need systemic resolution.
- Healthcare services, particularly the dental contract, medication provision, complaints system, and staff attendance at reviews, require continued monitoring and improvement.
- Concerns about staff culture raised previously indicate ongoing problems that require sustained vigilance from the Governor.
- Contract transfers, particularly for pharmacy, continued to cause significant service disruptions, questioning the procurement process.
- Incoming prisoners arrived with concealed drugs and Covid-19, highlighting issues with precautions taken by transferring prisons.
- Prisoner property issues, especially on transfer, persist and need systemic resolution.
- Healthcare services, particularly the dental contract, medication provision, complaints system, and staff attendance at reviews, require continued monitoring and improvement.
- Concerns about staff culture raised previously indicate ongoing problems that require sustained vigilance from the Governor.
Featherstone
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Featherstone, a Category C training prison, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic reporting period (Nov 2019 - Oct 2020), leading to a restricted regime with prisoners confined to cells for 23 hours a day. Despite this, staff and prisoners generally cooperated well, resulting in a reported reduction in self-harm, violence, and use of force. Key concerns include the poor state of the prison infrastructure, the consistently underperforming education contract with Novus, and issues with healthcare provision, particularly for mental health and dental services.
Key concerns identified
- The continued ingress of illicit items, drugs, and mobile phones, leading to pressure on vulnerable prisoners and related debt.
- The poor fabric of the building, including dark cells, shoddy windows, inadequate heating, and unhygienic showers, with prisoners eating all meals next to toilets.
- The consistently poor performance of the education provider, Novus, leading to non-delivery of critical programmes and impacting prisoner progression and resettlement.
- The detrimental impact of prolonged 23-hour cell confinement on prisoners' mental health and the lack of purposeful activity.
- Inconsistencies and shortcomings in healthcare provision, including an outdated appointment system, uncoordinated mental health referrals, and poor attendance/preparedness of staff at reviews.
- The lengthy and often inappropriate detention of some prisoners with complex needs in the Care and Segregation Unit (CSU).
- The inconsistent and inefficient prisoner application system across house blocks.
- The poor fabric of the building, including dark cells, shoddy windows, inadequate heating, and unhygienic showers, with prisoners eating all meals next to toilets.
- The consistently poor performance of the education provider, Novus, leading to non-delivery of critical programmes and impacting prisoner progression and resettlement.
- The detrimental impact of prolonged 23-hour cell confinement on prisoners' mental health and the lack of purposeful activity.
- Inconsistencies and shortcomings in healthcare provision, including an outdated appointment system, uncoordinated mental health referrals, and poor attendance/preparedness of staff at reviews.
- The lengthy and often inappropriate detention of some prisoners with complex needs in the Care and Segregation Unit (CSU).
- The inconsistent and inefficient prisoner application system across house blocks.