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.
Five Wells
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 2,326
Assaults: 589
HMP Five Wells, a Category C prison, has experienced positive changes under new leadership and a return to a full 'green' regime, enhancing purposeful activity and staff support. Despite these improvements, the prison faces significant challenges, including a rise in self-harm and violent incidents, widespread illicit substances, and ongoing issues with property management and building design. Concerns also persist regarding healthcare communication, staffing vacancies, and effective resettlement outcomes for prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The continued prevalence of illicit substances and a high rate of positive drug tests.
- An increase in self-harm incidents and the need for improvement in the ACCT process.
- Poor management of use of force incidents, posing risks to staff and prisoners.
- Persistent issues with prisoners sharing single cells and unresolved building design flaws, such as poor airflow.
- A high number of complaints about property loss, especially during transfers, linked to an inefficient paper-based national system.
- Challenges in healthcare, including inaccessible complaints boxes for some, a lack of electronic communication, and prisoners' lack of understanding regarding medication changes.
- Staffing issues affecting the education department and leading to long periods of unallocated prisoners.
- The absence of a resident psychologist impacting parole assessments.
- External factors influencing resettlement outcomes like employment and accommodation, and the failure to meet ROTL targets.
- The lack of a facility to provide photographic ID on release.
- National issues concerning an increasing number of recalled prisoners, faults in new prison design, and IMB member recruitment.
- An increase in self-harm incidents and the need for improvement in the ACCT process.
- Poor management of use of force incidents, posing risks to staff and prisoners.
- Persistent issues with prisoners sharing single cells and unresolved building design flaws, such as poor airflow.
- A high number of complaints about property loss, especially during transfers, linked to an inefficient paper-based national system.
- Challenges in healthcare, including inaccessible complaints boxes for some, a lack of electronic communication, and prisoners' lack of understanding regarding medication changes.
- Staffing issues affecting the education department and leading to long periods of unallocated prisoners.
- The absence of a resident psychologist impacting parole assessments.
- External factors influencing resettlement outcomes like employment and accommodation, and the failure to meet ROTL targets.
- The lack of a facility to provide photographic ID on release.
- National issues concerning an increasing number of recalled prisoners, faults in new prison design, and IMB member recruitment.
Five Wells
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Five Wells, a privately run Category C prison, increased its population to 1,700 by March 2024, leading to the doubling up of some cells. While the Board noted significant operational improvements under new leadership and generally good accommodation, it raised serious concerns about the prevalence of illicit substances, self-harm, and the management of use of force incidents. Challenges persist in staff recruitment, education provision, and the under-resourcing of the IMB itself.
Key concerns identified
- Prevalence of illicit substances and high rates of positive drug tests.
- Common self-harm incidents and the need for improved ACCT management.
- Poor management of use of force incidents, posing risks to staff and prisoners.
- Persistent building design issues, including lack of airflow in common areas and unusable low mobility cells.
- Suspension of key worker support for most of the year and high number of complaints about lost property.
- Education department struggles due to staffing issues and the suspension of ROTL for outside employment.
- The Board is significantly under-resourced with only six members monitoring over 1,700 prisoners.
- Overcrowding concerns with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one.
- Common self-harm incidents and the need for improved ACCT management.
- Poor management of use of force incidents, posing risks to staff and prisoners.
- Persistent building design issues, including lack of airflow in common areas and unusable low mobility cells.
- Suspension of key worker support for most of the year and high number of complaints about lost property.
- Education department struggles due to staffing issues and the suspension of ROTL for outside employment.
- The Board is significantly under-resourced with only six members monitoring over 1,700 prisoners.
- Overcrowding concerns with two prisoners sharing cells designed for one.
Five Wells
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Five Wells, a Category C prison, opened in February 2022 and housed 1200 prisoners by March 2023, below its operational capacity of 1680. The IMB noted successes such as positive visitor feedback and streamlined safeguarding, but raised significant concerns including widespread illicit items, severe staffing shortages, and numerous design flaws in the new build. Key areas needing development involve consistent regime application, improved food and canteen services, and the re-establishment of resettlement-focused programmes like ROTL.
Key concerns identified
- The number and range of illicit items found in the prison, including widespread availability of drugs.
- High proportion of inexperienced operational staff and persistent staff shortages, affecting support and rule enforcement.
- Numerous design faults in the new build, rendering some cells unusable and impacting airflow and facility locations.
- Inconsistent application and management of the incentives scheme, causing prisoner frustration.
- Poor quality, quantity, and limited choice of food, with observed shortages and an unworkable canteen system.
- Delays in the roll-out of key worker support and the non-delivery of anticipated intervention programmes and ROTL.
- High proportion of inexperienced operational staff and persistent staff shortages, affecting support and rule enforcement.
- Numerous design faults in the new build, rendering some cells unusable and impacting airflow and facility locations.
- Inconsistent application and management of the incentives scheme, causing prisoner frustration.
- Poor quality, quantity, and limited choice of food, with observed shortages and an unworkable canteen system.
- Delays in the roll-out of key worker support and the non-delivery of anticipated intervention programmes and ROTL.