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.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 807
Assaults: 394
Staff assaults: 125
HMP Holme House was reclassified to a category B reception, training and resettlement prison in January 2025. The re-role has impacted all aspects of the prison’s routine and operating protocols. There has been a shift in key safety metrics, including an increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and an increase in the use of force.
Key concerns identified
bullet Problems associated with drug abuse continue to be significant for the prison.
bullet Just under 18% of the expected key worker sessions were achieved.
bullet Delays in occupational health assessments were caused by delays to therapists being approved and vetted to enter the prison.
bullet The impact of the prison holding remand prisoners and having far greater ‘churn’ has detrimentally affected the delivery of prisoner employment activities.
bullet Just under 18% of the expected key worker sessions were achieved.
bullet Delays in occupational health assessments were caused by delays to therapists being approved and vetted to enter the prison.
bullet The impact of the prison holding remand prisoners and having far greater ‘churn’ has detrimentally affected the delivery of prisoner employment activities.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 928
Assaults: 324
Staff assaults: 90
HMP Holme House operated as a Category C prison in 2024, with plans to reclassify to Category B in 2025, a transition observed to be managed with significant staff commitment despite some disruptions. The Board noted generally good healthcare, improved food quality, and successful drug recovery programmes. However, significant concerns were raised regarding increased self-harm and violence, ongoing staffing shortages impacting key worker support, and a lack of educational achievement.
Key concerns identified
- Ongoing challenges with staff recruitment and retention, impacting key worker provision and overall morale.
- Increased incidents of self-harm and violence among prisoners, exacerbated by drug misuse and debt.
- Loss of prisoner property during transfers causing significant distress.
- Lack of educational qualifications and reduced attainment over five years.
- Delays in funding and execution of major capital works, particularly to the roofs.
- Prisoner wages not keeping pace with rising canteen costs.
- Potential detrimental effects of the prison's re-role on prisoner wellbeing and progression.
- Increased incidents of self-harm and violence among prisoners, exacerbated by drug misuse and debt.
- Loss of prisoner property during transfers causing significant distress.
- Lack of educational qualifications and reduced attainment over five years.
- Delays in funding and execution of major capital works, particularly to the roofs.
- Prisoner wages not keeping pace with rising canteen costs.
- Potential detrimental effects of the prison's re-role on prisoner wellbeing and progression.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 600
Assaults: 240
Staff assaults: 40
HMP Holme House, a Category C prison, experienced a challenging year ending December 2023, marked by increased violence, use of force, and significant issues with building disrepair and illicit items. While healthcare services notably improved and purposeful activity places expanded, staffing shortages impacted resettlement and Ofsted rated all five inspection areas as 'requires improvement'. The Board highlights the need for urgent attention to infrastructure, safety, and addressing the impact of a growing young adult population.
Key concerns identified
- The continued deterioration of the prison's buildings and slow progress on essential repairs are negatively impacting the daily life and wellbeing of prisoners.
- An increase in disorder, violence, and use of force is directly linked to the growing young offender population and the high volume of illicit items entering the prison.
- Persistent staffing shortages, especially in the Offender Management Unit, hinder prisoner progression and reduce employment outcomes upon release.
- The quality of food remains poor, exacerbated by non-working kitchen equipment and an inflexible single-supplier catering contract.
- Overcrowding in cells designed for single occupancy and the lack of proper WC screening violate Government guidelines for cell-sharing.
- Ofsted assessed all five main areas of the prison as 'requires improvement', highlighting deficiencies in educational and vocational provision.
- An increase in disorder, violence, and use of force is directly linked to the growing young offender population and the high volume of illicit items entering the prison.
- Persistent staffing shortages, especially in the Offender Management Unit, hinder prisoner progression and reduce employment outcomes upon release.
- The quality of food remains poor, exacerbated by non-working kitchen equipment and an inflexible single-supplier catering contract.
- Overcrowding in cells designed for single occupancy and the lack of proper WC screening violate Government guidelines for cell-sharing.
- Ofsted assessed all five main areas of the prison as 'requires improvement', highlighting deficiencies in educational and vocational provision.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Holme House demonstrated significant improvements in 2022, effectively recovering from Covid-19 disruptions and enhancing safety, healthcare, and resettlement services. While the prison maintained a safe and humane environment, key challenges included slow estate maintenance, deterioration in food quality, and the disproportionate impact of a growing young adult population on violence and self-harm. The IMB also highlighted issues with contractual transparency and the provision of adequate programs for vulnerable prisoners, making several recommendations to address these concerns.
Key concerns identified
- Lack of timely funding for essential repairs and slow maintenance across the estate, including cell, house block, and kitchen equipment.
- Contractual standards and performance indicators remain unavailable to the IMB, hindering effective monitoring.
- Deterioration in the quality of food services, compounded by non-operational bakery and unrepaired kitchen equipment.
- The increasing number of young adults contributing disproportionately to violence and self-harm, alongside general cultural disquiet.
- Inadequate provision of specific programmes for vulnerable prisoners due to their separation and small group sizes.
- High incidence of prisoner property going missing, particularly during transfers and cell clearances, remaining a significant complaint category.
- Contractual standards and performance indicators remain unavailable to the IMB, hindering effective monitoring.
- Deterioration in the quality of food services, compounded by non-operational bakery and unrepaired kitchen equipment.
- The increasing number of young adults contributing disproportionately to violence and self-harm, alongside general cultural disquiet.
- Inadequate provision of specific programmes for vulnerable prisoners due to their separation and small group sizes.
- High incidence of prisoner property going missing, particularly during transfers and cell clearances, remaining a significant complaint category.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 126
Staff assaults: 39
HMP Holme House experienced a year dominated by Covid-19 restrictions, yet saw notable improvements in overall ambiance, cleanliness, and reduced violence. While healthcare services generally improved and key worker compliance increased, significant concerns persist regarding unacceptable dental waiting times, inadequate education provision, and unscreened toilets in cells. The Board highlights issues with property transport and the lack of clarity surrounding external service provider contracts, calling for action from the Minister, Prison Service, and Governor.
Key concerns identified
- The continued unsatisfactory level of unscreened toilets in cells, particularly shared ones, which remains non-compliant with national standards for decency.
- Unacceptable dental services, with a waiting list of one year and 40 weeks for regular appointments, a significant deterioration since 2019.
- Education and training provision requires improvement, being less effective than in previous years, with poor uptake of in-cell learning and limited classroom attendance.
- Lack of clarity and access to contracts with external service providers, impeding the Board's monitoring of standards and causing issues like unclear property transport constraints.
- Delays in essential repairs, particularly for education areas like the bistro ventilation and engagement centre toilets, which prevented progress.
- Healthcare complaint responses failing to meet timescales over several months, with a call for comparable scrutiny and response targets to general prison complaints.
- Unacceptable dental services, with a waiting list of one year and 40 weeks for regular appointments, a significant deterioration since 2019.
- Education and training provision requires improvement, being less effective than in previous years, with poor uptake of in-cell learning and limited classroom attendance.
- Lack of clarity and access to contracts with external service providers, impeding the Board's monitoring of standards and causing issues like unclear property transport constraints.
- Delays in essential repairs, particularly for education areas like the bistro ventilation and engagement centre toilets, which prevented progress.
- Healthcare complaint responses failing to meet timescales over several months, with a call for comparable scrutiny and response targets to general prison complaints.
Holme House
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 728
The reporting year was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting HMP Holme House's operations, leading to restricted regimes and reduced purposeful activity. While staff were commended for their initial pandemic response and improvements were seen in staff culture and complaint handling, key concerns persist. These include issues with decency standards, inadequate education provision, and persistent delays in mental health transfers and resolving police referrals, with the Board's monitoring capacity constrained by restrictions.
Key concerns identified
- Unscreened WCs in cells, damaged floors, and poor quality showers remain significant decency concerns, a problem for several years and exacerbated by increased in-cell time.
- The prisoner induction programme continues to be unsatisfactory and has deteriorated over the last four years.
- Education provision suffered greatly during the pandemic, and there is a need for better education leading to improved resettlement outcomes.
- Unacceptable delays persist in transferring seriously ill patients to mental health hospitals due to bed shortages.
- Access to dental care is problematic, limited to emergencies, with a waiting list of around 200.
- 182 outstanding police referrals, some dating back to 2018, remain unresolved, hindering justice for accused or victims.
- Funding for necessary and previously approved repairs has not been made available expeditiously.
- The prisoner induction programme continues to be unsatisfactory and has deteriorated over the last four years.
- Education provision suffered greatly during the pandemic, and there is a need for better education leading to improved resettlement outcomes.
- Unacceptable delays persist in transferring seriously ill patients to mental health hospitals due to bed shortages.
- Access to dental care is problematic, limited to emergencies, with a waiting list of around 200.
- 182 outstanding police referrals, some dating back to 2018, remain unresolved, hindering justice for accused or victims.
- Funding for necessary and previously approved repairs has not been made available expeditiously.