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.
Huntercombe
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 63
Staff assaults: 40
HMP Huntercombe, a Category C prison for foreign national men, faced significant challenges in 2024, particularly regarding infrastructure issues like heating and hot water, a malfunctioning new kitchen, and inadequate healthcare accommodation. Despite improved staffing in healthcare and education, a surge in drug incidents and prisoner-on-staff assaults raised safety concerns. The rapid churn of the prisoner population due to early removal schemes impacted purposeful activity, resettlement, and offender management.
Key concerns identified
- The level of illicit items and drugs entering the prison and the number of prisoners appearing to be under the influence of substances.
- The significant increase in prisoner-on-staff assaults, from 9 to 40 incidents, including three serious assaults.
- The ongoing issue of a failing central heating and hot water system, reported for the last five years, causing unreliable showers and anxiety.
- The new kitchen not functioning as intended due to contractor issues and expired warranties, with no new maintenance arrangement.
- One cell in the segregation unit being out of action for most of the year due to delays in replacement parts for the door.
- Persistent problems with property going missing during transfers, a lack of volumetric control between prisons, and unreliable handwritten property cards.
- The delay of over two years in providing new, suitable healthcare accommodation, leading to reduced care provision and inadequate clinical space for mental health services.
- Delayed mental health transfers, with some breaching the 28-day target timeframe.
- The significant increase in prisoner-on-staff assaults, from 9 to 40 incidents, including three serious assaults.
- The ongoing issue of a failing central heating and hot water system, reported for the last five years, causing unreliable showers and anxiety.
- The new kitchen not functioning as intended due to contractor issues and expired warranties, with no new maintenance arrangement.
- One cell in the segregation unit being out of action for most of the year due to delays in replacement parts for the door.
- Persistent problems with property going missing during transfers, a lack of volumetric control between prisons, and unreliable handwritten property cards.
- The delay of over two years in providing new, suitable healthcare accommodation, leading to reduced care provision and inadequate clinical space for mental health services.
- Delayed mental health transfers, with some breaching the 28-day target timeframe.
Huntercombe
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Huntercombe, a Category C prison for foreign national men, largely maintained a full regime during 2023, with positive staff-prisoner relationships and a reduction in ACCTs. However, the Board remains significantly concerned about the influx of illicit items, persistent issues with heating, hot water, and cell window repairs, and an unsuitable healthcare building. Delays in transferring mentally unwell prisoners and ongoing property problems for those being deported are also highlighted, alongside staffing pressures in the Offender Management Unit.
Key concerns identified
- The persistent influx of illicit items and drugs, and their associated debt problems, undermining safety within the prison.
- Significant, long-standing issues with the antiquated heating, hot water systems, and irreparable cell windows, which create unacceptable living conditions for prisoners.
- The dilapidated healthcare building (with water ingress) and critical delays in transferring mentally unwell prisoners to appropriate NHS facilities, compromising their well-being.
- Ongoing problems with lost or missing prisoner property during transfers and a high number of prisoners arriving close to their Early Release Scheme date, hindering effective resettlement and deportation processes.
- Operational inefficiencies, such as inaccurate roll calls, which frequently prevent prisoners from accessing purposeful activities, education, and healthcare appointments, further compounded by staffing pressures in key departments.
- Limited exercise opportunities for prisoners in the segregation unit due to the main yard being out of bounds.
- Significant, long-standing issues with the antiquated heating, hot water systems, and irreparable cell windows, which create unacceptable living conditions for prisoners.
- The dilapidated healthcare building (with water ingress) and critical delays in transferring mentally unwell prisoners to appropriate NHS facilities, compromising their well-being.
- Ongoing problems with lost or missing prisoner property during transfers and a high number of prisoners arriving close to their Early Release Scheme date, hindering effective resettlement and deportation processes.
- Operational inefficiencies, such as inaccurate roll calls, which frequently prevent prisoners from accessing purposeful activities, education, and healthcare appointments, further compounded by staffing pressures in key departments.
- Limited exercise opportunities for prisoners in the segregation unit due to the main yard being out of bounds.
Huntercombe
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 96
Assaults: 57
HMP Huntercombe returned to a full regime in 2022, and the Board commended staff for their work. However, significant concerns remain, particularly regarding the ongoing detention of foreign nationals beyond their sentence expiry due to Home Office delays in processing deportation orders. The prison also faces challenges with an antiquated heating system, water ingress in healthcare, reduced education provision due to staffing, and issues with inter-prison property transfers.
Key concerns identified
- The ongoing incarceration of foreign national prisoners (IS91s) beyond their sentence expiry date under convicted criminal conditions, with no improvement since 2020.
- An increasing number of foreign national prisoners arriving without deportation orders or proper Home Office triaging, leading to delays beyond their early release dates.
- The antiquated heating and hot water systems frequently break down, causing frustration and requiring expensive temporary solutions.
- Persistent water ingress in the healthcare facility makes it an unsuitable working environment.
- The education curriculum has been reduced due to staffing issues, with popular courses like art, barbering, and the full IAG diploma being curtailed.
- Significant issues persist with property transfers between prisons despite assurances of a new national framework.
- An increasing number of foreign national prisoners arriving without deportation orders or proper Home Office triaging, leading to delays beyond their early release dates.
- The antiquated heating and hot water systems frequently break down, causing frustration and requiring expensive temporary solutions.
- Persistent water ingress in the healthcare facility makes it an unsuitable working environment.
- The education curriculum has been reduced due to staffing issues, with popular courses like art, barbering, and the full IAG diploma being curtailed.
- Significant issues persist with property transfers between prisons despite assurances of a new national framework.
Huntercombe
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 100
Assaults: 40
HMP Huntercombe is a Category C prison for foreign national adult men, with a population of 447 and an operational capacity of 480 at the end of 2021. The year was marked by Covid-19 restrictions, which limited the regime but were commendably managed by staff, who also rolled out in-cell telephony and enhanced video calls. Key concerns include the continued detention of IS91 prisoners under inappropriate conditions, issues with property, and the need for improved healthcare information sharing.
Key concerns identified
- The continued detention of men under immigration powers (IS91s) in convicted criminal conditions after their sentence expiry date, a situation considered unfair and discriminatory.
- The lack of a robust system for sharing appropriate medical information about individual prisoners between healthcare providers and prison staff.
- The unsatisfactory condition of showers across all locations, marked by poor water pressure and fluctuating temperatures.
- The need for a more robust audit system for the complaints log, ensuring complaints beyond their response date are consistently pursued.
- Persistent issues with the loss or misplacement of prisoners' property, particularly during transfers between establishments.
- The challenges in the timely issuing of IS91 notifications by the Home Office, leading to delays in deportation and release processes.
- The high number of foreign national prisoners without an OASys assessment, exacerbated by POM staffing shortages and the national requirement for full Layer 3 OASys for this group.
- The lack of a robust system for sharing appropriate medical information about individual prisoners between healthcare providers and prison staff.
- The unsatisfactory condition of showers across all locations, marked by poor water pressure and fluctuating temperatures.
- The need for a more robust audit system for the complaints log, ensuring complaints beyond their response date are consistently pursued.
- Persistent issues with the loss or misplacement of prisoners' property, particularly during transfers between establishments.
- The challenges in the timely issuing of IS91 notifications by the Home Office, leading to delays in deportation and release processes.
- The high number of foreign national prisoners without an OASys assessment, exacerbated by POM staffing shortages and the national requirement for full Layer 3 OASys for this group.
Huntercombe
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 115
Assaults: 70
HMP Huntercombe, a Category C prison for foreign national men, successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic despite significant regime restrictions, with no deaths in custody and positive commendations for its healthcare team. The Board identified several areas for development, notably the unfairness of telephone charges and lack of in-cell telephony, and the concerning increase in time-served prisoners held under immigration powers. Issues surrounding meaningful vocational training and progression to open conditions for foreign national prisoners were also highlighted as key areas needing attention.
Key concerns identified
- The lack of in-cell telephony throughout the prison and the high charges for telephone calls, particularly for overseas calls for foreign national prisoners, is unfair.
- The increasing number of time-served prisoners held under immigration powers (IS91s) due to lack of accommodation or IRC spaces is unfair, inhumane, and creates tensions.
- The lack of practical and vocational contracts prevents prisoners from gaining meaningful training and recognised international qualifications.
- Delays in issuing IS91 notifications close to conditional release dates cause frustration and anxiety for prisoners.
- The blanket decision regarding ineligibility for progression to open prison conditions for foreign national prisoners appears discriminatory and unfair.
- Locating prisoners on ACCTs or with serious mental health issues in the segregation unit is not ideal, as Huntercombe is unequipped to provide better solutions.
- Staff/prisoner/bullying issues were a concern, though the Board had limited ability to investigate this year.
- The increasing number of time-served prisoners held under immigration powers (IS91s) due to lack of accommodation or IRC spaces is unfair, inhumane, and creates tensions.
- The lack of practical and vocational contracts prevents prisoners from gaining meaningful training and recognised international qualifications.
- Delays in issuing IS91 notifications close to conditional release dates cause frustration and anxiety for prisoners.
- The blanket decision regarding ineligibility for progression to open prison conditions for foreign national prisoners appears discriminatory and unfair.
- Locating prisoners on ACCTs or with serious mental health issues in the segregation unit is not ideal, as Huntercombe is unequipped to provide better solutions.
- Staff/prisoner/bullying issues were a concern, though the Board had limited ability to investigate this year.