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.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 357
Assaults: 172
HMP Lancaster Farms, a Category C resettlement prison, continues to provide a largely safe environment for its 560 prisoners, with positive initiatives like the complex care unit and CrossFit program. However, significant concerns persist, particularly around healthcare provision, including long waiting times and issues with medication and data transparency. The Board also highlights problems with property management during transfers, a rise in prisoners on the restrictive basic regime, and continued challenges in placing prisoners with complex mental health needs in specialist facilities.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of self-harm among prisoners with complex mental health needs who cannot be transferred to specialist facilities.
- Occasional accommodation of prisoners in double cells with limited toilet screening or no toilet seats.
- Outstanding estate maintenance issues including poor ventilation, missing door screens, broken exercise equipment, and poor drainage.
- Shortages of basic bedding and clothing for new arrivals.
- Delays and lack of communication regarding prisoner complaints, especially those related to previous prisons.
- Poor handling and loss of prisoners' property, particularly during transfers, which is a national systemic issue.
- Sharp increase in healthcare applications and unacceptably long waiting times for non-urgent and specialist appointments.
- Issues with medication administration, including delays and men going without essential medication.
- Lack of transparency in healthcare performance data and complaints, coupled with a significant discrepancy in complaint response times between the prison and healthcare providers.
- Concerns about the attitude and empathy of some healthcare staff.
- Under-resourced chaplaincy team with staffing gaps.
- A significant rise in prisoners on the basic regime, which is very restrictive and poses mental health challenges.
- Inconsistent use of body-worn video cameras during use of force incidents.
- Occasional accommodation of prisoners in double cells with limited toilet screening or no toilet seats.
- Outstanding estate maintenance issues including poor ventilation, missing door screens, broken exercise equipment, and poor drainage.
- Shortages of basic bedding and clothing for new arrivals.
- Delays and lack of communication regarding prisoner complaints, especially those related to previous prisons.
- Poor handling and loss of prisoners' property, particularly during transfers, which is a national systemic issue.
- Sharp increase in healthcare applications and unacceptably long waiting times for non-urgent and specialist appointments.
- Issues with medication administration, including delays and men going without essential medication.
- Lack of transparency in healthcare performance data and complaints, coupled with a significant discrepancy in complaint response times between the prison and healthcare providers.
- Concerns about the attitude and empathy of some healthcare staff.
- Under-resourced chaplaincy team with staffing gaps.
- A significant rise in prisoners on the basic regime, which is very restrictive and poses mental health challenges.
- Inconsistent use of body-worn video cameras during use of force incidents.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 158
Staff assaults: 28
HMP Lancaster Farms, a Category C prison for up to 560 men, maintained a largely safe and humane environment despite operating at maximum capacity. The report highlights successes in healthcare provision and purposeful activity, alongside ongoing issues with staffing shortages that curtail the regime. Key concerns include high self-harm rates, increased violence, estate maintenance, ineffective key worker schemes, and significant waiting times for healthcare and mental health transfers.
Key concerns identified
- The continuation of high levels of self-harm among prisoners with complex mental health needs, who often remain in the establishment rather than being transferred to specialist facilities.
- Spikes in violence, prisoner debt, substance misuse, and a doubling of use of force incidents.
- Inadequate privacy in double cells, lack of toilet seats, and prisoners forced to eat next to toilets during lockdowns.
- Persistent estate maintenance issues, including poor cell ventilation, broken equipment in exercise yards, and poor drainage.
- Delayed and inconsistent responses to prisoner complaints, with a lack of updates provided to prisoners.
- The ongoing issue of lost or delayed prisoner property during transfers between prisons, causing significant anxiety.
- Half-empty classrooms and underutilisation of workshops, indicating a need for increased purposeful activity and association time.
- Constraints and costs associated with social video calls, impacting family contact for prisoners from distant areas.
- The frequent curtailment of the prison regime, particularly evening and weekend activities, due to limited staff availability and the deployment of Lancaster Farms staff to other prisons.
- The ineffective key worker scheme, with prisoners often unaware of their key worker or not receiving regular contact.
- The under-resourced chaplaincy team, with several faith groups lacking designated chaplains.
- Extended waiting times for healthcare, with GP appointments up to three weeks and dental appointments up to 17 weeks.
- A high proportion (43%) of neurodivergent prisoners requiring additional assessment and support, with concerns about staff awareness and impact on incentive schemes.
- Staffing pressures due to vacancies and sickness, resulting in the prison running on only 60% of relevant staffing for offender management.
- Spikes in violence, prisoner debt, substance misuse, and a doubling of use of force incidents.
- Inadequate privacy in double cells, lack of toilet seats, and prisoners forced to eat next to toilets during lockdowns.
- Persistent estate maintenance issues, including poor cell ventilation, broken equipment in exercise yards, and poor drainage.
- Delayed and inconsistent responses to prisoner complaints, with a lack of updates provided to prisoners.
- The ongoing issue of lost or delayed prisoner property during transfers between prisons, causing significant anxiety.
- Half-empty classrooms and underutilisation of workshops, indicating a need for increased purposeful activity and association time.
- Constraints and costs associated with social video calls, impacting family contact for prisoners from distant areas.
- The frequent curtailment of the prison regime, particularly evening and weekend activities, due to limited staff availability and the deployment of Lancaster Farms staff to other prisons.
- The ineffective key worker scheme, with prisoners often unaware of their key worker or not receiving regular contact.
- The under-resourced chaplaincy team, with several faith groups lacking designated chaplains.
- Extended waiting times for healthcare, with GP appointments up to three weeks and dental appointments up to 17 weeks.
- A high proportion (43%) of neurodivergent prisoners requiring additional assessment and support, with concerns about staff awareness and impact on incentive schemes.
- Staffing pressures due to vacancies and sickness, resulting in the prison running on only 60% of relevant staffing for offender management.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 14
Staff assaults: 6
HMP Lancaster Farms, a category C resettlement prison, has largely provided a safe environment, though some pandemic regime restrictions were slow to lift. While primary healthcare is reasonable, mental health provision faces significant challenges due to staffing and a lack of specialist transfer capacity. Key worker contact and prisoner property management remain ongoing concerns for the Board, alongside issues of cell decency and delayed purposeful activity opportunities.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of self-harm among a small number of prisoners with complex mental health needs, who remain at the establishment due to lack of specialist provision.
- Inconsistent key worker contact, with prisoners sometimes unaware of their key worker or not receiving regular meetings.
- Persistent issues with accommodation decency, including broken toilet screens, lack of toilet seats in double cells, poor ventilation in some cells, and drainage problems.
- Delays and lack of communication regarding prisoner complaints, especially those related to previous prisons or property transfers.
- Significant issues with prisoner property management, including losses or delays during transfers and confusion over parcels.
- Challenges in mental healthcare provision, including staffing levels and difficulties transferring prisoners with severe mental illness to specialist units.
- Delays in reintroducing offending behaviour programmes, hindering progression for prisoners seeking re-categorisation.
- Inconsistent key worker contact, with prisoners sometimes unaware of their key worker or not receiving regular meetings.
- Persistent issues with accommodation decency, including broken toilet screens, lack of toilet seats in double cells, poor ventilation in some cells, and drainage problems.
- Delays and lack of communication regarding prisoner complaints, especially those related to previous prisons or property transfers.
- Significant issues with prisoner property management, including losses or delays during transfers and confusion over parcels.
- Challenges in mental healthcare provision, including staffing levels and difficulties transferring prisoners with severe mental illness to specialist units.
- Delays in reintroducing offending behaviour programmes, hindering progression for prisoners seeking re-categorisation.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 220
Assaults: 49
Staff assaults: 32
HMP Lancaster Farms, a Category C resettlement prison, successfully managed Covid-19 risks and saw reductions in violence and self-harm during the reporting year. However, the Board remains concerned by prolonged periods of in-cell confinement, limited purposeful activity, and significant challenges in mental healthcare provision exacerbated by staffing shortages and difficulties in specialist transfers. Persistent issues include property transfer problems, inadequate toilet screening in double cells, and inconsistent communication with prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of self-harm continue among a small number of prisoners with complex mental health needs, who often remain at the establishment due to a lack of specialist facilities.
- Enforced confinement in cells for over 20 hours per day, a consequence of the pandemic regime and staffing shortages, is inconsistent with humane treatment and negatively impacts prisoners' mental health and access to purposeful activity.
- The estate has ongoing maintenance issues including poor ventilation, drainage, and lack of decency in double cells (missing toilet screens/seats).
- The provision of mental healthcare services is hindered by staffing shortages and the cessation of group therapies, while transfers to specialist mental health facilities remain difficult and slow.
- Ineffective communication with prisoners, particularly regarding complaints, programme availability, and recategorisation decisions, causes frustration.
- Frequent loss and delays in transferring prisoners' property, particularly between establishments, causes significant stress and absorbs scarce resources.
- Educational, vocational, and offending behaviour programs have been severely reduced due to pandemic restrictions and staffing issues, impeding resettlement and progression.
- The Board is not consistently informed about critical incidents, such as PAVA deployment, deaths in custody, or special cell use, despite agreed processes.
- Food hygiene logs are not consistently completed, and food temperatures are not routinely logged.
- Enforced confinement in cells for over 20 hours per day, a consequence of the pandemic regime and staffing shortages, is inconsistent with humane treatment and negatively impacts prisoners' mental health and access to purposeful activity.
- The estate has ongoing maintenance issues including poor ventilation, drainage, and lack of decency in double cells (missing toilet screens/seats).
- The provision of mental healthcare services is hindered by staffing shortages and the cessation of group therapies, while transfers to specialist mental health facilities remain difficult and slow.
- Ineffective communication with prisoners, particularly regarding complaints, programme availability, and recategorisation decisions, causes frustration.
- Frequent loss and delays in transferring prisoners' property, particularly between establishments, causes significant stress and absorbs scarce resources.
- Educational, vocational, and offending behaviour programs have been severely reduced due to pandemic restrictions and staffing issues, impeding resettlement and progression.
- The Board is not consistently informed about critical incidents, such as PAVA deployment, deaths in custody, or special cell use, despite agreed processes.
- Food hygiene logs are not consistently completed, and food temperatures are not routinely logged.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 399
HMP Lancaster Farms, a Category C resettlement prison, maintained a safe environment despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly reduced violence and drug use through an emergency regime. However, this regime led to extensive confinement, severely impacting purposeful activity, education, and family contact, raising concerns about humane treatment and mental health. The Board highlighted persistent issues with self-harm, use of force, inadequate mental health staffing, property management, and accommodation, while also noting improvements in complaints handling and key worker interactions.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of self-harm, especially among a small number of prisoners with complex mental health needs, who are not being transferred to specialist facilities.
- The high number of use of force incidents by prison staff, despite the emergency regime.
- Long-term confinement to cells for 22+ hours daily, raising concerns about humane treatment and mental health impact.
- Continued accommodation of a minority of prisoners in double cells without toilet screening, despite this being a long-standing issue.
- Significant outstanding issues with accommodation, including poor ventilation in some cells and inadequate facilities (electricity, drainage, exercise yards) in the CSU.
- Delays in responding to prisoner complaints, particularly those involving transfers, and inadequate updates to prisoners.
- Persistent problems with the management of prisoner property during transfers, an issue recurring for years.
- Inadequate staffing and physical space for mental health services, leading to long wait times and difficulties in supporting vulnerable prisoners.
- The cessation of drug rehabilitation work due to regime changes.
- Significant disruption and reduction in education provision, vocational courses, and offending behaviour programmes, hindering progression and resettlement.
- Ineffectiveness of "Purple Visits" due to delays, technical difficulties, and lack of privacy, impacting family contact.
- Lack of timely provision of wheelchairs for prisoners with reduced mobility.
- Incomplete food hygiene logs on wings.
- The high number of use of force incidents by prison staff, despite the emergency regime.
- Long-term confinement to cells for 22+ hours daily, raising concerns about humane treatment and mental health impact.
- Continued accommodation of a minority of prisoners in double cells without toilet screening, despite this being a long-standing issue.
- Significant outstanding issues with accommodation, including poor ventilation in some cells and inadequate facilities (electricity, drainage, exercise yards) in the CSU.
- Delays in responding to prisoner complaints, particularly those involving transfers, and inadequate updates to prisoners.
- Persistent problems with the management of prisoner property during transfers, an issue recurring for years.
- Inadequate staffing and physical space for mental health services, leading to long wait times and difficulties in supporting vulnerable prisoners.
- The cessation of drug rehabilitation work due to regime changes.
- Significant disruption and reduction in education provision, vocational courses, and offending behaviour programmes, hindering progression and resettlement.
- Ineffectiveness of "Purple Visits" due to delays, technical difficulties, and lack of privacy, impacting family contact.
- Lack of timely provision of wheelchairs for prisoners with reduced mobility.
- Incomplete food hygiene logs on wings.
Lancaster Farms
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Lancaster Farms is largely well-managed, but the Board highlights several areas of concern. Key issues include rising self-harm and violent incidents, inadequate facilities and activities for segregated prisoners, and a shortage of purposeful activity places. While some improvements in healthcare and education were noted, the Board remains concerned about property transfers, accommodation standards, and resettlement provisions.
Key concerns identified
- Urgent consideration is needed for the increasing number of self-harm incidents, particularly those associated with individuals facing mental health difficulties.
- The bleak and untidy condition of CSU exercise yards and the lack of in-cell work/education within the CSU are concerning.
- A shortage of wheelchairs unfairly affects prisoners with reduced mobility, limiting access to activities.
- The policy of reclassifying individual isolating prisoners as 'refusers' if they do not identify threats needs urgent review.
- The use of the First Night Unit to accommodate vulnerable and disruptive prisoners alongside first-nighters raises doubts about humane treatment.
- Continued difficulties with the transfer and loss of prisoners' property between establishments remain a significant issue.
- The continued use of double cells with unscreened toilets is inconsistent with humane treatment.
- There was a significant deterioration in the timeliness of complaints handling, raising concerns about resource allocation.
- The number of reported violent incidents (prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff) increased significantly.
- The decline in trained Listeners to just two and the lack of access to Samaritans telephones at night are serious concerns.
- There is a lack of provision for educational courses beyond levels 1 and 2.
- Overall, there are not enough work and education places available, largely due to budget constraints.
- Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) is rarely used, despite the prison's designation as a resettlement prison.
- There is a regrettable lack of ICT provision in learning areas and assistance with ICT-based applications for housing benefit and job searches.
- The absence of social care staff and serious concerns regarding the provision of palliative care are noted.
- The bleak and untidy condition of CSU exercise yards and the lack of in-cell work/education within the CSU are concerning.
- A shortage of wheelchairs unfairly affects prisoners with reduced mobility, limiting access to activities.
- The policy of reclassifying individual isolating prisoners as 'refusers' if they do not identify threats needs urgent review.
- The use of the First Night Unit to accommodate vulnerable and disruptive prisoners alongside first-nighters raises doubts about humane treatment.
- Continued difficulties with the transfer and loss of prisoners' property between establishments remain a significant issue.
- The continued use of double cells with unscreened toilets is inconsistent with humane treatment.
- There was a significant deterioration in the timeliness of complaints handling, raising concerns about resource allocation.
- The number of reported violent incidents (prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff) increased significantly.
- The decline in trained Listeners to just two and the lack of access to Samaritans telephones at night are serious concerns.
- There is a lack of provision for educational courses beyond levels 1 and 2.
- Overall, there are not enough work and education places available, largely due to budget constraints.
- Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) is rarely used, despite the prison's designation as a resettlement prison.
- There is a regrettable lack of ICT provision in learning areas and assistance with ICT-based applications for housing benefit and job searches.
- The absence of social care staff and serious concerns regarding the provision of palliative care are noted.