IMB Annual Reports

- Six deaths in custody and concerns about learning from previous Prevention of Future Deaths reports.
- Pervasive availability of illicit drugs, high positive MDT rates, and a marked increase in 'code blue' incidents posing significant safety risks.
- Major deficiencies in healthcare provision, including lack of leadership, severe staff shortages (especially mental health and night cover), and long waits for transfers and appointments.
- Significant increase in use of force and persistently high levels of assaults on staff, indicating ongoing safety challenges.
- Chronic understaffing and under-resourcing in probation and psychology departments, impacting rehabilitation, resettlement, and access to purposeful activity.
- Systemic failures in the prisoner complaints system, property management, and informing the IMB of serious incidents.

- The prison is not safe enough, with increasing prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults, a rise in self-harm, in-cell fires, and significant weapons finds, influenced by readily available illegal drugs and inexperienced staff.
- Insufficient oversight and accountability for custody officers, particularly concerning the use of force, with a culture not focused on prisoner needs and support.
- The Care and Separation Unit (CSU) is overused, with too many prisoners segregated for long or very long periods without effective reintegration plans or meaningful regimes, including vulnerable ACCT prisoners.
- A lack of meaningful education programmes, full-time work, and structured on-wing activity has led to prisoners spending long periods in their cells.
- The prison complaints system was not fully effective, with significant delays or failures to respond to prisoners' written submissions and Discrimination Incident Reporting Forms (DIRFs).
- Poor living conditions persisted for the majority of the year, with the prison often filthy, strewn with rubbish, and lacking access to cleaning materials for prisoners.
- Healthcare services are under great pressure, with provision delivered to a lower standard than in the community, exacerbated by staff shortages for escorts and a lack of support for prisoners in crisis and at risk of self-harm.
- There is no dedicated resettlement staff or provision for housing support, and a failure to provide sufficient offender behaviour programmes and drug treatment courses compromises prisoner progression and risk reduction.

- Deterioration of safety due to increased assaults, self-harm, weapons, and prevalent drug misuse.
- Significant reduction in purposeful activity and prisoners spending long periods locked in cells.
- Healthcare provision remains below community standards, exacerbated by staff shortages and lack of night cover.
- Staffing challenges, including high resignations, low morale, and reduced prisoner engagement, impacting regime delivery.
- Persistent issues with delayed coroners' inquests and property management.
- The segregation unit holding prisoners for extended periods, including those awaiting mental health transfers.

- Significant increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (almost 50%) and self-harm (10%), with four deaths in custody, meaning the prison feels less safe.
- Prisoners were not given adequate opportunities to attend adjudications in person for 11 months, raising concerns about fair treatment.
- The mental and emotional wellbeing of prisoners is a significant concern due to prolonged periods of time spent in cells.
- Healthcare staffing is critically low (60% of funded posts), leading to increased risk to wellbeing and unacceptable lack of night nursing cover.
- Significant delays in holding coroners' inquests for deaths in custody, with some families waiting four years for answers.
- Persistent and significant delays in finding appropriate treatment and secure beds for prisoners with severe mental health disorders, leading to extended segregation.
- No improvement in the management and handling of prisoners' property during transfers, causing distress and frustration.
- Continuing concerns about the availability of psychoactive and other illicit substances within the prison.
- Significant shortage of probation staff meant many prisoners did not receive sentence planning/reviews.

- Significant delays in finding appropriate treatment and beds in secure mental health units, leading to extended segregation for mentally unwell prisoners.
- Continued issues with the management of prisoners’ property during transfers between establishments.
- The ongoing challenge of managing the import and availability of psychoactive substances and homemade alcohol.
- Delays in the regular use and progression of body worn camera equipment by prison custody officers.
- Lack of progress in schemes supporting IPP prisoners and assisting them towards parole or release.
- The negative impact of prolonged lockdown periods on prisoners' mental health and emotional wellbeing.

- The loss of prisoners’ property on transfer from other prisons.
- The perception that the prisoner information and amenities committee fails to make swift progress on issues.
- Body-worn cameras are not worn as routinely as they should be by staff.
- The key worker scheme is not yet working as consistently as intended.
- Slow progress in the release of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPP).
- The unavailability of appropriate facilities for prisoners with severe mental health issues, leading to extended segregation.
- The relatively slow progress in improving education provision, including a shortfall of six tutors.
- The increasing difficulty in accessing places in local prisons for prisoners nearing release.