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.
Manchester
PRISON
Manchester
PRISON
Manchester
PRISON
North West and Midlands STHF
PRISON
Concerns
The North West and Midlands STHF IMB monitors multiple short-term holding facilities, including residential, port, and reporting centre locations. The Board highlights commendable aspects like care for children and professional detainee inductions, but expresses significant concerns regarding detainee welfare. Key issues include a lack of access to personal medication, inadequate medical provision outside Manchester RSTHF, compromised safety and dignity for women and during transfers, and poor conditions at some facilities like East Midlands Airport.
Key concerns identified
- Detained individuals are consistently denied access to their own medication across facilities.
- Most facilities lack full-time medical professionals, relying on emergency NHS services for healthcare needs, which the Board finds unsatisfactory.
- The safety and dignity of women are compromised by being housed in a corridor with male accommodation at Manchester RSTHF.
- Holyhead Port lacks a secure vehicle bay, leading to transfers being conducted in public view and a low rail near the dock posing a safety risk.
- East Midlands Airport's holding room is inadequate, lacking hot food, a television, and essential safety/security upgrades like CCTV, with detainees sometimes held in the Controlled Waiting Area.
- There is a concern regarding the slow rectification of structural and equipment deficiencies across all facilities, exemplified by cold and draughty conditions at Birmingham Airport.
- A consistent approach to control and restraint training needs rolling out to all staff for uniformity across the estate.
- Most facilities lack full-time medical professionals, relying on emergency NHS services for healthcare needs, which the Board finds unsatisfactory.
- The safety and dignity of women are compromised by being housed in a corridor with male accommodation at Manchester RSTHF.
- Holyhead Port lacks a secure vehicle bay, leading to transfers being conducted in public view and a low rail near the dock posing a safety risk.
- East Midlands Airport's holding room is inadequate, lacking hot food, a television, and essential safety/security upgrades like CCTV, with detainees sometimes held in the Controlled Waiting Area.
- There is a concern regarding the slow rectification of structural and equipment deficiencies across all facilities, exemplified by cold and draughty conditions at Birmingham Airport.
- A consistent approach to control and restraint training needs rolling out to all staff for uniformity across the estate.
North West and Midlands STHF
PRISON
Concerns
This IMB report for Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) highlights an increase in both Board membership and visits, alongside a rise in the number of people detained during 2023. Key concerns include significant safety risks for female detainees at Manchester RSTHF due to co-location with male Foreign National Offenders and a general lack of essential provisions like hot food, CCTV, and prompt access to prescribed medication in other facilities. The report also notes delays in addressing maintenance issues and reliance on external emergency services for medical needs.
Key concerns identified
- The co-location of female detainees with male Foreign National Offenders transferred from prisons at Manchester Residential STHF poses a high safety risk.
- East Midlands Airport holding room lacks fitted and operational CCTV, hot food, and television facilities.
- There is no secure vehicle bay at Holyhead Port for the transfer of detainees, compromising safety and dignity.
- Significant delays in rectifying structural and equipment deficiencies across facilities.
- Detained individuals are still being denied access to prescribed medication in holding rooms.
- Most facilities rely on NHS ambulance services for medical advice, lacking dedicated medical professionals.
- Detainees at Holyhead Port are visible to the public during transfers, impacting privacy and dignity.
- The practice of holding detainees in Controlled Waiting Areas at East Midlands Airport rather than proper holding rooms.
- East Midlands Airport holding room lacks fitted and operational CCTV, hot food, and television facilities.
- There is no secure vehicle bay at Holyhead Port for the transfer of detainees, compromising safety and dignity.
- Significant delays in rectifying structural and equipment deficiencies across facilities.
- Detained individuals are still being denied access to prescribed medication in holding rooms.
- Most facilities rely on NHS ambulance services for medical advice, lacking dedicated medical professionals.
- Detainees at Holyhead Port are visible to the public during transfers, impacting privacy and dignity.
- The practice of holding detainees in Controlled Waiting Areas at East Midlands Airport rather than proper holding rooms.
North West and Midlands STHF
PRISON
Concerns
The Board has resumed actual visits to most locations, with two exceptions, and consists of three active members who continue their duties robustly, despite being under-strength. Key concerns include the persistent issue of detainees being denied access to prescribed medication in facilities without full-time medical professionals, and the slow rectification of structural and equipment deficiencies. Positive developments include the resolution of airside pass issuance and observations of humane and professional treatment of detainees.
Key concerns identified
- Denial of access to prescribed medication for detainees in holding rooms and reporting centres, a concern repeated for five years.
- Lack of full-time medical professionals at facilities other than Manchester RSTHF, leading to reliance on ambulance services.
- Slow pace in rectifying structural and equipment deficiencies across all monitored facilities.
- Excessive and repeated transfers of female detainees between Derwentside and southern IRCs.
- The Board is significantly under-strength in active members.
- Restrictive office space for DCOs at some reporting centres, impacting duties like searches.
- Lack of full-time medical professionals at facilities other than Manchester RSTHF, leading to reliance on ambulance services.
- Slow pace in rectifying structural and equipment deficiencies across all monitored facilities.
- Excessive and repeated transfers of female detainees between Derwentside and southern IRCs.
- The Board is significantly under-strength in active members.
- Restrictive office space for DCOs at some reporting centres, impacting duties like searches.
Manchester
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Manchester navigated a challenging year with ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and its transition to a Category B training prison. While commendations were noted for efforts in safety and equality, persistent staffing shortages severely impacted regime consistency, prisoner treatment, and access to services. Key concerns highlighted delays in vital estate improvements, an unacceptable wait for dental care, and significant issues with prisoner property and escorts to healthcare appointments.
Key concerns identified
- The physical estate continues to cause concern, with delayed installation of safety windows and unresolved central tower repair leading to litter accumulation.
- Inadequate and fluctuating staffing levels hinder fair and humane treatment, key worker provision, and escorting prisoners to medical appointments.
- An unacceptable 70-day waiting time for dental treatment persists.
- Category A, segregation, and CSC prisoners face challenges in attending medical appointments due to insufficient escort staff.
- Use of force documents are not consistently completed within the mandatory 72-hour timeframe.
- Property-related complaints remain high, including delays in transfers from other prisons and issues with internal property movements.
- Self-harm incidents increased significantly as Covid restrictions eased, suggesting prisoners feel less safe in a more open regime.
- Purposeful activity and education delivery are inconsistent and limited due to staff shortages and the prison's changing function.
- Short-sentence prisoners have minimal opportunities for progression, and many are unclear about their sentence plans or offender manager support.
- Inadequate and fluctuating staffing levels hinder fair and humane treatment, key worker provision, and escorting prisoners to medical appointments.
- An unacceptable 70-day waiting time for dental treatment persists.
- Category A, segregation, and CSC prisoners face challenges in attending medical appointments due to insufficient escort staff.
- Use of force documents are not consistently completed within the mandatory 72-hour timeframe.
- Property-related complaints remain high, including delays in transfers from other prisons and issues with internal property movements.
- Self-harm incidents increased significantly as Covid restrictions eased, suggesting prisoners feel less safe in a more open regime.
- Purposeful activity and education delivery are inconsistent and limited due to staff shortages and the prison's changing function.
- Short-sentence prisoners have minimal opportunities for progression, and many are unclear about their sentence plans or offender manager support.
North and Midlands Short Term Holding Facilities
PRISON
Concerns
This IMB annual report for North & Midlands Short-Term Holding Facilities highlights ongoing concerns regarding healthcare provision, particularly the lack of access to prescribed medication and the absence of full-time medical professionals in most facilities. The Board's ability to monitor airside holding rooms remains compromised by issues with airport passes. Despite these challenges, the Board observed humane and dignified treatment of detainees by staff.
Key concerns identified
- Detained individuals are still being denied access to their prescribed medication in holding rooms and reporting centres.
- Most facilities lack a full-time medical professional, relying on ambulance services for medical advice.
- The Board is unable to conduct visits to airside areas at Manchester and Birmingham Airports due to persistent issues with airside pass issuance.
- The IMB Board remains under-strength, and delays in the ministerial appointment process for new members compromise the Board's viability.
- Most facilities lack a full-time medical professional, relying on ambulance services for medical advice.
- The Board is unable to conduct visits to airside areas at Manchester and Birmingham Airports due to persistent issues with airside pass issuance.
- The IMB Board remains under-strength, and delays in the ministerial appointment process for new members compromise the Board's viability.
Manchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 327
Assaults: 49
Staff assaults: 56
HMP Manchester's reporting year (ending Feb 2021) was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and its re-categorisation to a Category B training prison. While the reduced population saw a positive decrease in violence and self-harm, the pandemic severely impacted the regime, leading to curtailed purposeful activity and extended periods of cell confinement. The Board expressed significant concern over the mental health of prisoners awaiting secure hospital transfers, highlighting unacceptable waiting times.
Key concerns identified
- Mental Health transfers / Prolonged segregation of vulnerable prisoners
- Persistent loss of prisoner property and poor record-keeping
- Inconsistent property rules regarding catalogue items and property windows
- Continued issue of drug packages being thrown over the perimeter wall
- Lack of transparency and record-keeping for healthcare triage appointments
- Extended periods without heating and hot water on residential wings
- Persistent loss of prisoner property and poor record-keeping
- Inconsistent property rules regarding catalogue items and property windows
- Continued issue of drug packages being thrown over the perimeter wall
- Lack of transparency and record-keeping for healthcare triage appointments
- Extended periods without heating and hot water on residential wings
Manchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 787
Assaults: 236
Staff assaults: 112
HMP Manchester is undergoing a transition from a local to a Category B training prison, leading to a reduced population and staff restructuring. The Board expresses significant concerns over persistent regime curtailments, a substantial increase in self-harm incidents, and the prolonged retention of prisoners with severe mental health needs due to transfer delays. While some improvements like in-cell telephones and a new Governor boosting staff morale are noted, challenges persist with an aging estate, vermin infestation, and staffing shortages.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent regime curtailments and lack of purposeful activity, resulting in prisoners spending excessive hours in their cells.
- Significant increase in self-harm incidents and a proportional rise in prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults.
- Prolonged retention of prisoners with severe mental health issues awaiting specialist transfers in an unsuitable prison environment.
- Deteriorating state of the aging estate, including vermin infestation, outstanding repairs, and inadequate dining facilities.
- Ongoing staff resourcing challenges, high staff sickness, and a largely inexperienced workforce impacting regime delivery.
- Recurring issues with lost prisoner property and the unsatisfactory quality of responses to prisoner complaints.
- Significant increase in self-harm incidents and a proportional rise in prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults.
- Prolonged retention of prisoners with severe mental health issues awaiting specialist transfers in an unsuitable prison environment.
- Deteriorating state of the aging estate, including vermin infestation, outstanding repairs, and inadequate dining facilities.
- Ongoing staff resourcing challenges, high staff sickness, and a largely inexperienced workforce impacting regime delivery.
- Recurring issues with lost prisoner property and the unsatisfactory quality of responses to prisoner complaints.