IMB Annual Reports

- Inconsistent and poor quality responses to prisoner complaints and issues raised in adjudications, reflecting a lack of respect and empathy.
- Poor professional standards and behaviours among some middle and senior managers, including bad language, poor meeting attendance, and inconsistent application of rules, leading to diminished trust.
- Ongoing issues with medication distribution due to lack of operational staff availability, and concerns that social care needs are not promptly assessed.
- Challenges relating to the significant change in role for the men's prison to predominantly remand, requiring timely resourcing and a differentiated regime.
- Inadequate climate control within the prison, with heating failures in cold months and fan shortages in hot months.
- Insufficient focus on employment skills opportunities for men, and a need for more work on the wellbeing of older prisoners and open-air access for women.

- The adverse impact of population pressures, staff shortages, management changes, and lack of good-quality, purposeful activity on prisoners, leading to restricted regime, curtailed exercise, and poor morale.
- Gaps in how the healthcare unit deals with patient complaints and a lack of communication addressing prisoners’ concerns, with healthcare being the principal reason for IMB applications.
- Inconsistent delivery of key work to the required standard.
- A very long waiting list for mental healthcare provision, and the prison was without a psychiatrist for much of the reporting year.
- Too many prisoners with severe mental health issues having to be restricted in the healthcare unit, or segregated in the care and separation unit, often for long periods.
- Managers’ responses to complaints are too often considered to be incomplete, terse and dismissive.

- The pervasive lack of a decent and rehabilitative regime, with frequent curtailment of time out of cell and disproportionate facility closures in the women's prison.
- Severe staff shortages, high sickness levels, and instability in both frontline and management teams, impacting all aspects of prison life.
- Ongoing challenges with the new healthcare provider, including staffing, timely medication, and a significant number of unresolved patient complaints.
- The persistent poor quality and insufficient provision of education, work, and skills opportunities.
- Delays in the enactment of the Mental Health Bill and a continued lack of suitable approved accommodation for women on release.

- The number of prisoners showing extreme symptoms of mental illness who are inappropriately held in prison, leading to inhumane suffering and a strain on staff.
- Prisoner on prisoner fights have nearly doubled in the last year.
- Healthcare services are poorly integrated due to multiple contracts, leading to communication issues and delays in essential medication and hospital referrals.
- Key worker allocation and contact has been less than expected, with insufficient time for staff and low prisoner awareness of the system.
- The prevalence of psychoactive drugs, like spice, despite measures to control their entry.
- Securing ample post-release accommodation remains a significant challenge.

- The number of prisoners showing extreme symptoms of mental illness, who should be diverted to appropriate healthcare.
- Prisoners being left without prescribed medications for days or weeks upon arrival or transfer, leading to anxiety and self-harm.
- Inadequate climate control in cells, with insufficient fans in summer and heating issues in winter.
- The inconsistent quality and compliance of key worker allocation and contact, with some prisoners unaware of the system.
- Concerning delays in arranging assessment and admission to hospital for mentally unwell prisoners.
- Staff shortages leading to curtailment of the regime, particularly at weekends and impacting library access.
- Delays in risk assessments for Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) applications due to Community Offender Management (COM) input.
- Securing ample post-release accommodation remains a significant challenge.
- Unserviceable key kitchen equipment causing strain on meal provision.
- Shortage of smaller/petite size clothing options for prisoners.
- Bland and "stodgy" food, with requests for more salads and fruit.
- Insufficient staff resources to consistently and promptly process social video call applications for family contact.
- Significant postal delays causing distress and frustration, likely due to staff shortages.

- The length of time some remand prisoners are held.
- Gaps and restrictions in resettlement services following the handover from CRCs to NPS, with further reductions planned.
- Widespread perception among prisoners that all Healthcare services (Clinical, Mental, and substance misuse) are not up to the expected standard.
- Difficulties processing and delivering prisoner property and mail, exacerbated by staff shortages.
- Lack of suitable clinic and group rooms for mental health provision and a shortage of mental health hospital beds for transfers.
- The key worker system remains ineffective for some prisoners, with limited evidence of improved outcomes.

- The Board remains concerned at the number of women serving very short sentences.
- The handover from community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) to the National Probation Service (NPS) left gaps in provision of resettlement services, and NPS will be restricting their activities further.
- The restitution of a robust key work system whereby women are aware of this support and know their assigned key worker.
- Further progress on adapting the prison’s regime and practice to suit the needs of women better.
- The widespread perception among prisoners that all Healthcare services (Clinical, Mental, and substance misuse) are not up to the standard expected.

- Lack of suitable accommodation for prisoners on release, exacerbated by the absence of support agencies in the prison.
- A significant number of prisoners are held in separation and care units without the necessary mental health inputs or suitable programs of care.
- Concerns regarding the expectations for the future 'full regime' and its potential impact on prisoners' lives.
- The key worker scheme needs to return to its normal operation as soon as possible, with increased awareness and contact for residents.
- Dentistry services were suspended for longer than in the community, causing residents to tolerate painful conditions.
- There is limited psychologist support available on site.

- Lack of proactive national support from HMPPS for complex needs residents.
- Need for a robust key work system where women know and feel supported by their assigned key worker.
- Further progress needed on adapting the prison’s regime and practice to suit the needs of women better.
- Concerns about the lack of cells meeting the needs of prisoners with disabilities.
- Five residents exceeded 42 days in segregation due to lack of alternative secure accommodation.
- Suspension of dental services for longer than in the community, causing painful conditions.

- The handling of prisoners’ property continues to be problematic, both within the prison and on transfer.
- In-cell toilets are not adequately screened, particularly in shared cells, and some areas are in need of redecoration; wings are not always clean and tidy.
- Some prisoners are held in the separation and care unit (SCU) for long periods while awaiting transfer.
- There is little evidence of health promotion activities.
- There is not always suitable accommodation for prisoners with disabilities.
- The lack of suitable accommodation for prisoners on release remains a concern.
- The level of illicit substance availability and use, and its consequences for prisoners’ safety, is problematic.

- The lack of suitable accommodation for women on release remains a significant concern, with 36% of women lacking settled accommodation, hindering efforts to reduce reoffending.
- The management of women with complex needs is challenging; some are segregated for long periods with limited regimes, and the prison lacks resources for appropriate interventions and an on-site forensic psychologist.
- Despite increased focus on safety, there has been a significant increase in self-harm incidents (1697 compared to 939 last year), largely from a few prolific self-harmers, and substance misuse remains an issue.
- In-cell toilets are not screened for privacy, particularly in shared cells, and improved in-cell facilities for women with disabilities are required, as wing cells lack essential aids like grab rails and raised toilet seats.
- Equality issues persist, including difficulties in sourcing specific canteen products for Black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners and a high number of racial discrimination reports (46 out of 76).
- The poor quality of mattresses and difficulty obtaining replacements are noted complaints impacting prisoner well-being.