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.
Peterborough (men)
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 436
Assaults: 184
Staff assaults: 97
HMP/YOI Peterborough (Men) is a category B remand, local and reception/resettlement prison run by Sodexo Justice Services, with an operational capacity of 944. The reporting year was challenging due to population pressures, staff shortages, and management changes, resulting in a restricted regime and impacted prisoner morale. Despite efforts to maintain safety, concerns persist regarding purposeful activity, healthcare provision, and the quality of key work.
Key concerns identified
- 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.
- 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.
Peterborough (men)
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 420
Assaults: 166
Staff assaults: 82
HMP/YOI Peterborough (Men) is generally well-led with a disciplined and fair regime and positive staff-prisoner relationships. However, the Board is extremely concerned about the inhumane treatment of prisoners with severe mental illness who are inappropriately held in prison. Other key issues include a near doubling of prisoner-on-prisoner fights, poorly integrated healthcare services, and challenges with key worker engagement and post-release accommodation.
Key concerns identified
- 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.
- 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.
Peterborough (Men)
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 452
Assaults: 175
Staff assaults: 77
HMP Peterborough operated under significant Covid-19 restrictions, impacting regime and staffing, yet saw a welcome continued decrease in violence and self-harm incidents. Concerns persist regarding the adequacy of healthcare services, resettlement provision post-CRC transition, and the length of time some remand prisoners are held. The prison demonstrated strengths in staff commitment, SEN provision, and resettlement accommodation outcomes, while acknowledging ongoing challenges in staff retention and property management.
Key concerns identified
- 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.
- 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.
Peterborough (Men)
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 485
Assaults: 163
Staff assaults: 66
HMP/YOI Peterborough (Men) operated under restricted Covid-19 regimes for the entire reporting year, impacting daily routines and rehabilitation. Despite this, the prison received credit for managing the pandemic well, leading to good safety outcomes, including significant reductions in violence and self-harm. Key concerns persist regarding resettlement accommodation, mental health provision in segregation, the future 'full regime,' and the full return of the key worker scheme.
Key concerns identified
- 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.
- 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.
Peterborough (Men)
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 690
The IMB at HMP Peterborough (Men) found that prisoners are generally treated fairly and humanely, with a good regime offering an average of 10.5 hours out of cell daily. The prison has an operational capacity of 868 and held 22 IPP prisoners. Positive developments include a decrease in assaults, improved healthcare, and effective resettlement support through initiatives like Outside Links. Key concerns include the persistent issue of lost property, inadequate screening of in-cell toilets, long periods spent in segregation for some individuals, and the difficulty in securing suitable accommodation upon release.
Key concerns identified
- 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.
- 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.