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.
Risley
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 852
Assaults: 273
Staff assaults: 82
HMP Risley is one of the largest category C training and resettlement prisons in the UK. The prison continues to be a hub for foreign national prisoners. There was a change in population during the year which resulted in an increase in the number of prisoners arriving compared to the previous period.
Key concerns identified
bullet The IMB continues to be very concerned about the service provided by the maintenance contractors (AMEY) at HMP Risley.
bullet The IMB shares the concern of prison management about the shortfall in activity places for the men.
bullet The IMB is concerned that property remains an issue.
bullet The IMB shares the concern of prison management about the shortfall in activity places for the men.
bullet The IMB is concerned that property remains an issue.
Risley
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,068
Assaults: 337
Staff assaults: 93
HMP Risley, a large Category C training and resettlement prison with a complex population including PCoSOs and foreign nationals, faced significant challenges during the 2022-2024 reporting period. The Board noted extremely high and increasing self-harm rates, poor estate maintenance exacerbated by contractor issues, and insufficient purposeful activity spaces. Positive observations included well-managed mental health provision, improved resettlement planning for some groups, and a well-regarded chaplaincy team, but critical concerns remain regarding safety, infrastructure, and regime provision for the diverse prisoner population.
Key concerns identified
- Extremely high self-harm rates, significantly increasing year-on-year.
- The ongoing complexity and impact of running two parallel regimes.
- Poor fabric and maintenance of accommodation blocks, particularly A, B, C, and D wings, with delays to repairs and issues with contractor performance.
- Ongoing issues with prisoner property, reflected in a high number of applications.
- Lack of dental services for nearly a year, leading to transport needs and long waiting times.
- Insufficient purposeful activity and education spaces for the prison's population size, impacting prisoner progression and time out of cell.
- Delays in resettlement planning for high-risk men and foreign national prisoners.
- Some areas of the prison estate, particularly heating and water systems, are beyond repair and unsuitable for prisoners and staff.
- The ongoing complexity and impact of running two parallel regimes.
- Poor fabric and maintenance of accommodation blocks, particularly A, B, C, and D wings, with delays to repairs and issues with contractor performance.
- Ongoing issues with prisoner property, reflected in a high number of applications.
- Lack of dental services for nearly a year, leading to transport needs and long waiting times.
- Insufficient purposeful activity and education spaces for the prison's population size, impacting prisoner progression and time out of cell.
- Delays in resettlement planning for high-risk men and foreign national prisoners.
- Some areas of the prison estate, particularly heating and water systems, are beyond repair and unsuitable for prisoners and staff.
Risley
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 405
Assaults: 116
Staff assaults: 48
HMP Risley demonstrated high standards in safety, humane treatment, and health and wellbeing during the reporting year ending March 2022. Key improvements included a decline in violence and self-harm incidents, effective staff-prisoner relationships, and successful implementation of an accelerator prison model for resettlement. However, the Board raised concerns regarding persistent property loss issues, the poor state of showers, mental health provision in segregation, and understaffing within the Offender Management Unit.
Key concerns identified
- The ongoing issues regarding the loss of prisoners’ property, especially during transfers between prisons.
- The need for major refurbishment of showers across all wings and consistent provision of hot water and adequate pressure.
- Cell clearances are not carried out promptly when a prisoner moves location, leading to property loss.
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues are held in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU), requiring more appropriate accommodation.
- The Offender Management Unit (OMU) is understaffed, resulting in a backlog of OASys assessments.
- The absence of the Horizon programme for men convicted of sexual offences, which is crucial given the changing population profile.
- Not all areas of the prison are compliant with the Equality Act, particularly concerning disabled prisoners.
- The thinness of mattresses remains an ongoing concern.
- The need for major refurbishment of showers across all wings and consistent provision of hot water and adequate pressure.
- Cell clearances are not carried out promptly when a prisoner moves location, leading to property loss.
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues are held in the Care and Separation Unit (CSU), requiring more appropriate accommodation.
- The Offender Management Unit (OMU) is understaffed, resulting in a backlog of OASys assessments.
- The absence of the Horizon programme for men convicted of sexual offences, which is crucial given the changing population profile.
- Not all areas of the prison are compliant with the Equality Act, particularly concerning disabled prisoners.
- The thinness of mattresses remains an ongoing concern.
Risley
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 386
Assaults: 145
Staff assaults: 67
HMP Risley demonstrates high safety standards with reductions in self-harm and violence, good healthcare provision, and strong equality and diversity initiatives. However, the Board raises significant concerns about long repatriation times for foreign nationals and property management issues. The pandemic severely impacted regime, education, and Key Worker scheme delivery, leading to limited time out of cell and restricted activities.
Key concerns identified
- Long repatriation/deportation timeframes for foreign national prisoners
- Frequent instances of prisoners being transferred to establishments that cannot facilitate required courses for sentence management and rehabilitation
- Ongoing issues with loss of prisoners’ property during transfers and inefficient property provision within the prison
- Board not being called to serious incidents, particularly out of hours, and not being regularly notified of deaths in custody
- Absence of provision of books and/or magazines in reception
- Complaints processes not consistently handled or explained, and inconsistent delivery of induction information (e.g., Board's role, Samaritans, emergency evacuation)
- Cell vents on F wing being inoperable and in need of repair
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues held in the CSU, requiring more appropriate accommodation
- High level of bullying and/or victimisation experienced by prisoners with disabilities
- Lack of intervention programmes for prisoners convicted of sexual offences, requiring transfers to other establishments
- Continual complaints from prisoners about lack of contact with their allocated Offender Managers (POMs)
- Significant delays in telephone call monitoring with no improvement
- Frequent instances of prisoners being transferred to establishments that cannot facilitate required courses for sentence management and rehabilitation
- Ongoing issues with loss of prisoners’ property during transfers and inefficient property provision within the prison
- Board not being called to serious incidents, particularly out of hours, and not being regularly notified of deaths in custody
- Absence of provision of books and/or magazines in reception
- Complaints processes not consistently handled or explained, and inconsistent delivery of induction information (e.g., Board's role, Samaritans, emergency evacuation)
- Cell vents on F wing being inoperable and in need of repair
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues held in the CSU, requiring more appropriate accommodation
- High level of bullying and/or victimisation experienced by prisoners with disabilities
- Lack of intervention programmes for prisoners convicted of sexual offences, requiring transfers to other establishments
- Continual complaints from prisoners about lack of contact with their allocated Offender Managers (POMs)
- Significant delays in telephone call monitoring with no improvement
Risley
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Risley, a Category C training prison, generally maintains high safety standards and treats prisoners fairly, with improved staffing levels and the successful implementation of a key worker scheme contributing to reduced violence and self-harm. Significant concerns remain regarding the slow progression of foreign national offenders, inadequate showering facilities, frequent loss of prisoner property, and the inappropriate mixing of vulnerable and mainstream prisoners on F wing. The Board highlighted the need for improvements in healthcare response times for self-harm incidents and better support for prisoners with mental health issues in segregation.
Key concerns identified
- Difficulty in speeding up the process for foreign national offenders stuck in the prison system.
- Frequent instances of prisoners being transferred to establishments unable to facilitate required courses for sentence management and rehabilitation.
- A large number of applications regarding loss of prisoners’ property, especially during transfers.
- Showering facilities are problematic due to issues with hot water, pressure, and definite need for maintenance and refurbishment.
- Untimely attendance by healthcare staff to prisoners on ACCT documents following self-harm incidents.
- Concerns about mainstream prisoners being housed with vulnerable prisoners on F wing, leading to safety concerns, bullying, and unacceptable noise.
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues held in the CSU for unacceptable periods.
- Lack of sufficient reading materials in languages other than English and language dictionaries in education.
- Education certificates not being efficiently transferred between establishments.
- Some education portacabins are not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant.
- Frequent instances of prisoners being transferred to establishments unable to facilitate required courses for sentence management and rehabilitation.
- A large number of applications regarding loss of prisoners’ property, especially during transfers.
- Showering facilities are problematic due to issues with hot water, pressure, and definite need for maintenance and refurbishment.
- Untimely attendance by healthcare staff to prisoners on ACCT documents following self-harm incidents.
- Concerns about mainstream prisoners being housed with vulnerable prisoners on F wing, leading to safety concerns, bullying, and unacceptable noise.
- Vulnerable prisoners with mental health issues held in the CSU for unacceptable periods.
- Lack of sufficient reading materials in languages other than English and language dictionaries in education.
- Education certificates not being efficiently transferred between establishments.
- Some education portacabins are not Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant.