IMB Annual Reports

- The increased number of complex and mentally unwell prisoners compromises safety, leading to high self-harm rates and an increased number of deaths in custody.
- Long-standing maintenance and repair delays across the prison estate, particularly in the houses, compromise decency standards and pose fire safety risks.
- Lack of consistent staff supervision on the houses and inadequate staffing for escorts impacts safety, prisoner access to support, and regime delivery.
- Significant delays in transferring severely unwell prisoners to appropriate mental health placements and insecure medication storage remain critical issues.
- The incentives scheme is not robust or fair, and opportunities for prisoner voice and effective monitoring of equality and diversity have declined.
- Insufficient activity spaces and significant pressure on finding accommodation for prisoners on release, exacerbated by short-term recall prisoners.

- Styal recorded the highest rates of prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults, and the third highest level of self-harm in the female estate.
- Accommodation across the 17 houses remains a key concern, with long-standing maintenance delays, inadequate facilities, and insufficient seating and bathrooms.
- Concerns are increasing about the use of segregation for prisoners with complex mental health needs due to a lack of community mental health facilities.
- Spectrum has struggled to consistently provide safe and timely medication administration, exacerbated by healthcare staffing shortages and regime demands.
- There's a notable increase in prisoners with complex health and mental health conditions, straining healthcare and social care services.
- The prison continues to fail in providing prisoners their statutory entitlement of 30 minutes per week in the library.
- Attendance at work and education is insufficient, and the prison lacks enough activity spaces for all eligible prisoners.
- Significant pressure exists in finding suitable accommodation for prisoners upon release.

- Staffing shortages and inexperience have compromised safety, consistency of regime, and access to key work and activities.
- HMP/YOI Styal has the highest rates of prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults, and the third highest self-harm in the female estate, largely due to an unpredictable regime.
- The prison continues to receive individuals with severe mental health needs, for whom specialist facilities are lacking, placing undue pressure on prison resources.
- Accommodation in residential houses remains a key concern due to ongoing maintenance issues, inadequate facilities, and a lack of decency, particularly regarding toilets and bathrooms.
- Inconsistent and untimely administration of medicine, compounded by inadequate pharmacy accommodation and staff shortages, negatively impacts prisoners' health access.
- Access to education, vocational training, and the library is hindered by staff availability and regime restrictions, limiting purposeful activity and progression opportunities.

- Staffing capacity issues are critically impacting the regime, healthcare access, and prisoner movement, exacerbated by the need for escorts for the female cohort.
- There is a pressing national need for more specialist psychiatric facilities to manage prisoners with severe mental health problems, who are currently held in unsuitable conditions.
- Decency issues persist in the residential houses, including insufficient toilets and bathrooms, overcrowding, and a general poor state of repair, despite some refurbishment efforts.
- The ban on incoming parcels causes significant distress to prisoners, as the provided alternatives are inadequate in terms of choice, size, and cost.
- There are ongoing concerns about changes to Through the Gate Services contracts, with new external partners lacking requisite experience in post-release accommodation.
- The incentives scheme lacks consistent interpretation and application, making it difficult to monitor its impact and perceived benefits for prisoners.

- There is a significant fire risk in 16 unrefurbished houses at Styal, identified as red risk due to false ceilings, lath and plaster, and non-fire-resistant doors.
- Significant failings in accommodation maintenance continue, with excessive quotations and long delays from external providers, leading to further deterioration and decency issues. This issue was also reported last year.
- Increased resources, including better access to drug dogs and body scanners, are needed to tackle illicit drug traffic, particularly as lockdown restrictions ease.
- The prison is challenged by the need to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems, highlighting a national need for more specialist facilities.
- Greater consideration is required for prison escorts, which exacerbate critical staffing shortages, especially given the complex health needs of female prisoners.
- Concerns exist about changes to Through the Gate Services contracts, including the loss of experienced partners like Shelter, requiring careful monitoring.
- There is insufficient dialogue between healthcare and other prison staff, and the IMB lacks access to analysis of prisoner complaints directly to the healthcare provider.

- Significant failings in accommodation maintenance, leading to deterioration and decency issues, were also reported last year.
- The prison’s safety and security are compromised by inadequate perimeter fencing, reception, gatehouse, and visitor processing areas.
- There is a pressing need for more national specialist facilities for complex prisoners requiring long-term segregation.
- Contracts with external maintenance providers result in excessive quotations, long delays in repairs, and health and safety issues, leaving some areas unusable.
- The prison struggles to manage many prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems and complex needs, housing high-risk prisoners in low-risk accommodation, impacting safety and security (also reported last year).
- There has been an increase in drug use and trade, causing intimidation and bullying, exacerbated by perimeter fencing deficiencies and throw-over packages.
- Attendance at work and education remains an issue, with many unauthorised absences and a downward trend in industry attendance.