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.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 95
Staff assaults: 86
HMP Wakefield is a high-security prison for men, reporting an operational capacity of 744 and a population of 793. The Board noted significant improvements in staff recruitment and key worker sessions, as well as the delivery of healthcare and a varied education curriculum. However, it raises serious concerns regarding prisoner safety, including drone incursions and increased violence. Longstanding issues with delays in mental health transfers to hospitals, inadequate physical infrastructure, and insufficient purposeful activity opportunities for prisoners remain critical areas for development.
Key concerns identified
- The prison continues to be 'less safe', compounded by increasing safety concerns from vulnerable prisoners due to the population mix, and serious threats from drone incursions.
- Significant, longstanding delays persist in assessing and transferring prisoners with serious mental health and personality disorders to secure hospitals, a concern repeated since 2015-2016.
- The physical condition of residential accommodation and overall infrastructure requires upgrading, affecting regime access for prisoners with mobility issues and leading to frustration and regime curtailment.
- Too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities, and there are limited IT and higher-level course provisions, a repeated concern.
- Prisoners do not receive 'in possession' property from reception in a timely manner, which is a repeat issue causing frustration.
- The segregation unit is deemed unsuitable for prisoners with extreme forms of neurodiversity, and staff on the Mulberry unit lack training for co-occurring personality disorders.
- Significant, longstanding delays persist in assessing and transferring prisoners with serious mental health and personality disorders to secure hospitals, a concern repeated since 2015-2016.
- The physical condition of residential accommodation and overall infrastructure requires upgrading, affecting regime access for prisoners with mobility issues and leading to frustration and regime curtailment.
- Too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities, and there are limited IT and higher-level course provisions, a repeated concern.
- Prisoners do not receive 'in possession' property from reception in a timely manner, which is a repeat issue causing frustration.
- The segregation unit is deemed unsuitable for prisoners with extreme forms of neurodiversity, and staff on the Mulberry unit lack training for co-occurring personality disorders.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 665
Assaults: 136
Staff assaults: 136
HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison for around 740 men, saw a significant increase in assaults and self-harm during the reporting year, leading the Board to deem it 'less safe'. Key concerns include persistent delays in mental health transfers, a reduction in experienced staff, and urgent needs for infrastructure upgrades. Despite these challenges, healthcare provision is improving, and the education department is praised for its ambitious curriculum and positive prisoner engagement.
Key concerns identified
- The prison is deemed 'less safe' than previous years due to a significant increase in prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff assaults.
- Serious concerns regarding delays in mental health transfers to secure hospitals for prisoners in urgent need of treatment.
- Ongoing staffing issues, including a reduction in experienced officers, use of detached duty, and unfulfilled key worker sessions impacting prisoner support.
- Urgent need for improvement in the physical security and aging infrastructure of the prison, which also impacts humane living standards and access to full regimes for those with mobility issues.
- Persistent issues with purposeful activity, with too many prisoners not engaged in education or work opportunities, compounded by limited higher-level and IT-specific education.
- Lack of progress in addressing repeated concerns, such as the astroturf pitch and timely property delivery.
- Serious concerns regarding delays in mental health transfers to secure hospitals for prisoners in urgent need of treatment.
- Ongoing staffing issues, including a reduction in experienced officers, use of detached duty, and unfulfilled key worker sessions impacting prisoner support.
- Urgent need for improvement in the physical security and aging infrastructure of the prison, which also impacts humane living standards and access to full regimes for those with mobility issues.
- Persistent issues with purposeful activity, with too many prisoners not engaged in education or work opportunities, compounded by limited higher-level and IT-specific education.
- Lack of progress in addressing repeated concerns, such as the astroturf pitch and timely property delivery.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 429
Assaults: 106
Staff assaults: 61
HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison, is generally considered safe and humane, with observed improvements in healthcare provision. However, the Board noted a significant increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and ongoing concerns regarding staffing experience levels, which impact prisoner safety and support quality. Delays in mental health transfers to secure hospitals remain a major issue, alongside an insufficient purposeful activity regime and challenges with prisoner property management.
Key concerns identified
- Increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and concerns regarding the physical security infrastructure to prevent drone use.
- Significant delays in accessing transfers to secure hospitals for prisoners in urgent need of mental health treatment.
- The staffing profile raises concern due to a reduction in experienced prison officers, impacting quality of support and prisoner safety.
- Too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities, and the astroturf sports pitch has been unavailable for several years.
- The Board is concerned about prisoners substantially over tariff on IPP sentences.
- Challenges persist with the timely receipt of prisoner property and managing prisoners in segregation who refuse to leave.
- Significant delays in accessing transfers to secure hospitals for prisoners in urgent need of mental health treatment.
- The staffing profile raises concern due to a reduction in experienced prison officers, impacting quality of support and prisoner safety.
- Too many prisoners are not meaningfully engaged in education or work opportunities, and the astroturf sports pitch has been unavailable for several years.
- The Board is concerned about prisoners substantially over tariff on IPP sentences.
- Challenges persist with the timely receipt of prisoner property and managing prisoners in segregation who refuse to leave.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 444
Assaults: 51
Staff assaults: 57
HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison for men, is generally considered safe but experienced increases in assaults and use of force. Key concerns include persistent issues with mental health transfers, a lack of robust healthcare complaints processes, and the absence of in-cell telephony. The Board also highlighted unsatisfactory property management and insufficient purposeful activity for prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The IMB raised concerns about the continuing challenges with the assessment and transfer of prisoners with serious mental health and personality disorders to hospital.
- The lack of in-cell telephony significantly impacted prisoners' ability to maintain contact with family and access support, particularly during COVID-19 restrictions.
- The Board found the healthcare complaints procedure to be insufficiently robust and opaque, hindering effective monitoring of contractor performance.
- Unsatisfactory management of prisoner property led to significant frustration and compensation claims.
- Concerns were raised regarding the low engagement of prisoners in purposeful activity and education opportunities.
- The paper-based ACCT system was identified as a barrier to efficient and timely sharing of crucial safety-related data between prison and healthcare staff.
- The lack of in-cell telephony significantly impacted prisoners' ability to maintain contact with family and access support, particularly during COVID-19 restrictions.
- The Board found the healthcare complaints procedure to be insufficiently robust and opaque, hindering effective monitoring of contractor performance.
- Unsatisfactory management of prisoner property led to significant frustration and compensation claims.
- Concerns were raised regarding the low engagement of prisoners in purposeful activity and education opportunities.
- The paper-based ACCT system was identified as a barrier to efficient and timely sharing of crucial safety-related data between prison and healthcare staff.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 437
Assaults: 18
Staff assaults: 57
HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison, faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, operating under severe lockdown regimes with prisoners spending only 1.5 hours out of cell daily. While violence reduced, self-harm incidents and deaths in custody increased. The Board raised serious concerns about persistent issues with mental health transfers, a lack of consultant forensic psychiatrist provision, and the absence of in-cell telephony, which impacted prisoner wellbeing and family contact. Staffing shortages and recruitment delays were also significant concerns.
Key concerns identified
- Long-standing unresolved problems with the assessment and transfer of prisoners with serious mental health and personality disorders to hospital (Section 47 MHA 1983).
- The impact of sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) on prisoners substantially over tariff.
- Persistent staffing challenges, including high vacancies for psychologists, slow recruitment, and exhaustion among staff.
- Lack of in-cell telephony, hindering family contact and access to support.
- Limited time out of cell (1.5 hours/day) due to COVID-19 restrictions and lack of clarity on future targets.
- Recurring problems with prisoners' property going missing and a lack of consistency across the estate.
- Inadequate and disjointed healthcare provision, specifically the lack of a consultant forensic psychiatrist and significant delays in mental health transfers and social care equipment.
- Disproportional outcomes for prisoners of Pakistani heritage regarding adjudications and use of force.
- Challenges in providing reasonable adjustments and gender-affirming products for prisoners on the autism spectrum and transgender prisoners, respectively.
- Concerns regarding end-of-life care, including the unavailability of the care suite and a prisoner being in the same cell as a deceased man.
- The impact of sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) on prisoners substantially over tariff.
- Persistent staffing challenges, including high vacancies for psychologists, slow recruitment, and exhaustion among staff.
- Lack of in-cell telephony, hindering family contact and access to support.
- Limited time out of cell (1.5 hours/day) due to COVID-19 restrictions and lack of clarity on future targets.
- Recurring problems with prisoners' property going missing and a lack of consistency across the estate.
- Inadequate and disjointed healthcare provision, specifically the lack of a consultant forensic psychiatrist and significant delays in mental health transfers and social care equipment.
- Disproportional outcomes for prisoners of Pakistani heritage regarding adjudications and use of force.
- Challenges in providing reasonable adjustments and gender-affirming products for prisoners on the autism spectrum and transgender prisoners, respectively.
- Concerns regarding end-of-life care, including the unavailability of the care suite and a prisoner being in the same cell as a deceased man.
Wakefield
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 364
Assaults: 55
Staff assaults: 47
HMP Wakefield largely maintains a just, consistent, and inclusive regime, deemed safe and orderly despite a challenging population. While physical health needs are generally met, the Board has significant concerns regarding inadequate mental health support, prolonged Rule 45 segregation, and delays in mental health transfers. The prison's focus remains on progression within the high-security estate rather than direct community resettlement.
Key concerns identified
- Delays by West Yorkshire Police in progressing investigations into violent incidents.
- Prisoners held for unacceptably long periods under Prison Rule 45, exacerbated by a lack of appropriate mental health support and a 'merry-go-round' of seg-to-seg transfers for prisoners with personality disorders without a long-term plan.
- The detrimental impact of prolonged segregation on mental health, particularly for those not on the mental health caseload, and significant delays in transferring prisoners with serious acute mental health conditions to appropriate accommodation within the target time of 14 days.
- An aged and unfit-for-purpose physical environment, including inadequate ventilation in residential spaces (hot in summer, cold in winter) and unsuitable inpatient healthcare facilities.
- Lack of monitoring of the Prisoner Equality Action Group (PEAG) due to an under-strength Board.
- Persistent issues for IPP prisoners experiencing mental health distress due to lack of sentence certainty.
- Undervalued staff morale due to poor working conditions and low starting salaries, coupled with a lack of purposeful activity and absence of in-cell telephony.
- An increase in self-harm incidents compared to the previous year (from 268 to 364), and concerns among older prisoners regarding bullying and harassment due to an influx of younger people.
- Prisoners held for unacceptably long periods under Prison Rule 45, exacerbated by a lack of appropriate mental health support and a 'merry-go-round' of seg-to-seg transfers for prisoners with personality disorders without a long-term plan.
- The detrimental impact of prolonged segregation on mental health, particularly for those not on the mental health caseload, and significant delays in transferring prisoners with serious acute mental health conditions to appropriate accommodation within the target time of 14 days.
- An aged and unfit-for-purpose physical environment, including inadequate ventilation in residential spaces (hot in summer, cold in winter) and unsuitable inpatient healthcare facilities.
- Lack of monitoring of the Prisoner Equality Action Group (PEAG) due to an under-strength Board.
- Persistent issues for IPP prisoners experiencing mental health distress due to lack of sentence certainty.
- Undervalued staff morale due to poor working conditions and low starting salaries, coupled with a lack of purposeful activity and absence of in-cell telephony.
- An increase in self-harm incidents compared to the previous year (from 268 to 364), and concerns among older prisoners regarding bullying and harassment due to an influx of younger people.