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.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 213
Staff assaults: 65
HMP Wealstun has experienced a substantial increase in prisoner receptions and churn, impacting stability, staff workload, and resettlement efforts. Key concerns include rising violence, persistent drug availability, and poor conditions in older wings, alongside insufficient time out of cell and challenges faced by IPP prisoners. The Board notes good healthcare provision and well-managed segregation, but highlights staff retention issues, inconsistent regime application, and delays in drug test results.
Key concerns identified
- The significant increase in prisoner receptions and churn has negatively impacted prison stability, staff workload, and resettlement opportunities.
- Persistent availability of illicit substances, contributing to violence and debt, with mandatory drug tests peaking at 44% positive.
- The poor condition of older wings (A and B) and plans to increase double cells raise significant concerns about decency and humane accommodation.
- Insufficient time out of cell, particularly for unemployed prisoners or those on a basic regime, remains a concern.
- Severely mentally ill individuals continue to be housed in prison due to a lack of suitable institutional places.
- Prisoners serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences struggle to make progress through the system and access appropriate courses.
- Inconsistency in staff communication, regime application, and the fair application of the incentives scheme across different wings.
- Significant delays in receiving drug test results, hindering prosecutions and affecting prison security.
- Concerns about officer retention, training adequacy, and the profile of key worker sessions.
- Persistent availability of illicit substances, contributing to violence and debt, with mandatory drug tests peaking at 44% positive.
- The poor condition of older wings (A and B) and plans to increase double cells raise significant concerns about decency and humane accommodation.
- Insufficient time out of cell, particularly for unemployed prisoners or those on a basic regime, remains a concern.
- Severely mentally ill individuals continue to be housed in prison due to a lack of suitable institutional places.
- Prisoners serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences struggle to make progress through the system and access appropriate courses.
- Inconsistency in staff communication, regime application, and the fair application of the incentives scheme across different wings.
- Significant delays in receiving drug test results, hindering prosecutions and affecting prison security.
- Concerns about officer retention, training adequacy, and the profile of key worker sessions.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 83
Assaults: 15
Staff assaults: 2
HMP Wealstun, a Category C training and resettlement prison, experienced significant population pressures and increased prisoner churn during the reporting year. While some areas like healthcare access and catering showed improvements, the Board raised serious concerns regarding the persistently high levels of self-harm and violence attributed to illicit materials, the poor condition of older wings, and the restrictive regime offering limited time out of cell and part-time work. The report highlights an urgent need for increased funding for staffing, purposeful activity, and addressing systemic issues related to prisoner welfare and rehabilitation.
Key concerns identified
- The significant increase in prison population and high churn rate continues to strain reception, induction, and offender management processes, hindering effective resettlement planning.
- The persistent issue of illicit materials entering the prison contributes to high levels of debt, bullying, violence, and self-harm.
- The physical condition of older A and B wings remains a significant concern, with accommodation built in the 1960s requiring major refurbishment or replacement to ensure humane living conditions.
- The regime continues to offer mostly part-time work and limited time out of cell, particularly at weekends, negatively impacting prisoner wellbeing, progression, and rehabilitation prospects due to a lack of funding for full-time opportunities and staff.
- The number of key worker sessions remains very low, and insufficient funding for staff in all functional areas, not just officers, is impacting the delivery of vital services and relationships.
- The housing of severely mentally ill individuals in prison awaiting appropriate institutional placement and the inhumane treatment of IPP prisoners.
- The persistent issue of illicit materials entering the prison contributes to high levels of debt, bullying, violence, and self-harm.
- The physical condition of older A and B wings remains a significant concern, with accommodation built in the 1960s requiring major refurbishment or replacement to ensure humane living conditions.
- The regime continues to offer mostly part-time work and limited time out of cell, particularly at weekends, negatively impacting prisoner wellbeing, progression, and rehabilitation prospects due to a lack of funding for full-time opportunities and staff.
- The number of key worker sessions remains very low, and insufficient funding for staff in all functional areas, not just officers, is impacting the delivery of vital services and relationships.
- The housing of severely mentally ill individuals in prison awaiting appropriate institutional placement and the inhumane treatment of IPP prisoners.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Wealstun, a Category C prison, has an operational capacity of 856 and a CNA of 809. The IMB reports improvements in reception processes and generally good collaboration between prison and healthcare teams. However, significant concerns persist regarding unacceptable time out of cell, pervasive part-time work, and critically low key worker session delivery. Overcrowding, the poor condition of older wings, and challenges in managing illicit items also remain key issues.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding and the use of double cells are unacceptable, coupled with the poor and deteriorating condition of older wings, which require significant refurbishment.
- The length of time prisoners spend out of their cells remains unacceptably low, leading to limited purposeful activity, widespread part-time working, and a critical shortage of key worker sessions.
- Despite improved recruitment, staffing levels are effectively reduced by non-effectives and detached duty, hindering the delivery of a full regime and vital key worker support.
- The prison continues to house severely mentally ill individuals awaiting appropriate institutional placement, and Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners receive very little additional support.
- Illicit drugs and unprescribed medication are still found within the prison, exacerbated by the lack of dry cells in segregation to confirm or deny contraband possession.
- Opportunities for progression and resettlement are limited due to a lack of full-time work or education spaces, and the transfer of prisoners with less than 15 weeks remaining hinders effective release preparation.
- The length of time prisoners spend out of their cells remains unacceptably low, leading to limited purposeful activity, widespread part-time working, and a critical shortage of key worker sessions.
- Despite improved recruitment, staffing levels are effectively reduced by non-effectives and detached duty, hindering the delivery of a full regime and vital key worker support.
- The prison continues to house severely mentally ill individuals awaiting appropriate institutional placement, and Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners receive very little additional support.
- Illicit drugs and unprescribed medication are still found within the prison, exacerbated by the lack of dry cells in segregation to confirm or deny contraband possession.
- Opportunities for progression and resettlement are limited due to a lack of full-time work or education spaces, and the transfer of prisoners with less than 15 weeks remaining hinders effective release preparation.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Wealstun, a Category C training prison, experienced significant challenges during 2021-22, primarily due to severe staffing shortages that led to frequent regime curtailments and long periods of cell confinement. While healthcare provision was generally well-managed and positive work was noted in areas like substance misuse recovery and equality initiatives, major concerns persist regarding the inhumane treatment of IPP prisoners, the use of double cells, and the deteriorating conditions of older wings. The Board has made recommendations at national and local levels to address staffing, infrastructure, and resettlement pathways to ensure a humane and progressive environment.
Key concerns identified
- Significant staffing shortages are leading to frequent regime restrictions and long periods of cell confinement.
- The treatment of prisoners serving IPP sentences is considered inhumane due to a lack of progression and resettlement opportunities.
- The reintroduction of doubling up in cells is inconsistent with standards of decency, particularly regarding toilet facilities.
- The older A and B wings are in poor condition and require significant refurbishment or replacement.
- The daily food allowance remains inadequate to provide sufficient meals for adult men, exacerbated by inflation.
- A national shortage of Category D open prison places causes significant delays in transfers for recategorised prisoners.
- The low rate of prisoner pay, coupled with increased canteen costs, makes basic items unaffordable for many.
- Key worker sessions are severely limited due to staff redeployment, hindering prisoner support.
- High levels of self-harm, against comparator prisons, are a concern, possibly linked to regime unpredictability.
- The treatment of prisoners serving IPP sentences is considered inhumane due to a lack of progression and resettlement opportunities.
- The reintroduction of doubling up in cells is inconsistent with standards of decency, particularly regarding toilet facilities.
- The older A and B wings are in poor condition and require significant refurbishment or replacement.
- The daily food allowance remains inadequate to provide sufficient meals for adult men, exacerbated by inflation.
- A national shortage of Category D open prison places causes significant delays in transfers for recategorised prisoners.
- The low rate of prisoner pay, coupled with increased canteen costs, makes basic items unaffordable for many.
- Key worker sessions are severely limited due to staff redeployment, hindering prisoner support.
- High levels of self-harm, against comparator prisons, are a concern, possibly linked to regime unpredictability.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Wealstun, a Category C training and resettlement prison, navigated the reporting year (June 2020-May 2021) under severe Covid-19 restrictions, leading to prisoners being locked up for up to 23 hours daily. The Board commended the prison for maintaining order and a settled environment, with significantly reduced violence and self-harm. Key concerns highlighted include the inadequacy of the daily food allowance, the need for improved body scanner processes and training, and ensuring the full reinstatement of key worker schemes and offending behaviour programmes post-pandemic.
Key concerns identified
- The daily food allowance of £2.02 is considered extremely small for adult men and their nutritional needs.
- A comprehensive review of the use of body scanners is needed, including better training and consistency, to prevent segregation based solely on scan images.
- There is a need for more Category D open prison places to prevent delays in transfers for recategorised prisoners.
- Refresher training for PAVA and rigid-bar handcuffs is a priority once training can resume.
- Key workers need to be fully in place for all prisoners when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
- The monthly forum for IPP and life-sentenced prisoners with the offender management unit (OMU) needs to be reinstated.
- A comprehensive review of the use of body scanners is needed, including better training and consistency, to prevent segregation based solely on scan images.
- There is a need for more Category D open prison places to prevent delays in transfers for recategorised prisoners.
- Refresher training for PAVA and rigid-bar handcuffs is a priority once training can resume.
- Key workers need to be fully in place for all prisoners when lockdown restrictions are lifted.
- The monthly forum for IPP and life-sentenced prisoners with the offender management unit (OMU) needs to be reinstated.
Wealstun
PRISON
Concerns
The reporting year at HMP Wealstun was characterized by three distinct periods: improvements prior to an HMIP inspection, subsequent regime curtailments due to financial pressures, and the COVID-19 lockdown. While the prison generally treated prisoners fairly and humanely and healthcare provision was good, the pervasive availability of drugs significantly impacted safety, leading to violence and self-harm. Staffing shortages caused frequent regime restrictions, limiting purposeful activity, and raised concerns about key worker implementation and PAVA training compliance. The Board highlighted a number of ongoing issues, including inadequate resources for equality and diversity, and challenges in managing IPP prisoners and transfers.
Key concerns identified
- The pervasive availability of drugs throughout the year undermines safety, leading to debt, bullying, violence, and self-harm.
- Inconsistent standards in the completion and control of ACCT documents, particularly in the early part of the year.
- Variability in the management of segregated prisoners due to unstable staffing, resulting in longer stays in the unit.
- A significant number of adjudications were not proceeded with or dismissed due to a lack of evidence or available witnesses.
- Insufficient staffing and resources allocated to equality and diversity, a persistent issue.
- Frequent regime curtailments driven by staffing shortages and financial pressures, limiting purposeful activity and time out of cell.
- A large proportion of officers were 'out of ticket' for PAVA (incapacitant spray) due to a lack of prioritized refresher training.
- Concerns about the suitability of placing IPP and life-sentenced prisoners at Wealstun given inadequate programmes and management processes.
- Delays in transferring recategorised prisoners to category D open prison places due to insufficient capacity across the estate.
- Care UK's lack of a formal process for timely responses to prisoner healthcare complaints.
- Issues with wing staff not consistently collecting prisoners' post from the post room, causing delays in important communications.
- A legacy of OASys assessment backlogs and a lack of regular updates, impacting prisoners' progression and parole eligibility.
- Inconsistent standards in the completion and control of ACCT documents, particularly in the early part of the year.
- Variability in the management of segregated prisoners due to unstable staffing, resulting in longer stays in the unit.
- A significant number of adjudications were not proceeded with or dismissed due to a lack of evidence or available witnesses.
- Insufficient staffing and resources allocated to equality and diversity, a persistent issue.
- Frequent regime curtailments driven by staffing shortages and financial pressures, limiting purposeful activity and time out of cell.
- A large proportion of officers were 'out of ticket' for PAVA (incapacitant spray) due to a lack of prioritized refresher training.
- Concerns about the suitability of placing IPP and life-sentenced prisoners at Wealstun given inadequate programmes and management processes.
- Delays in transferring recategorised prisoners to category D open prison places due to insufficient capacity across the estate.
- Care UK's lack of a formal process for timely responses to prisoner healthcare complaints.
- Issues with wing staff not consistently collecting prisoners' post from the post room, causing delays in important communications.
- A legacy of OASys assessment backlogs and a lack of regular updates, impacting prisoners' progression and parole eligibility.