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.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 784
Assaults: 273
Staff assaults: 148
HMP/YOI Winchester continues to face significant challenges including persistent overcrowding, staffing pressures, dilapidated infrastructure, and high levels of self-harm and violence. Despite these issues, the Board notes staff professionalism and adaptive responses, particularly in addressing the HMIP Urgent Notification. The prison is making positive efforts towards improvement, with some progress in repairs and adapting the regime, though key concerns like illicit substance ingress and healthcare provision persist.
Key concerns identified
- Staffing levels are frequently under pressure, disrupting regime and impacting prisoner welfare, violence, and mental health.
- Inconsistent provision of activities and education, compounded by over-stretched staffing, high remand population, and budget cuts.
- A significant increase (28%) in illicit substance finds, linked to increased 'code blue' incidents, violence, and poor prisoner health.
- Late delivery of prisoners by SERCO contractors, causing staff to work late and impacting welfare.
- The total number of self-harm incidents (784) remains high and is the highest in its comparator group.
- Assaults on staff (148) and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (273) remain high compared to other similar prisons.
- The use of force incidents (960) is 40% higher than the comparator group average.
- Accommodation is overcrowded and dilapidated, with most single cells housing two inmates, and significant building repair delays (e.g., CSU, control room).
- The Care and Separation Unit (CSU) capacity is frequently reduced due to cells being out of action, and it is inappropriately used for prisoners in acute mental health crisis.
- Healthcare complaints increased, and doctor visits to the CSU did not meet required frequencies.
- The high proportion of men on remand (over 70%) affects participation in purposeful activity and contributes to churn.
- Resettlement planning is under pressure from early release schemes and high caseloads for staff.
- Inconsistent provision of activities and education, compounded by over-stretched staffing, high remand population, and budget cuts.
- A significant increase (28%) in illicit substance finds, linked to increased 'code blue' incidents, violence, and poor prisoner health.
- Late delivery of prisoners by SERCO contractors, causing staff to work late and impacting welfare.
- The total number of self-harm incidents (784) remains high and is the highest in its comparator group.
- Assaults on staff (148) and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (273) remain high compared to other similar prisons.
- The use of force incidents (960) is 40% higher than the comparator group average.
- Accommodation is overcrowded and dilapidated, with most single cells housing two inmates, and significant building repair delays (e.g., CSU, control room).
- The Care and Separation Unit (CSU) capacity is frequently reduced due to cells being out of action, and it is inappropriately used for prisoners in acute mental health crisis.
- Healthcare complaints increased, and doctor visits to the CSU did not meet required frequencies.
- The high proportion of men on remand (over 70%) affects participation in purposeful activity and contributes to churn.
- Resettlement planning is under pressure from early release schemes and high caseloads for staff.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 795
Assaults: 284
Staff assaults: 232
HMP/YOI Winchester has shown progress in certain areas, particularly in leadership and reducing complaints, but continues to face significant challenges. Overcrowding and dilapidated infrastructure, coupled with severe staff shortages in healthcare and increased prisoner churn from early release schemes, exacerbate safety concerns, including a sharp rise in self-harm and assaults. The prison struggles to provide adequate purposeful activity and timely mental health transfers, impacting overall prisoner welfare and rehabilitation.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding and dilapidated infrastructure are constant problems, leading to cramped, unhygienic, and unsafe living conditions, with many cells unfit for purpose and maintenance being slow.
- Increased prisoner churn due to early release schemes (ECSL) is overwhelming staff, leading to prisoners being released without adequate preparation and increasing reoffending risk.
- Significant increases in self-harm (47%), prisoner-on-staff assaults (85%), prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (35%), and use of force (43%), indicating an unsafe environment.
- Persistent staff shortages, especially in healthcare (47% vacancy rate), impacting timely access to care, and the inexperience of new officers affecting de-escalation.
- Mental health patients face significant delays (exceeding 28 days) for transfers to specialist facilities, with the CSU often used to manage those in crisis despite staff lacking specialist training.
- Low time out of cell (around 1.5 hours daily for many) and high unemployment (38%) among prisoners contribute to boredom and challenging behaviour, with only 55% receiving regular key worker sessions.
- The mandatory GP visits to the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) every 72 hours were not met several times, including for entire weeks/months.
- Limited resources and support for remand prisoners released directly from court, increasing their risk of reoffending.
- Increased prisoner churn due to early release schemes (ECSL) is overwhelming staff, leading to prisoners being released without adequate preparation and increasing reoffending risk.
- Significant increases in self-harm (47%), prisoner-on-staff assaults (85%), prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (35%), and use of force (43%), indicating an unsafe environment.
- Persistent staff shortages, especially in healthcare (47% vacancy rate), impacting timely access to care, and the inexperience of new officers affecting de-escalation.
- Mental health patients face significant delays (exceeding 28 days) for transfers to specialist facilities, with the CSU often used to manage those in crisis despite staff lacking specialist training.
- Low time out of cell (around 1.5 hours daily for many) and high unemployment (38%) among prisoners contribute to boredom and challenging behaviour, with only 55% receiving regular key worker sessions.
- The mandatory GP visits to the Care and Separation Unit (CSU) every 72 hours were not met several times, including for entire weeks/months.
- Limited resources and support for remand prisoners released directly from court, increasing their risk of reoffending.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 540
Assaults: 212
Staff assaults: 124
HMP Winchester made steady progress in a challenging environment, marked by improved staff numbers and a positive shift in culture, yet persistent issues with its Victorian infrastructure and overcrowding remain. While self-harm incidents decreased overall, the number of individuals involved increased, and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults rose. Healthcare experienced staffing shortfalls affecting GP and dental waiting times, and activity placements remained inadequate for the population. Key concerns include the dilapidated estate, resettlement support, and delays in critical infrastructure projects.
Key concerns identified
- Poor physical environment and dilapidated Victorian infrastructure, with major issues remaining unaddressed.
- Insufficient work and education placements for the prison's population.
- Lack of effective support for remand prisoners and others to secure housing on release, leading to many being released homeless.
- Delays in the construction of the new Care and Separation Unit (CSU) and the approval/installation of a modernised CCTV system.
- Inconsistent handling and management of prisoner property, leading to complaints.
- Overcrowding and its associated issues, including the holding of prisoners on cellular confinement on ordinary wings.
- Persistent staff non-compliance with systems and procedures.
- Increase in the number of individuals repeatedly self-harming and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults.
- Insufficient work and education placements for the prison's population.
- Lack of effective support for remand prisoners and others to secure housing on release, leading to many being released homeless.
- Delays in the construction of the new Care and Separation Unit (CSU) and the approval/installation of a modernised CCTV system.
- Inconsistent handling and management of prisoner property, leading to complaints.
- Overcrowding and its associated issues, including the holding of prisoners on cellular confinement on ordinary wings.
- Persistent staff non-compliance with systems and procedures.
- Increase in the number of individuals repeatedly self-harming and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 607
Assaults: 167
Staff assaults: 170
HMP Winchester, a complex local B/C category prison, continues to face significant challenges, including high levels of violence and self-harm, a restricted regime with prolonged cell confinement, and critical issues with its outdated building infrastructure. While staff efforts to provide humane treatment are commendable, severe staffing shortages and high turnover undermine consistency and effective key working. The IMB highlights persistent problems such as cell overcrowding, inadequate CCTV, and vermin infestation, which compromise safety and wellbeing despite some recent positive trends in violence reduction and effective pandemic management.
Key concerns identified
- Inadequate staffing levels, high turnover, and inexperience compromising consistent service delivery.
- Poor building infrastructure and outdated design leading to persistent overcrowding, discomfort from extreme temperatures, and safety risks from collapsing masonry and vandalism.
- High levels of violence (prisoner-on-prisoner, staff assaults) and self-harm, alongside inadequate and misfunctioning CCTV coverage.
- Restricted regime with excessive cell confinement (over 22 hours daily), especially for remand prisoners, severely limiting purposeful activity.
- Significant vermin infestation (rats, pigeons) impacting health, safety, and working conditions.
- New prisoners face significant risk of debt due to delays in setting up spend accounts for canteen purchases.
- Poor building infrastructure and outdated design leading to persistent overcrowding, discomfort from extreme temperatures, and safety risks from collapsing masonry and vandalism.
- High levels of violence (prisoner-on-prisoner, staff assaults) and self-harm, alongside inadequate and misfunctioning CCTV coverage.
- Restricted regime with excessive cell confinement (over 22 hours daily), especially for remand prisoners, severely limiting purposeful activity.
- Significant vermin infestation (rats, pigeons) impacting health, safety, and working conditions.
- New prisoners face significant risk of debt due to delays in setting up spend accounts for canteen purchases.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 158
Staff assaults: 193
HMP Winchester successfully navigated the Covid-19 pandemic, preventing internal outbreaks and earning commendation for its management. Despite this, the prison continues to face significant challenges including high levels of violence, severe regime restrictions, and ongoing issues with overcrowding and the dilapidated prison estate. While healthcare provision has improved and ACCT cases have reduced, the IMB raises multiple concerns regarding the inhumane out-of-cell time, inadequate facilities for vulnerable prisoners, and a lack of funding for critical improvements.
Key concerns identified
- Very high levels of violence, with HMP Winchester being highest in its comparator group for assaults on staff and second highest for prisoner-on-prisoner assaults.
- The lack of appropriate facilities for prisoners with challenging behaviour and mental health issues, falling below inpatient threshold, creates risks for both prisoners and staff in the CSU.
- The fundamental fabric of the prison is unsafe and not conducive to a progressive environment, with numerous incidents of structural damage and inadequate cell conditions.
- Severely restricted regime meant 64% of prisoners spent less than an hour out of cell daily, which the IMB regards as inhumane.
- Persistent overcrowding, with most single-person cells housing two, and almost all cells failing to meet privacy standards for WC use.
- Significant deficiencies in surveillance arrangements on the prison site and the ongoing problem of a defective vehicle entrance barrier remain unaddressed.
- The lack of appropriate facilities for prisoners with challenging behaviour and mental health issues, falling below inpatient threshold, creates risks for both prisoners and staff in the CSU.
- The fundamental fabric of the prison is unsafe and not conducive to a progressive environment, with numerous incidents of structural damage and inadequate cell conditions.
- Severely restricted regime meant 64% of prisoners spent less than an hour out of cell daily, which the IMB regards as inhumane.
- Persistent overcrowding, with most single-person cells housing two, and almost all cells failing to meet privacy standards for WC use.
- Significant deficiencies in surveillance arrangements on the prison site and the ongoing problem of a defective vehicle entrance barrier remain unaddressed.
Winchester
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,365
HMP/YOI Winchester made consistent progress in improving performance during a turbulent year, moving from 'serious concern' to 'concern'. The Board commended efforts in operational grip, cleanliness, and staff-prisoner interaction, alongside improvements in self-harm management and a new reception scheme. However, the dilapidated Victorian infrastructure, especially the CSU, posed significant safety and humane treatment challenges, while high rates of violence and issues with healthcare access due to staff shortages and escort availability remained key concerns.
Key concerns identified
- The dilapidated and intrinsically unsafe Victorian building fabric, particularly the Care and Separation Unit (CSU), which remains unfit for purpose and without secured funding for replacement despite repeated promises.
- High rates of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff, reflective of endemic violence in local male prisons.
- Insufficient provision of escorts and runners for healthcare appointments, leading to high 'did not attend' (DNA) rates for GP and dental services and compromising medical provision.
- Overcrowding, with many cells designed for single occupancy housing two prisoners, leading to cramped conditions and lack of privacy.
- Continued issues with drug misuse, including parcels thrown over walls and letters soaked in new psychoactive substances.
- Lack of accessible facilities for physically disabled prisoners, including reception, education classrooms, and only one wheelchair-accessible cell.
- Lengthy and indefinite detention of an immigration detainee in the CSU, with inadequate support for asylum applications due to language barriers and lack of legal aid.
- High rates of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff, reflective of endemic violence in local male prisons.
- Insufficient provision of escorts and runners for healthcare appointments, leading to high 'did not attend' (DNA) rates for GP and dental services and compromising medical provision.
- Overcrowding, with many cells designed for single occupancy housing two prisoners, leading to cramped conditions and lack of privacy.
- Continued issues with drug misuse, including parcels thrown over walls and letters soaked in new psychoactive substances.
- Lack of accessible facilities for physically disabled prisoners, including reception, education classrooms, and only one wheelchair-accessible cell.
- Lengthy and indefinite detention of an immigration detainee in the CSU, with inadequate support for asylum applications due to language barriers and lack of legal aid.