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.
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 129
Staff assaults: 209
HMP Woodhill faced ongoing challenges in safety, healthcare, and infrastructure during the reporting year, despite some positive developments like an improved induction unit and valued mental health services. High rates of assaults and self-harm, coupled with staffing inexperience and significant delays in mental health transfers, were prominent concerns. The Board also highlighted the deteriorating state of the prison's fabric and persistent issues with the property system, emphasizing a continued need for fundamental improvements across various operational areas.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of prisoner-on-prisoner and staff assaults persist.
- Inadequate scrutiny and penalties for prisoners blocking cell observation panels.
- Persistent long delays in transferring prisoners with complex mental health needs to secure hospitals.
- Continued failure to maintain the prison's fabric, with unacceptable shower conditions and slow repair of cells.
- Inconsistent key working and a critical shortage of experienced custodial managers.
- Property system failures, including items lost during transfer and delays at RIDS.
- Inadequate scrutiny and penalties for prisoners blocking cell observation panels.
- Persistent long delays in transferring prisoners with complex mental health needs to secure hospitals.
- Continued failure to maintain the prison's fabric, with unacceptable shower conditions and slow repair of cells.
- Inconsistent key working and a critical shortage of experienced custodial managers.
- Property system failures, including items lost during transfer and delays at RIDS.
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 240
HMP Woodhill, a Category B training prison, faced an Urgent Notification in 2023 due to safety, violence, and staffing concerns. Following a reduction in population, the prison has seen improvements in areas such as ACCT processes, staff training, and the general decency of some units. However, significant challenges persist, including high rates of assaults, ongoing staffing consistency issues, long waiting times for mental health transfers, and insufficient purposeful activity. The IMB highlights continuing concerns around property management, support for neurodiverse prisoners, and the adequacy of resettlement planning.
Key concerns identified
- Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults remain among the highest in the estate.
- The number of ACCTs remains high, with observation logs sometimes missing or incomplete.
- Lack of staffing consistency challenges positive relationships between prisoners and staff.
- The fabric of the buildings is showing its age, with unacceptable shower standards and inconsistent cleaning schedules.
- Men with complex and severe mental health needs are held in the Segregation Unit for too long, with slow progress to specialist settings.
- Prisoners requiring severe mental health services wait too long for assessment and transfer.
- There are insufficient jobs and education opportunities for prisoners.
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are a concern, with staff unable to locate files and no centralized record.
- Prisoners with learning disabilities and other challenges (LDCs) are significantly over-represented in adjudications.
- Support for resettlement is not adequate for most prisoners.
- The use of illicit spice and adapted vapes increased, leading to medical emergencies.
- The number of ACCTs remains high, with observation logs sometimes missing or incomplete.
- Lack of staffing consistency challenges positive relationships between prisoners and staff.
- The fabric of the buildings is showing its age, with unacceptable shower standards and inconsistent cleaning schedules.
- Men with complex and severe mental health needs are held in the Segregation Unit for too long, with slow progress to specialist settings.
- Prisoners requiring severe mental health services wait too long for assessment and transfer.
- There are insufficient jobs and education opportunities for prisoners.
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are a concern, with staff unable to locate files and no centralized record.
- Prisoners with learning disabilities and other challenges (LDCs) are significantly over-represented in adjudications.
- Support for resettlement is not adequate for most prisoners.
- The use of illicit spice and adapted vapes increased, leading to medical emergencies.
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Woodhill, a Category B training prison, faced significant challenges during the reporting year, primarily due to persistent staff shortages that severely impacted regime consistency and access to purposeful activity. Key concerns included high levels of violence, the deteriorating state of the prison estate, and overburdened mental health services leading to long waits for transfers. The IMB called for urgent action on staff recruitment, infrastructure maintenance, and improving opportunities for prisoner progression and resettlement.
Key concerns identified
- Prisoner on prisoner assaults remain among the highest in the Long-Term High Security Estate.
- The number of ACCTs remains high, and reviews are not regularly carried out by the case co-ordinator.
- Levels of violence have led to a significant increase in the use of segregation.
- Inconsistency of staffing and inexperienced staff are challenging for relationships and support.
- The fabric of the building is deteriorating, with unacceptable showers and breaking flooring.
- Concerns are increasing about the use of segregation for those with complex mental health needs.
- Mental health services are unable to cope, leading to long waits for assessment and transfer.
- There is insufficient suitable accommodation for older and disabled prisoners across the LTHSE.
- Access to education, library services, and workshops is severely impacted by staff shortages.
- Insufficient jobs and education opportunities result in long waiting times and a lack of access to suitable programmes for long-term prisoners.
- The property system is inadequate, causing significant issues for prisoners and requiring a radical overhaul.
- Lack of supervision by wing staff leads to vulnerable men being at the back of the queue for clothing, bed linen, and food.
- The number of ACCTs remains high, and reviews are not regularly carried out by the case co-ordinator.
- Levels of violence have led to a significant increase in the use of segregation.
- Inconsistency of staffing and inexperienced staff are challenging for relationships and support.
- The fabric of the building is deteriorating, with unacceptable showers and breaking flooring.
- Concerns are increasing about the use of segregation for those with complex mental health needs.
- Mental health services are unable to cope, leading to long waits for assessment and transfer.
- There is insufficient suitable accommodation for older and disabled prisoners across the LTHSE.
- Access to education, library services, and workshops is severely impacted by staff shortages.
- Insufficient jobs and education opportunities result in long waiting times and a lack of access to suitable programmes for long-term prisoners.
- The property system is inadequate, causing significant issues for prisoners and requiring a radical overhaul.
- Lack of supervision by wing staff leads to vulnerable men being at the back of the queue for clothing, bed linen, and food.
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
Assaults: 195
Staff assaults: 221
HMP Woodhill faced significant challenges during the reporting year, primarily driven by severe staffing shortages which restricted the regime and impacted prisoner safety, wellbeing, and access to services. While there were positive efforts in areas like Covid-19 response and family contact initiatives, high levels of violence, prolonged segregation, and inadequate progression opportunities remained key concerns. The IMB judges that the prison requires improvement, particularly in addressing staffing, regime delivery, and resettlement support.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of all types of violence persist across the prison.
- Significant staffing shortages lead to an inexperienced workforce, compromised safety, and a severely restricted regime.
- Too many prisoners are held in segregation for prolonged periods, with a lack of suitable alternatives across the Prison Service.
- Frequent cancellations of healthcare and hospital appointments are caused by a lack of prison staff for escorts.
- Inadequate progression and resettlement support due to high case loads for case workers and too few offending behaviour programmes.
- Limited access to education and work placements, coupled with social visits only available on weekdays, severely restricts purposeful activity and family contact.
- Significant staffing shortages lead to an inexperienced workforce, compromised safety, and a severely restricted regime.
- Too many prisoners are held in segregation for prolonged periods, with a lack of suitable alternatives across the Prison Service.
- Frequent cancellations of healthcare and hospital appointments are caused by a lack of prison staff for escorts.
- Inadequate progression and resettlement support due to high case loads for case workers and too few offending behaviour programmes.
- Limited access to education and work placements, coupled with social visits only available on weekdays, severely restricts purposeful activity and family contact.
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Woodhill faced a challenging year dominated by Covid-19 restrictions, which limited prisoner time out of cell to an average of 1.75 hours daily and curtailed visits and activities. Despite successfully preventing a Covid-19 outbreak among prisoners, the Board raised concerns about high levels of violence, a high proportion of inexperienced staff, and issues with long-term segregation and property management. There were also notable delays in mental health transfers and insufficient purposeful activity for progression.
Key concerns identified
- High levels of all types of violence (self-harm, prisoner-on-prisoner, staff assaults)
- High proportion of inexperienced staff, impacting safety and care
- Too many prisoners held in long-term segregation due to lack of specialist units or progression options
- Significant issues with prisoner property management, including losses, delays, and contraband upon arrival
- Ongoing delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities
- Insufficient purposeful activity, education, and offending behaviour programmes hindering progression and resettlement
- High proportion of inexperienced staff, impacting safety and care
- Too many prisoners held in long-term segregation due to lack of specialist units or progression options
- Significant issues with prisoner property management, including losses, delays, and contraband upon arrival
- Ongoing delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities
- Insufficient purposeful activity, education, and offending behaviour programmes hindering progression and resettlement
Woodhill
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 637
HMP/YOI Woodhill underwent a significant re-roling during the reporting year to become a Category B training prison for long-sentenced prisoners. While the Board noted positive developments such as no deaths in custody and improved healthcare complaint response times, significant challenges persisted. Key concerns included high levels of violence, self-harm, and drug use, staff shortages, and an inadequate mental health service with transfer delays. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime in the latter part of the year, further impacting time out of cell and purposeful activity.
Key concerns identified
- Levels of violence, self-harm, and assaults (prisoner on staff and prisoner on prisoner) are too high.
- The quality of ACCT processes and documentation is variable, and reviews are not always held on time.
- There is a large proportion of inexperienced officers, contributing to high wastage and sickness rates.
- The prison continues to experience very high levels of psychoactive substance and other drug use, and mobile phones are readily available.
- Too many prisoners are held in segregation for long periods with no clear progression plan.
- Significant difficulties with prisoners’ property during re-roling, including delays, losses, and the arrival of contraband.
- Persistent delays in repairing prison accommodation and equipment, resulting in a high number of cells out of action.
- The mental health service is inadequate, with unacceptably long delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities.
- Insufficient offender behaviour programmes, workshops, rehabilitation programmes, and education/library services for the long-sentence population.
- Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) provide slow and inadequate services due to understaffing.
- The prisoner complaints system consistently fails to meet target response times.
- The quality of ACCT processes and documentation is variable, and reviews are not always held on time.
- There is a large proportion of inexperienced officers, contributing to high wastage and sickness rates.
- The prison continues to experience very high levels of psychoactive substance and other drug use, and mobile phones are readily available.
- Too many prisoners are held in segregation for long periods with no clear progression plan.
- Significant difficulties with prisoners’ property during re-roling, including delays, losses, and the arrival of contraband.
- Persistent delays in repairing prison accommodation and equipment, resulting in a high number of cells out of action.
- The mental health service is inadequate, with unacceptably long delays in transferring prisoners to secure mental health facilities.
- Insufficient offender behaviour programmes, workshops, rehabilitation programmes, and education/library services for the long-sentence population.
- Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) provide slow and inadequate services due to understaffing.
- The prisoner complaints system consistently fails to meet target response times.