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.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 554
Assaults: 179
Staff assaults: 32
HMP Wymott continues to face significant challenges due to chronic staffing shortages, impacting regime delivery, purposeful activity, and access to essential services like the library. Deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowding, and an increase in illicit drug activity further compromise safety and humane living conditions. The Board also highlights serious concerns regarding long waiting times for mental health transfers and inconsistent medication provision, despite some improvements in healthcare staffing and administrative processes.
Key concerns identified
- Persistent staffing shortages severely impact regime delivery, prisoners' experiences, and officer-prisoner relationships.
- Poor living conditions persist due to lack of major refurbishment, continued deterioration of buildings, and overcrowding.
- Ease of illicit drugs entering the prison, via drones, leading to increased drug use, debt, and prisoners choosing to self-isolate.
- A notable increase in the use of force incidents, particularly unplanned, raises concern.
- Unacceptably long waiting times for prisoners with severe mental health problems to be transferred to secure mental health units.
- Significant shortage of purposeful activity for mainstream category C prisoners, compounded by denial of access to the library due to staff shortages.
- Inconsistent delivery of medication and unaddressed issues with healthcare staff not returning for missed medication.
- Poor living conditions persist due to lack of major refurbishment, continued deterioration of buildings, and overcrowding.
- Ease of illicit drugs entering the prison, via drones, leading to increased drug use, debt, and prisoners choosing to self-isolate.
- A notable increase in the use of force incidents, particularly unplanned, raises concern.
- Unacceptably long waiting times for prisoners with severe mental health problems to be transferred to secure mental health units.
- Significant shortage of purposeful activity for mainstream category C prisoners, compounded by denial of access to the library due to staff shortages.
- Inconsistent delivery of medication and unaddressed issues with healthcare staff not returning for missed medication.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 465
Assaults: 171
HMP Wymott continues to face significant challenges due to chronic staffing shortages, impacting regime delivery, purposeful activity, and healthcare provision. While the Board noted effective management of safety incidents and good resettlement work, concerns persist regarding poor accommodation, inadequate mental health support, and the lack of employment opportunities stemming from workshop closures. The report highlights a need for substantial investment in infrastructure and better staffing to improve prisoner conditions and services.
Key concerns identified
- Increase in violence, illicit drug use, and associated debt/bullying.
- Poor state of accommodation, particularly on A and B wings, and unreliable heating/hot water on G and H wings.
- Significant infrastructure problems in the kitchen, impacting meal provision for the large population.
- Healthcare provision, especially mental health support, is not good enough, with long waits for interventions and secure transfers.
- Lack of purposeful activity and employment opportunities on the Category C side due to the prolonged closure of workshops.
- Sacrifice of library access due to staff shortages, risking the service's future.
- Triaging of hospital escorts by non-clinical prison staff, which the Board considers a clinical decision.
- The continued impact of staffing shortages across all areas of the prison, leading to regime restrictions and service curtailments.
- The ongoing gross injustice of IPP sentences and the high number of IPP prisoners held at Wymott.
- Poor state of accommodation, particularly on A and B wings, and unreliable heating/hot water on G and H wings.
- Significant infrastructure problems in the kitchen, impacting meal provision for the large population.
- Healthcare provision, especially mental health support, is not good enough, with long waits for interventions and secure transfers.
- Lack of purposeful activity and employment opportunities on the Category C side due to the prolonged closure of workshops.
- Sacrifice of library access due to staff shortages, risking the service's future.
- Triaging of hospital escorts by non-clinical prison staff, which the Board considers a clinical decision.
- The continued impact of staffing shortages across all areas of the prison, leading to regime restrictions and service curtailments.
- The ongoing gross injustice of IPP sentences and the high number of IPP prisoners held at Wymott.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 426
Assaults: 68
Staff assaults: 42
HMP Wymott faces significant challenges including a rise in violence and self-harm, severe staff shortages impacting safety and regime, and inhumane conditions on A and B wings where refurbishment is repeatedly delayed. Overcrowding forces prisoners to double up in unsuitable cells, while healthcare struggles with inadequate facilities and high agency staff reliance. The Board commends efforts in education and resettlement, and the positive feedback on the new J wing.
Key concerns identified
- Rise in violence and self-harm linked to drugs, bullying, and debt.
- Dire and inhumane conditions of showers and toilets on A and B wings, with refurbishment continually delayed.
- Overcrowding issues, including doubling up in unsuitable cells, forcing prisoners to eat on beds or toilets.
- Chronic staff shortages impacting safety, regime, healthcare, and purposeful activity.
- Persistent struggles in healthcare provision, marked by inadequate facilities, high reliance on agency staff, and long waiting times for dental care.
- The ongoing plight and lack of progression for prisoners serving IPP sentences, with government disinterest in addressing their situation.
- Dire and inhumane conditions of showers and toilets on A and B wings, with refurbishment continually delayed.
- Overcrowding issues, including doubling up in unsuitable cells, forcing prisoners to eat on beds or toilets.
- Chronic staff shortages impacting safety, regime, healthcare, and purposeful activity.
- Persistent struggles in healthcare provision, marked by inadequate facilities, high reliance on agency staff, and long waiting times for dental care.
- The ongoing plight and lack of progression for prisoners serving IPP sentences, with government disinterest in addressing their situation.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 286
Assaults: 35
Staff assaults: 14
HMP Wymott faced significant challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a restricted regime, staff shortages, and increased self-harm incidents. While the Board commended efforts to maintain safety and improve medication delivery, major concerns persisted regarding dilapidated accommodation, persistent issues with prisoner property, and limited access to healthcare, particularly mental health and dentistry. The increasing number of IPP prisoners and challenges with progression and resettlement, including releases without accommodation, remain significant issues for the Board.
Key concerns identified
- The increasing and persistent number of IPP prisoners who are over-tariff, with limited opportunities for progression.
- Major deficiencies and lack of privacy in A and B wing accommodation, with refurbishment not expected until 2026.
- Persistent issues with missing prisoner property, including long transfer times and delays in legal mail.
- Significant staff shortages and inexperience impacting key worker provision, offender management, and workshop availability.
- Prolonged waiting times for dental and mental health services, compounded by inadequate healthcare facilities and staffing issues.
- The restricted regime and limited purposeful activity, hindering prisoner progression and leading to releases without accommodation.
- Major deficiencies and lack of privacy in A and B wing accommodation, with refurbishment not expected until 2026.
- Persistent issues with missing prisoner property, including long transfer times and delays in legal mail.
- Significant staff shortages and inexperience impacting key worker provision, offender management, and workshop availability.
- Prolonged waiting times for dental and mental health services, compounded by inadequate healthcare facilities and staffing issues.
- The restricted regime and limited purposeful activity, hindering prisoner progression and leading to releases without accommodation.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 224
Assaults: 40
Staff assaults: 11
HMP Wymott largely maintained safety during a challenging Covid-19 reporting year (June 2020-May 2021), seeing reductions in self-harm and violence. While staff efforts and some initiatives were commendable, the pandemic exacerbated long-standing issues, particularly with healthcare provision, the prison estate's infrastructure, property loss, and complaints handling. The restricted regime severely limited opportunities for purposeful activity, education, and resettlement, causing significant frustration among prisoners.
Key concerns identified
- The risk of drug-related deaths and the ease of drug access within the prison.
- Persistent failings in handling prisoners' complaints and significant loss of prisoner property.
- Long-standing problems in healthcare, including medication distribution, inadequate premises, and dental waiting times.
- Limited opportunities for progression and purposeful activity, particularly for IPP prisoners, leading to frustration.
- Dire state and lack of investment in A and B wings, and struggling kitchen infrastructure.
- Staffing shortages impacting healthcare and other services.
- Delays in informing prisoners of release arrangements and restrictions on transfers to resettlement prisons.
- Persistent failings in handling prisoners' complaints and significant loss of prisoner property.
- Long-standing problems in healthcare, including medication distribution, inadequate premises, and dental waiting times.
- Limited opportunities for progression and purposeful activity, particularly for IPP prisoners, leading to frustration.
- Dire state and lack of investment in A and B wings, and struggling kitchen infrastructure.
- Staffing shortages impacting healthcare and other services.
- Delays in informing prisoners of release arrangements and restrictions on transfers to resettlement prisons.
Wymott
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 511
Assaults: 116
Staff assaults: 38
Overall the Board considers that prisoners are relatively safe at Wymott, despite increased self-harm and violence. Significant concerns remain regarding the unacceptable standard of accommodation on some wings, persistent healthcare staffing shortages, and long waits for mental health transfers. The closure of the therapeutic community and issues with prisoner property on transfer are also key areas of worry for the Board.
Key concerns identified
- Increased self-harm and violence, with drugs remaining a key driver of bullying and debt.
- Unacceptable standard of accommodation on some wings, with repeated failures in heating, hot water, and sanitation.
- Significant underlying problems in healthcare, especially mental healthcare staffing shortages and long waits for secure unit places.
- Persistent issues with prisoners' property going missing on transfer between establishments.
- Closure of the drug-free therapeutic community during the pandemic, impacting support for prisoners trying to come off drugs.
- Regular cancellation of prisoner forums (e.g., healthcare) and inadequate supervision in the library.
- The kitchen capacity remains problematic, leading to equipment failure and staff pressure.
- Unacceptable standard of accommodation on some wings, with repeated failures in heating, hot water, and sanitation.
- Significant underlying problems in healthcare, especially mental healthcare staffing shortages and long waits for secure unit places.
- Persistent issues with prisoners' property going missing on transfer between establishments.
- Closure of the drug-free therapeutic community during the pandemic, impacting support for prisoners trying to come off drugs.
- Regular cancellation of prisoner forums (e.g., healthcare) and inadequate supervision in the library.
- The kitchen capacity remains problematic, leading to equipment failure and staff pressure.