HMP Durham requires improvement
Throughout the annual reporting period IMB members who are highly trained volunteers visit the prison through a high level of frequent visits observing and monitoring main aspects within the prison: safety, fair and humane treatment, health and wellbeing, progression and release.
Dr Therese Quincey, Chair of the IMB, said “Members of the Board are allocated areas of special interest in line with the above four areas we monitor. Members use a comprehensive range of means including prison meetings, reports and data plus face to face prisoner engagement to ensure that our findings are factual, consistent and objective.”
Key Findings
Safety
- The Board are concerned that through the evidence gathered that this area needs to improve.
- There were 5436 new admissions in the reporting period of which 746 prisoners did not receive their crucial first night healthcare assessment. This presents a significant risk to prisoners’ health.
- Over three quarters of the documents used to support prisoners at risk of self-harm or suicide reviewed by the Board contained omissions. Throughout the year these findings have been frequently brought, by the Board, to the attention of the Head of Safety.
- The number of assaults on staff and prisoner on prisoner assaults has increased by 52% since the previous reporting year.
- Incidents of self-harm are a third higher than the previous reporting period.
- The Board continues to have the view that the level of overcrowding in HMP Durham contributes to increased levels of self-harm and violence.
Fair and Humane Treatment
- For several years we have reported on prisoner overcrowding, with prisoners sharing a cell in wings that were built over 200 years ago for single person occupancy, meaning there is no privacy despite some cells having a curtain around the toilet which is unhygienic and undignified.
- The prison is non-compliant with the requirements of HMPPS national standards for the Cleanliness and Physical Decency of Prisons, October 2020, particularly regarding the minimum ‘kit’ entitlement for clothing, towels and bedding.
- Despite a limited budget, the kitchen provides nutritionally balanced meals meeting dietary and religious requirements.
- The prison clergy are a muti-faith team providing religious and emotional support to prisoners regardless of their faith. The Board is happy that this team serves the prisoners’ well.
- The Board believes that the overall treatment of prisoners is administered fairly and humanely.
Health and Wellbeing
- It is a mandatory requirement that prisoners receive a secondary health screening within seven days of arrival into HMP Durham. This practise is not consistent and needs to reach the required standard. The Governor is monitoring this very closely.
- The day to day health issues of prisoners is catered for by a dedicated team including general nursing staff, the residential healthcare wing, pharmacy, mental health nurses and the drug and alcohol recovery teams.
Progression and Release
- All prisoners are offered a range of part-time education programmes. However, as remand prisoners do not have to engage in education or work, this becomes a continuous challenge for staff to encourage prisoners to engage in the learning process or gain experience in work-based activities.
- To help prisoners gain employment, prison staff have formulated links to several external employers. This service has grown considerably over the year and the prison employment member provides the link to job opportunities in the community. Prisoners also can visit the Employment Hub to view and apply for vacancies. Education staff will help to construct their C.V.
- The Board remains concerned that up to one in three prisoners is released homeless.
IMB Durham Chair, Dr Therese Quincey, said:
“As a remand and resettlement prison, HMP Durham presents a number of major challenges for the Governor and all staff, including rising levels of violence, self-harm and drug use. High levels of prison occupancy, combined with continuous arrivals and departures, compound the challenge. Even in the light of some negative findings; from the Board’s observations, we believe that the Governor and staff perform their duties with dedication and are committed to reach required standards.”