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Staff shortages impacting on prisoner regime at HMP Full Sutton

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HMP Full Sutton

Staffing shortages meant that regular wing and small unit lockdowns were in operation throughout most of 2024 in HMP Full Sutton. Whilst levels of prisoner unemployment fell, incidents of serious violence have doubled since the previous reporting period, says the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in its 2024 annual report published today (5 June 2025).

The IMB reports that:

  • The delivery of important services such as safer custody, suspicion drug testing, key worker sessions and the reception function was impacted by frequent staff redeployment to maintain overall regime stability.
  • There was a 104% increase in serious assaults on staff during the reporting year.
  • Mental health provision for segregated prisoners was inadequate. The average length of stay in segregation was 50.5 days, an 88% increase on 2023’s 28 day average, as it proved difficult to transfer many prisoners due to the ongoing national prison population pressures.
  • Healthcare delivery for prisoners was negatively affected by the introduction of separate primary care and mental health care contracts.

However, the IMB is also pleased to note that:

  • Prisoner unemployment levels reduced from 20% to 14% with the introduction of new purposeful activity opportunities.
  • The young adult (18-25) strategy, which aims to address issues faced by young prisoners with long sentences, is enabling constructive engagement with this growing cohort. 
  • The addition of in-cell telephony improved prisoners’ access to family to maintain social contacts, with a 30% increase in the number of calls being made.

Richard Terry, Chair of the IMB at Full Sutton said:

“In the 2024 reporting year the Board noted a balancing act between maintaining a safe environment for prisoners and staff whilst maintaining as much purposeful activity as possible for prisoners. The Board remains concerned about the rising levels of serious assaults, the number of prisoners being segregated and the increased mental health needs of prisoners.”