HMIP Inspection, Holme House

The prison was given an inspection in March 2023 and the full report can be read at the Ministry of Justice web site, just follow the links below. In their latest report the inspectors said:

Much has changed at Holme House, a large category C training and resettlement prison, in the last three years. In early 2020, we judged outcomes to be insufficiently good across all four of our healthy prison tests. In 2023 only in one test, purposeful activity, did we repeat that judgment. Leaders engaged staff and prisoners through meaningful consultation, and by encouraging them to contribute creative ideas to solve problems. The governor had enlisted the support of his managers in pursuing a style that was visible, committed and driven by a real desire to improve the experience of prisoners and staff alike.

The greatest improvements were in respectful treatment of prisoners by staff. Behind the positive perceptions of most prisoners lay better key work than we usually see, good use of prisoners in peer support roles, and especially a programme of wide-ranging consultation.

It was now also a considerably safer prison. More support was given to those newly arrived. There were fewer violent incidents, and leaders had responded with new initiatives to a recent rise in violence among young adults. The incentives framework and use of adjudications and of segregation had improved. Security measures were proportionate, allowing prisoners to move around the prison for work and activities without undue delay. In all these areas we identify potential for further improvement, but the achievements were real. Self-harm, however, had risen, and there was scope to make better use of data to understand and address any persistent factors behind this rise.

Too many prisoners lived in overcrowded conditions, some cells being very cramped indeed, although much flair and effort had gone into brightening the wider environment. There was widespread and justified dissatisfaction with food – the main topic of complaints made to inspectors. The generally positive climate of consultation and inclusion benefited minority groups, as our survey attested, but some minority groups received much more consistent support than others.

Good health care delivery was strengthened by first-rate collaboration between a number of teams and organisations; this included an exceptionally high standard of social care, strong mental health delivery, with good joint working also between health care workers and prison staff.

Prisoners appreciated a predictable regime, with more time unlocked on the wing than at many similar prisons; but there was still not enough time spent in constructive activity. The education curriculum lacked sufficient depth and breadth, attendance was too low and too few could gain qualifications. Leaders had made a start on promoting reading, and there was some good help to prepare for employment on release.

Work to reduce reoffending had improved and was now well coordinated. Contact between prisoners and their offender managers had improved since 2020 but was still inconsistent, as was the quality of assessment of the prisoner’s risks and needs. The provision of accredited programmes to reduce the risk of reoffending was at a low level, although the specialist unit for people on the national offender personality disorder pathway was impressive. There was also an extensive range of non-accredited interventions.

There were some staffing pressures, but we found that staff morale and staff retention were better than in many prisons. If the quality of leadership at Holme House can be maintained, working hard to foster a shared, participative and rehabilitative culture, the prospects for further improvement must be good.

Charlie Taylor
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
April 2023

 

The inspectors provided a brief list of issues arising from the inspection

What needs to improve at HMP Holme House

During this inspection we identified seven key concerns, of which two should be treated as priorities. Priority concerns are those that are most important to improving outcomes for prisoners. They require immediate attention by leaders and managers.

Leaders should make sure that all concerns identified here are addressed and that progress is tracked through a plan which sets out how and when the concerns will be resolved. The plan should be provided to HMI Prisons.

Priority concerns

  1. The quality and quantity of food were inadequate. Too many prisoners did not get the meal they had ordered, some portions were small and some food was undercooked.
  2. Prisoner attendance in education, skills and work was too low, despite recent improvements and leaders’ actions to try to improve attendance.

Key concerns

  1. Over a third of prisoners shared a cell designed for one, with insufficient space to live in decent conditions.
  2. Tutors in functional English and mathematics did not implement the curriculum consistently well. Too many prisoners on these courses did not complete their studies and did not gain qualifications.
  3. There were currently too few full-time opportunities in prison industries. Too much of the provision did not support prisoners to gain recognition for their skills development.
  4. Vulnerable prisoners did not have access to sufficient accredited vocational training.
  5. Too many prisoners, including those convicted of sexual offences, left Holme House without targeted treatment or accredited interventions to address their offending behaviour. A lack of staff had greatly reduced the number of accredited offending behaviour programmes and the provision did not now meet the needs of the population.

 

Return to Holme House

To read the full reports, go to the Ministry of Justice site or follow the links below:

  • Inspection report (2 MB), Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (6 –16 March 2023)
  • HMP Holme House (1.26 MB), Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House  (24–25 February; 2–6 March 2020)
  • HMP Holme House (661.44 kB), Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House (3–4, 10–13 July 2017)
  • HMP Holme House, Unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House (19–30 August 2013)
  • HMP Holme House, Full unannounced inspection of HMP Holme House (19–23 July 2010)
  • HMP Holme House, Unannounced short follow-up inspection of HMP Holme House (16-18 March 2009)

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