HMP Foston Hall needed to improve the work it did to resettle women prisoners back into the community, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the report of an unannounced short follow-up inspection of the Derbyshire women’s prison.

HMP Foston Hall remained a multi-purpose prison, holding a mix of remanded prisoners, those awaiting sentence and those serving short, long and indeterminate sentences. The separate juvenile unit had closed. This short follow-up inspection focused on the progress the prison has made in implementing the recommendations made at the last inspection in 2009.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• first night and induction arrangements had improved and there was good use of peer workers during the early days and in other areas;
• substance misuse services were much improved and now covered both alcohol and drugs;
• the physical environment remained generally good;
• personal officer and health services were both improved; and
• most women had an activity to attend.

However, inspectors had some concerns:

• induction interviews still did not take place in private;
• there were weaknesses in the management of equality and diversity and not all the protected groups were well supported;
• there was still insufficient full-time purposeful activity for everyone and better use could have been made of what was available;
• most of the key resettlement problems raised at the last inspection remained: leadership was weak, and strategic thinking about the resettlement needs of the population underdeveloped; and
• some provision to help reduce reoffending was poor, and the limited support provided to women in maintaining links with their families was disappointing.

Nick Hardwick said:

‘Sufficient progress had been made in implementing our previous recommendations in the areas of safety, respect and providing an active environment for the women held but, as with the previous inspection findings, more needed to be done to ensure that women were able to benefit from resettlement opportunities.’

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), said:

‘I am pleased that the Chief Inspector acknowledges that Foston Hall is generally performing well and provides a respectful and safe environment for the women it holds.

‘The Governor and staff are working to further improve performance particularly with regard to resettlement and purposeful activity, as highlighted in the report.’

Notes to Editors:

1. View the report. (649 kB)
2. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment, and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
3. This unannounced short follow-up inspection was carried out from 19-22 November 2012.
4. HMP Foston Hall is a female closed prison for local, training and life-sentenced prisoners.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons in HMI Prisons Press Office on 0207 035 2123 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview with Nick Hardwick.