HMP Wymott was reasonably safe and provided some excellent work and training for prisoners, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the report of an unannounced inspection of the Lancashire training prison.

HMP Wymott holds over 1,100 prisoners, many of whom have been convicted of sex offences. In the past, in general, inspectors have reported positively about the prison. In 2012 progress was mixed and limited in some respects. This more recent inspection was generally positive.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• prisoners reported feeling safe, and levels of recorded violence and the use of force were low;
• the living accommodation was well maintained and equipped and prisoners felt respected in their dealings with staff;
• there was an excellent day care facility available for prisoners aged over 60;
• time out of cell was reasonably good, and learning and skills and work provision was well managed;
• there were sufficient work and training places for most prisoners and most prisoners achieved accreditation on their courses, supported by effective teaching;
• work opportunities were good and often took place in impressive workshops equipped to industry standards;
• work to address resettlement needs was reasonable, but more needed to be done with prisoners judged unsuitable for the sex offender treatment programme for whom there seemed to be no alternative plan or response.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

• although prisoners reported feeling safe, a significant number of vulnerable prisoners said they felt victimised and bullied;
• there had been three self-inflicted deaths since the last inspection in 2012 but arrangements to support those in crisis were inconsistent;
• there was considerable evidence, including the recent hospitalisation of three prisoners who had taken psychoactive substances, to indicate the use of drugs was too prevalent;
• the promotion of equality was very weak and structures to monitor outcomes for minorities were limited, except for older prisoners and those with disabilities held on I wing, which provided good care;
• the reasonably good quality health care was undermined by long delays and poor access to GPs and the dentist; and
• many offender managers were new to the role and lacked confidence and the quality of risk of harm assessments was mixed, which was a concern among a population that contained a number of high-risk cases.

Nick Hardwick said:

“Overall, while our overall judgements are mixed, the key messages of this report are positive. Wymott is a settled, safe place with many strengths, first of which is its excellent provision of training and work. There are, however, significant concerns that need to be corrected. The prison cannot continue to ignore the promotion of equality and diversity and poor access to certain key services undermine otherwise good health provision. The prison is settled but a significant proportion of the prison’s population, while well behaved in prison, pose significant risks as offenders in the community after release. Structures to address and reduce those risks need to improve.”

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

“I am pleased the Chief Inspector has recognised the strengths Wymott has and that overall it is performing well.

“The Governor has already taken action in line with the recommendations of the report, including a review and strengthening of the local processes for the assessment and management of risk of harm, and will continue to take forward improvements in areas identified in the report.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Read the report.
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 inspection was carried out from 23 June-4 July 2014.
4. HMP Wymott is a category C training prison and designated working prison for adult men, holding mainstream prisoners and a large population of vulnerable prisoners.
5. Please contact Barbara Buchanan at HMI Prisons on 020 3681 2772 if you would like more information or to request an interview.