HMP BLUNDESTON Prison Regime Info

Online Library documents for HMP BLUNDESTON

UNLOCKING TIMES

Mon-Thu: 08:10-18:45
Fri: 08:10-17:00

Sat: 08:40-17:00
Sun: 08:40-17:00
 

ASSOCIATION

Mon-Thu: 17:15-18:45

Fri: 14:00-17:00
Sat: 08:40-11:40 & 13:10-17:00
Sun: 08:40-11:40 & 13:10-17:00
 

HEALTH & SPORTS

Sports available include;

• Badminton
• Basketball
• Cardiovascular machines
• Circuit Training
• Hockey
• Indoor Bowls
• Light Circuit Training
• Over 50s
• Remedial
• Soccer
• Soft Tennis
• Sports Field (all weather & floodlit)
• Volleyball
• Weight Loss Programme.
   

Accredited Courses:

• Active IQ Healthy Living Level 1
• Certificate in Fitness Instructing Level 2
• Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA)
• First Aid at Work (St. Johns Ambulance)
• Instructing Circuit Sessions Level 2
   

LIBRARY

During the working week according to activity.

FAITH

Every prison has a Chaplaincy department managed by a Co-ordinating Chaplain and supported by admin staff, other Chaplains and ‘Sessional Chaplains’ (faith leaders who visit for specific services or sessions). The Chaplaincy is considered an important part of the prison structure. When a prisoner arrives at a prison they are usually seen by a Chaplain within 24 hours and are invited to register as a specific religion (if they haven’t already done so) and can change their declared religion at any time.

The Chaplaincy does far more than just pastoral care; they often are able to lend radios, musical instruments and typewriters; they may take part in Sentence Planning and are available as a ‘listening ear’ and are able, sometimes, to help with domestic problems. Most Chaplaincies run various courses and activities which may or may not have a religious theme. Every prisoner has the right to follow their religious practices and attend Chapel for services pertaining to their declared faith (even when segregated).

The Chaplaincy are able to organise faith activities for all main religions (as recognised by the Prison Service; this does not, at present include Rastafarian as a specific religion) and contact faith representatives to visit individual or groups of prisoners for the purpose of religious activities. The chaplaincy can also intercede on matters of religious dress, diet and artefacts. A full list of permitted artefacts can be found in the Glossary Section under Religious Artefacts.

You can contact the Chaplaincy by letter or by telephoning the main prison number and asking to speak to the Chaplaincy. The Chaplaincy works as part of the prison and cannot, therefore, guarantee confidentiality (they can explain this to you in detail). Prisoners can contact the Chaplaincy in person or by Application.

Chaplaincy Statement of Purpose (HMPS)
The Chaplaincy is committed to serving the needs of prisoners, staff and religious traditions by engaging all human experience. We will work collaboratively, respecting the integrity of each tradition and discipline. We believe that faith and the search for meaning directs and inspires life, and are committed to providing sacred spaces and dedicated teams to deepen and enrich human experience. We contribute to the care of prisoners to enable them to lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release.

The Co-ordinating Chaplain at Blundeston is: William Salmon

There is a full-time Anglican Chaplain and part-time Muslim Chaplain plus a visiting Catholic Chaplain and Jewish Faith Minister.

Facilities exist for other faiths including Buddhist, Hindu, Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Pagan, Pentecostal, Sikh

HEALTHCARE

The Healthcare Centre at HM Prison Blundeston is Type 1 (HCC access between 08:00 and 17:00); and is provided by Oxfordshire PCT.

Visiting Specialists

Dentist: Two full days a week
Optician: Monthly
Physio: Fortnightly
Podiatry: Monthly
Stop Smoking: 2 sessions + 2 support groups each week
CPN: 2 full-time mental health nurses are available
InReach: 2 sessions by a psychiatrist each week

Nearest Hospitals
James Paget University Hospital
Lowestoft Road, Gorleston NR31 6LA
Tel: 01493 452452
3.5 miles

The Ipswich Hospital
Heath Road, Ipswich IP4 5PD
Tel: 01473 712 233
38 miles
 

NHS Healthcare Information for Blundeston

Prison Healthcare Manager: Philip Love
Tel: 01502 734548

PCT: Great Yarmouth and Waveney Teaching Primary Care Trust
East of England Strategic Health Authority

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS is there to help when you need advice, or wish to make a complaint. As a patient, relative or carer PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your NHS care.

The service aims to:
• advise and support patients, their families and carers
• provide information on NHS services
• listen to your concerns, suggestions or queries
• help sort out problems quickly on your behalf

PALS acts independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and where appropriate, relevant organisations to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary they can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

Contact Information
These contact details are just for PALS.
Please DO NOT send confidential or other patient information to this contact address.

Tel: 01502 719501

There is also a Dental Helpline for ALL NHS dental enquiries: 01702 226668

 

EDUCATION

EDUCATION PROVIDER
A4e (Action For Employment Ltd)
Bessemer Road, Sheffield S9 3XN
Tel: 0800 345 666

Career Information & Advice Services (CIAS)
Tribal Education Ltd
Head office: 87-91 Newman Street, London W1T 3EY
Tel: 020 7323 7100
 

Classes include;

• Basic Education
• Computer Studies
• Creative Writing
• Distance Learning
• English
• IT
• Key Skills
• Languages
• Life and Social Skills
• Literacy
• Maths
• Numeracy
• Open University
   

OFSTED INSPECTION

OFSTED inspect education establishments from schools to colleges to prisons. They inspect education facilities within prisons and have inspected Blundeston.

OFSTED NUMBER: 52253

To read their latest report click here
 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Prison Workshops

Employment includes;

• Carpentry
• Catering
• Community Based Projects
• Gardening
• Horticulture
• Industrial Cleaning
• Laundry
• Painting and Decorating
• Print/Bookbinding
• Recycling
• Sports Studies
• Welding
   

The following accredited qualifications are available;

• City & Guilds 3267/13 Level 1 Certificate in Introductory Welding Skills (MIG)
• City & Guilds 3267/23 Level 2 Certificates in Introductory Welding Skills (MIG)
• City & Guilds 3267/11 Level 1 Certificate in Introductory Welding Skills (MMA)
• City & Guilds 3267/21 Level 2 Certificate in Introductory Welding Skills (MMA)
• City & Guilds 3267/14 Level 1 Certificate in Introductory Welding Skills (TIG)
• City & Guilds 3267/24 Level 1 Certificate in Introductory Welding Skills (TIG)
• City & Guilds 100/2908/4 NVQ Level 1 Sport, Recreation and Allied Occupations
• City & Guilds 100/2933/3 NVQ Level 2 Sport, Recreation and Allied Occupations: Operational Services
• City & Guilds 500/3832/1 NVQ Level 3 Active Leisure and Learning
• City & Guilds 500/1032/3 NVQ Level 3 Information and Guidance
• City & Guilds 7303 Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector
• OCR Level 2 Customer Care
• City & Guilds100/5094/2 NVQ Level 2 Wood Occupations (Bench Joinery)
• City & Guilds100/5095/4 NVQ Level 3 Wood Occupations (Bench Joinery)

And, the following non QCA recognised programmes:

• Associated Trainers Limited: Abrasive Wheels
• New Company: First Aid at Work
• Construction Skills Certification Scheme
• Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene: Basic Hygiene Certificate
• I.T.S.S.A.R: .Forklift Truck

Progression (QCF)

Current Wages

Employed: £10.80 - £20.00
Education: £1.30 per session (extra 10p if prisoner attends all 9 available sessions)
Retired: £4.00
Long term sick: £4.00
 

OFFENCE FOCUSED COURSES

• Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it (CALM)
• Healthy Relationships Programme (HRP)
• RAT
• Therapeutic Communities (eg Kainos)
• TSP

RESETTLEMENT

Resettlement services are available through FTC, NACRO and a full time Resettlement officer.

The prison also works with;

• Banking project
• CAB
• Learn Direct
• Nacro
• Ormiston Trust
• St. Giles Trust
• 'Unlock'

 Job club - Job Centre+

FAMILY DAYS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRISON PERFORMANCE
Ministry of Justice Performance Rating for this prison: 3
This is on a scale from 1 (serious concerns) to 4 (Exceptional) and is worked out by the Ministry of Justice taking into account 34 criteria such as overcrowding, purposeful activities etc. A score of 3 is considered a good performance. Published quarterly.

Average weekly hours of Purposeful Activity: 25.1 (2010)
This figure is supplied by each prison to the Prison Service. Actual hours are usually dependent on activities etc. and should be taken as the maximum time either in workshops or education over a whole week.

Both of these figures are published retrospectively by the MoJ and HMPS and may have changed since the figures were published but they give a simple comparison between prisons.

PRISON BUDGET
Annual Budget: £11,900,000 (2011-12)*
Approx cost per prisoner place (2010): £37,568

*The annual budget allocated to the governor covers all major costs of running the prison but excludes most costs related to education and healthcare.
 

Parliamentary Information
CONSTITUENCY: Waveney
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Peter Aldous (Conservative)

Prisoners may write to either their ‘Home MP’ or the MP in whose constituency their current prison lies.
The address to write to is:
House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

Local Authorities
Suffolk County Council
Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX
Tel: 0845 606 6067
Click Here for link

Waveney District Council
Town Hall, High Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1HS
Tel: 01502 562111
Click Here for link

You can contact the local authority on matters such as libraries, environmental health, trading standards, food hygiene, social services, education and electoral registration.

Trading Standards
The nearest Trading Standards department is at:
Trading Standards Department, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX
Tel: 08454 040506
Click Here for link

Trading Standards can help with problems with purchases such as weights and measures, ‘best by’ dates, pricing & faulty goods.

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephones
Most prisons now have PIN phones. Your relative or friend usually needs to apply to have your name and number on his/her telephone account. You will usually receive a call from the prison to check who you are and to ensure you are happy for them to call you. Prisoners cannot receive telephone calls.

There is no restriction on who prisoners can call except in the case of calls to journalists intended to be broadcast. In some cases child protection measures may mean extra checks on who they call.

Prisoners can normally make calls only during ‘association’ periods. Some prisons limit the length of time a call can last to avoid queues and people being disappointed. Prisoners’ telephone calls are very expensive; calls to landlines now cost 10p per minute and 37.5 p to mobiles (compared to 2p in a public phone box). In most prisons the phone calls can be listened to and/or recorded.

In general prisoners phone calls follow the same rules as for letters in as far as who can be contacted and what can be said. If the rules are broken the prison may terminate the call.

If a prisoner is newly convicted or transferred they should be offered an immediate ‘Reception’ phone call to tell you where they are. It may take a few days for numbers to be transferred or added.

Letters
When you write to a prisoner you must include your full name and address. In most prisons the letters are searched and can be read before being given to the prisoner.

You can write about anything but letters must not be obscene, name ‘victims’, or be a threat to discipline or security. Do not enclose any items with letters. Make sure you put sufficient postage to cover the costs (anything bigger than A5 counts as ‘large’). Prisoners can normally receive a ‘reasonable’ number of letters per week.

If you send greetings cards these should be of reasonable size and not padded or pouched. Do not send musical cards. If you are sending more than one card put them all inside one outer envelope, this saves postage. Remember to include your full details (you could put your details on a ‘Post-It’ note stuck to the card or include a letter which has your details).

Always put the prisoner’s full name and prison number. If the person has been moved their mail will be forwarded.

On conviction or transfer a prisoner should be given a ‘Reception’ letter to write to tell you where they are.
Prisoners are given a free letter each week to post out, they can send more, but at their own expense. Some prisons allow you to send in stamps.

You can send stamped address envelopes (address to yourself), for the prisoner to reply, to any prisoner in any prison.

Prisoners are not allowed to send you letters or information to be posted on social networking internet sites.

Remember all letters are opened and checked and may be read.

Full information about prisoners' correspondence can be found in Prison Service Instruction 20011-006

Photographs
You can usually send in photographs but in some prisons these must not include any image of the prisoner. Child protection measures may mean that some prisoners may not receive pictures of children, unless they are their own and were not ‘victims’. If you send pictures of children include an explanatory note identifying who the children are and their relationship to the prisoner.

Money
It is not a good idea to send cash, this can get ‘lost’ in the prison. Prisons prefer postal orders, but you could send a cheque. Make these payable to ‘H M Prison Service’, write your name on the back and also the prisoner’s full name and prison number. Any money sent which is deemed to be ‘anonymous’ can be stopped.
Money you send is paid into the prisoner’s ‘Private Cash’ account and they get access to a certain amount (depending upon IEP) each week [currently £15.50 for Standard prisoners]. Include your full detail in an accompanying letter or note.

Visits
For full information about visits please refer to our ‘Visit Info’ section for this prison. Visits are very important to prisoners. At most prisons you may not give any item to the prisoner. Any items you wish to give them must usually be posted to the prison, and often after the prisoner has placed an ‘application’ for authorisation to have it sent in. The items which can be posted in are very limited. Check with the prisoner first and wait until they confirm that you can post it.

Emergencies
If there is a serious emergency - close family serious illness, death, or other reason you need to inform the prisoner immediately, you should telephone the main prison number and explain the problem to the operator who will transfer you to the appropriate person. If you are unhappy about their response redial and ask to speak to the Chaplaincy. Prison staff will not pass on general messages but only critical and very urgent messages. You should provide full details of the prisoner including their number.

Support and Advice
There are many very good charities and agencies who offer support and advice to people with family or friends in prison. We have a special section ‘Help/Support’ which has details and contact information for many of these. Do not hesitate or feel shy about calling any of these; they are there to offer support and advice.
 

EMAIL A PRISONER
This service operates at this prison. Email a Prisoner enables you to send messages to prisoners, in the UK and Irish prisons that operate the service, from any computer, without any of the hassles of writing and posting a letter, and it costs less than a second class stamp!

Your message is delivered to the prison within seconds so that it can be delivered to the prisoner by the prison staff in the next delivery.

It is free to sign up to Email a Prisoner and only takes a few seconds - all you need is an email address (EMaP can help you if you don't have an email address).

Once a member you will be able to send a message to any prisoner in the UK or Ireland, provided you know their prisoner number, from just 25 pence per message.

Click Here for link to Email a Prisoner website

Story Book Dads/Mums
Story Book Dads/Mums operates at this prison.
The imprisoned parent records a story and a message which is then edited and enhanced using digital audio software and editors remove mistakes and add sound effects and music. Finally a CD is made, a personalised cover created, and the finished disc sent to the child. The whole service is free.

Click Here for more information
 

Drugs Strategy:
All prisoners are seen and if necessary assessed by drug service staff on reception. Voluntary and Compliance Drug Testing is available on every wing and a large percentage of prisoners are signed up for regular testing. As part of their Sentence Planning/OASys assessment prisoners may be referred to other agencies. The Prison Service Drugs Rehab PASRO is available to 96 prisoners a year and comprehensive drug support services are available through both CARATS and a Drug Support wing.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP)

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales (HMI Prisons) is an independent inspectorate which reports on conditions for, and treatment of, those in prisons, young offender institutions and immigration detention facilities. They provide independent scrutiny of the conditions for and treatment of prisoners and other detainees, promoting the concept of 'healthy prisons' in which staff work effectively to support prisoners and detainees to reduce reoffending or achieve other agreed outcomes.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) is appointed from outside the Prison Service, for a term of five years. The Chief Inspector reports to Ministers on the treatment of prisoners and conditions in prisons in England and Wales.

The Inspectorate’s programme of inspection is based on a mixture of chronology and risk assessment. Full inspections run on a five or three year cycle; all unannounced follow-up inspections run on a risk-assessed basis.

Full inspections
Prison establishments holding adults and young adults are inspected once every five years. Establishments holding juveniles are inspected every three years. This type of inspection lasts for at least one week. The Inspectorate collects information from many sources, including the people who work there, the people who are imprisoned or detained there, and visitors or others with an interest in the establishment. Inspection findings are reported back to the establishment’s managers. Reports are published within 16 weeks of inspection. The establishment is then expected to produce an action plan, based on the recommendations made within the report, within a short period following publication.

Full follow-up inspections
Follow-up inspections are unannounced and proportionate to risk. In full follow-up inspections inspectors assess progress made and undertake in-depth analysis of areas of serious concern identified in the previous full inspection, particularly on safety and respect.

Short follow-up inspections
Short follow-up inspections are also unannounced and conducted where the previous full inspection and their intelligence systems suggest that there are comparatively fewer concerns.

Escort inspections
Three escort inspections are conducted every year.

Pre-inspection visit
One month prior to each full announced inspection, an inspector will visit the establishment to plan the inspection and request a range of preliminary information. In addition, researchers will attend to conduct a confidential survey of a representative proportion of the prisoner population. Results from the prisoner survey are provided for inspectors prior to the inspection and constitute an important source of evidence.

The inspection
All inspections are conducted against the Inspectorate's published inspection criteria, 'Expectations'. Expectations' are based on international human rights standards, as well as Prison Service Orders and Standards, and over all issues considered essential to the safe, respectful and purposeful treatment of prisoners in custody and their effective resettlement.
'Expectations' is the document which sets out the detailed criteria HMI Prisons uses to appraise and inspect prisons. These criteria are used to examine every area of prison life, from reception to resettlement, including;

• safer custody
• health services
• good order
• work
• diversity
• resettlement

The concept of a healthy prison is one that was first set out by the World Health Organisation, but it has been developed by this Inspectorate, and is now widely accepted as a definition of what ought to be provided in any custodial environment. It rests upon four key tests:

• safety: prisoners, even the most vulnerable, are held safely
• respect: prisoners are treated with respect for their human dignity
• purposeful activity: prisoners are able, and expected, to engage in activity that is likely to benefit them
• resettlement: prisoners are prepared for release into the community, and helped to reduce the likelihood of reoffending

Post-inspection action
Inspection reports are published within 16 weeks of the inspection. Prior to publication, the Prison Service (or whoever is responsible for the establishment) is invited to correct any factual inaccuracies within the report. The establishment is then expected to produce an action plan, based on the recommendations made in the report, within two months of publication. A progress report on the action plain is produced after a further 12 months.

HMCIP REPORT

Last Inspection by HMCIP: 31 January – 4 February 2011 - announced inspection
Report Dated: April 2011
Published: July 14th 2011

They said:
“Blundeston is a relatively small category C training prison in Suffolk which we have previously commended. However, it can be an unpopular destination for the many prisoners from outside East Anglia, who struggle to maintain family ties, and recently staff have become fearful for the prison’s future at a time when some small prisons are being earmarked for closure. Whatever the reason, this full announced inspection found a prison that had drifted backwards in a number of important areas, notably safety, respect and resettlement. Blundeston was a prison badly in need of a new sense of direction.

“ Early days in custody required improvement. In particular the first night centre was too often used to house prisoners unable to live safely elsewhere in the prison, requiring some new arrivals to go straight on to normal location. Significant numbers of prisoners reported feeling unsafe and too many sought sanctuary in the segregation unit. There was scope to improve violence reduction and anti-bullying work, although those at risk of self-harm were well managed. Use of force was low, but there had been an increase in the use of special accommodation, governance for which needed improvement to ensure usage was justified. Commendably, drug use had been much reduced and treatment services were good.

“ Accommodation varied markedly: some new wings were very good but the sanitation arrangements in some older ones were unfit for the twenty-first century. Staff-prisoner relations also varied. Diversity arrangements were underdeveloped and services for substantial groups of prisoners, such as foreign nationals, were poor. However, race relations appeared good. There were also good chaplaincy and health care services.

“ Blundeston remained a purposeful prison, with an appropriately clear focus on its training function. Time out of cell was generally good. There was sufficient education and vocational provision, and some was of a very high standard. The library was well used and there was good PE provision.

“ The strategic management of resettlement was weak and the offender management unit was underdeveloped. Assessments were up to date but the number of available interventions had fallen and little use was made of release on temporary licence. There was an excellent resettlement resource centre, but visiting arrangements and support to maintain family ties required improvement. The therapeutic community provided an important resource, but it needed greater clarity of purpose and help to ensure only suitable prisoners were housed on the unit.

“ This is a disappointing report on a prison which appears to have gone backwards recently. However, it is also a prison with a number of assets, particularly its very good training provision, and we were pleased to hear of exciting regional plans to make Blundeston a centre for East Anglian prisoners which might ease a number of its current problems.”

Nick Hardwick April 2011
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Michael Spurr,
Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management
Service (NOMS), said:
"This report identifies a number of weaknesses at Blundeston. "Since the Inspection, the Governor and his staff have worked hard to address the issues and action is in place to meet the recommendations.
"These include a more strategic approach to rehabilitation, the introduction of staff profiles that deliver a constructive and predictable regime for offenders and a reduction in violence."

Click here to read the full report

 

 Independent Monitoring Board

By law every prison and immigration removal centre must have an Independent Monitoring Board. IMBs in prisons derive their responsibilities from the Prison Act 1952 (Section 6). Prison Rules dealing with IMBs are numbers; 74 to 80

IMBs were known as ‘Boards of Visitors’ and are still referred to in the legislation under their old titles, although this is likely to change in the near future.

The Independent Monitoring Board for each establishment is made up of independent and unpaid volunteers from the local area. They monitor the day-to-day life in the establishment and ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained. Members have unrestricted access to all areas of the prison at all times and can talk to any prisoner they wish, out of sight and hearing of a members of staff. They visit all areas such as; kitchens, workshops, accommodation blocks, recreation areas, healthcare centre and chaplaincy.

If a prisoner or detainee has an issue that they have been unable to resolve through the usual internal channels, they can place a confidential request to see a member of the IMB. Problems might include concerns over lost property, visits from family or friends, special religious or cultural requirements, or even serious allegations such as bullying. In addition, if something serious happens at the prison, for example a riot or a death in custody, IMB members may be called in to attend and observe the way in which it is handled.

IMB members sample food, can attend adjudications and should visit people held in the segregation unit. They must also be kept informed on such issues as the use of restraints.

The IMB meets regularly, usually once per month, and has an elected Chair and Vice Chair. Members work together as a team to raise any matters of concern and to keep an independent eye on the prison.

Last Update: November 2012