HMP SHEPPEY CLUSTER - SWALESIDE Prison Regime Info

Online Library documents for HMP SHEPPEY CLUSTER - SWALESIDE

UNLOCKING TIMES

Mon: 08:10, 13:15, 15:15 & 18:05
Tue: 08:10, 13:15, 15:15 & 18:05
Wed: 08:10, 13:15, 15:15 & 18:05
Thu: 08:10, 13:15, 15:15 & 18:05
Fri: 08:10 & 13:00
Sat: 08:45 & 13:45
Sun: 08:45 & 13:45
 

ASSOCIATION

Mon: 15:15 - 17:10 & 18:05 - 19:45
Tue: 15:15 - 17:10 & 18:05 - 19:45
Wed: 15:15 - 17:10 & 18:05 - 19:45
Thu: 15:15 - 17:10 & 18:05 - 19:45
Fri: 13:00 - 17:10
Sat: 08:45 - 12:10 & 13:45 - 17:10
Sun: 08:45 - 12:10 & 13:45 - 17:10
 

HEALTH & SPORTS

Sports available include;

• Badminton
• Basketball
• Circuit Training
• Cricket (indoor and outdoor)
• Fitness Club
• Light Circuit Training
• Over 40s
• Over 50s
• Power Lifting
• Remedial
• Soccer
• Soft Tennis
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Weight Loss Programme
• Weight Training

LIBRARY

Weekdays.

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 Chaplains at Swaleside are: Julian waite, Suhel Mulla & John Letley

Full-time Anglican, Catholic, Ecumenical, Free Church and Muslim Chaplains.

Facilities for;

• Buddhist
• Hindu
• Jehovah Witness
• Jewish
• Mormon
• Pagan
• Quaker
• Salvation Army
• Sikh

HEALTHCARE

Specialist Clinics

• Blood Pressure
• Clinics include:
• CPN
• Dentist
• Foot Care
• Fortnightly X-ray clinic
• Hep. B
• InReach Availability
• OpticianF
• Physio
• Podiatry
• Sexual Health
• Stop Smoking
• Weight Management
• Wellman

NHS Healthcare Information for Swaleside (Sheppey Cluster)

Prison Healthcare Manager: Dermot Stanley
Tel: 01795 804048

PCT: Eastern and Coastal Kent Teaching Primary Care Trust
South East Coast 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

Tel: 0800 085 6606
Email: pals@eastcoastkent.nhs.uk

Oaten Hill Court,
Oaten Hill,
Canterbury
CT1 3HS

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

EDUCATION

EDUCATION PROVIDER
The Manchester College
The Manchester College, Offender Learning Directorate, Fielden Compus, Burlow Manor Road M1 3HB
Tel: 0800 068 8585

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

Education covers a curriculum from basic education to Open University courses, with the full-time equivalent of 120 places. In 2004 new classrooms and courses opened in the industries complex, adding additional part-time educational opportunities to those in work.

Classes available include;

• Art
• Art and Design
• Business Enterprise
• Business Studies
• Citizenship
• Creative Media
• Developing Research Study Skills
• English
• Financial Literacy
• ICT
• Maths
• Music Technology
• Open University
• Painting and Decorating
• Personal Development

OFSTED INSPECTION

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

Inspection judgements
Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity.

Key for inspection grades

• Grade 1 Outstanding;
• Grade 2 Good;
• Grade 3 Satisfactory;
• Grade 4 Inadequate.

Click Here for further information on how inspection judgements are made.
 

Scope of the inspection
In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report , reports from the inspectorates’ monitoring visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

OFSTED NUMBER: 56199
Last Inspection Date: 31/03/2008

Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards: 2
Capacity to improve: 3
Effectiveness of provision: 3
Employability Training: 2
Equality of opportunity: 3
Leadership and management: 3
Literacy, numeracy and ESOL: 3
Personal development and social integration: 2
Quality of provision: 3

To read their report click here

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Prison Workshops

Employment includes;

• Catering
• Health Trainer Scheme
• Gardening
• Industrial Cleaning
• Painting and Decorating
• Print Workshop

Accredited qualifications include; NVQs, and PMO.

Unitisation (approved external qualification) Entry Level, Preparation for Life and Work (SSA 14) - ESOL

Current Wages

Employed: £4.00 - £30.00
Education: £1.56 per session (£3.10 - Peer Tutors)
Retired: £5.00
Long term sick: £5.00
 

OFFENCE FOCUSED COURSES

• AA
• CALM - Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it
• Cognitive Skills Booster Programme
• Kainos
• MEG
• P-ASRO
• RAPt
• Therapeutic Communities (NA & CA)
• TSP (Thinking Skills Programme)

Non-accreditied courses'

• Alcohol Awareness
• Harm Reduction
• Motivation to Change
• Relapse Prevention

Swaleside also provide a range of non-accredited courses, including victim awareness and anger management.

A 12 steps drugs therapy programme is offered by RAPt, supported by F wing staff and the officer CARATS team.

There are 52 places on the Drugs Therapy Unit, with a further 68 places on the supportive voluntary testing unit.
 

RESETTLEMENT

• Job club
• Job Centre+
• Transit to Work

FAMILY DAYS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRISON PERFORMANCE
Ministry of Justice Performance Rating for this prison: 3 (Combined)

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
Figures are aggregated for all three clustered prisons and therefore refer to the Cluster as a whole
Annual Budget: £50,400,000 (2011-12)*
Approx cost per prisoner place (2010): £37,102
*The annual budget allocated to the governor covers all major costs of running the prison but excludes most costs related to education and healthcare.
Because the Cluster comprises of different types of prison the actual cost per prisoner will vary across the establishment.

Parliamentary Information
CONSTITUENCY: Sittingbourne and Sheppey
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Gordon Henderson (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

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.

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.

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].

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.
 

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: 4–7 July 2011 - unannounced short follow-up inspection
Report Dated: September 2011
Published: November 2011

They said:

“This report reflects a prison making reasonable progress after a period of significant structural change and expansion. Swaleside is a training prison holding male prisoners up to category B status, many of whom are subject to long or indeterminate sentences for serious offences. Since we last visited in April 2008, two new wings had opened increasing the potential population held by 358 to a new operational capacity of 1,112. In addition the ties that brought Swaleside into a clustered management arrangement with the two other prisons on the Isle of Sheppey had loosened. Some support and back office functions were still held in common, but the prison’s governor no longer reported to a cluster chief executive, re-establishing a more traditional relationship with the area deputy director of custody.

“ When we last inspected we described a successful establishment where safety outcomes were good – a significant achievement considering the risks and challenges of managing this population. Outcomes in our healthy prison tests of respect and resettlement were reasonably good. We had concerns, however, that the provision of activity and access to regime were not sufficiently good. Those concerns remain. There had been some improvements in the provision of learning and skills but much lacked coordination and there was only sufficient activity to meet the needs of about 80% of the population. During the working day we still found a quarter of the population of this training prison locked in cell, although this was an improvement on our last visit. Much of the activity was also low skill or menial, although there had been improvements to the library.

“ There had been progress in the implementation of recommendations covering the safety and respect healthy prison tests. Swaleside seemed a fundamentally safe prison, and work to address safer custody issues was well developed. The number of reported incidents of violence was, however, significant, as was the use of special accommodation. Governance of segregation, special accommodation and use of force generally needed to improve. Procedures to manage prisoners’ arrival into custody were generally satisfactory following a number of improvements, although it was disappointing that the refurbishment of the reception had been curtailed.

“ As we previously reported, staff-prisoner relationships are a strength of the prison. Personal officer work was good and the prison was seeking to develop this further. Improvements in the prison’s approach to diversity, however, were partial and work on some strands remained limited. Prisoners with a disability were reasonably well supported but black and minority ethnic prisoners suggested that staff continued to demonstrate a lack of cultural awareness. The prisoners’ self-cook kitchens on each wing remained a valued privilege but standards of cleanliness were variable, although all new prisoners were now inducted in food hygiene. Health care was now provided in a refurbished facility and much had been done to improve access, although the inadequate provision of dentistry was an exception to this.

“ Resettlement and offender management had previously been provided under the auspices of the cluster arrangement and was, as a consequence, the provision most affected by changes. Those changes were still at a relatively early stage. We were, however, assured that an enthusiastic management team was implementing meaningful and deliverable plans to sustain effective offender management and improve resettlement services. This is a positive report. Swaleside has been a safe establishment characterised by good relationships between staff and prisoners, although the training element provided has not been good enough. This inspection suggests that the prison continues to build on its strengths but it still needs to get a strategic grip on the provision of purposeful activity and training.”

Nick Hardwick September 2011
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Click Here to read the full report

Previous Report 
by HMCIP: April 2008 (Announced Full Inspection)

They said:
“HMP Swaleside is a category B training prison holding long-term prisoners, including a large number on indeterminate sentences. It is part of the three-prison Sheppey cluster, which is led by a chief executive and has a number of shared services. This full announced inspection found Swaleside to be a safe and respectful prison, which was impressive given the many serious offenders held. However, the quantity of purposeful activity was insufficient for a training prison.

“Despite the cramped reception, early days were well managed and good use was made of prisoner peer supporters. Anti-bullying and suicide and self-harm prevention arrangements were good, and prisoners felt significantly safer than at comparable prisons. Adjudications, use of force and use of special accommodation were all low. The segregation unit was a temporary facility, but staff managed some difficult prisoners with care. Illegal drugs were a problem, but the prison was working hard to reduce both supply and demand.

“The environment was generally good, although prisoners’ self-catering areas were a health hazard. Staff-prisoner relationships were a particular strength, and were supported by an effective personal officer scheme. The management of race equality and services for foreign national prisoners were effective. Nonetheless, black and minority ethnic prisoners were more negative about the prison than their white counterparts and these perceptions needed to be addressed. Health services were adequate, but prisoners complained about the attitude of healthcare staff and we too noted a reluctance among some to modernise and develop services.

“There was insufficient purposeful activity and prisoners spent too long in their cells. When we conducted a roll call during the core day, we found over 40% of prisoners locked up. Learning and skills required better strategic management and education needed development, especially for the many prisoners with limited literacy and numeracy. Physical education was good.

“Resettlement had benefited from additional resources and focus under the cluster arrangements. The strategic management of resettlement was sound, although over-elaborate, and offender management had been effectively implemented. The large number of prisoners sentenced to indeterminate sentences for public protection were prioritised, although this had led to some tensions with ordinary lifers who felt disadvantaged as a result. There was satisfactory provision across all resettlement pathways, including an impressive range of offending behaviour programmes.

“Swaleside has to manage a challenging population of serious offenders and it is therefore commendable that we found it to be a very safe prison. It was similarly pleasing to find that staff-prisoner relationships remained extremely good. The clustering of the three Sheppey prisons had led to some improvements in resettlement, but cluster managers had failed to ensure that there was sufficient purposeful activity and prisoners spent too long in their cells. This weakness needed to be addressed if Swaleside’s other strengths are to be maximised and it is to become a first-rate training prison.”

Anne Owers June 2008
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

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 IMDs 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: March 2012