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HMP Sudbury - a good prison, but some concerns

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE News Release issued by The Government News Network on 14 September 2007

Though HMP Sudbury was basically a safe and purposeful prison, there were concerns about healthcare and some resettlement work was disappointing, said Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an unannounced inspection into the open prison.

Ms. Owers said some weaknesses in healthcare provision required immediate action by the primary care trust. They included unsafe clinical recording practices and insufficient mental health support.

Resettlement work had not kept pace with recent developments and best practice, particularly for short-sentenced prisoners. Substance use work also needed further development.

However, inspectors also found:

* Support for prisoners on and after arrival had been strengthened

* Consultation with prisoners, including black and minority ethnic prisoners, had improved, as had provision for disabled men

* All prisoners had access to purposeful activity, and there was more vocational training - though there was still not enough, and the prison was not full at the time of the inspection.

* There was good support for prisoners who were able to work outside the prison, and for those subject to offender management. Arrangements for lifers and for visits had also improved.

Anne Owers said:

"Overall, Sudbury is a good prison, in spite of the pressures on it. Work is needed to improve healthcare, to maintain sufficient activities and training for all prisoners, and to ensure that resettlement is a core function of the prison: meeting the needs of all prisoners, however long or short their sentence."

Phil Wheatley, Director General of the Prison Service, said:

"I am pleased that Sudbury prison is performing well despite pressures the prison estate is currently facing.
"The governor of Sudbury plans to implement temporary employment activities to increase the level of purposeful activity in the prison prior to longer term arrangements being put in place."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. A full copy of the HMCIP report into HMP Sudbury is available from http://www.inspectorates.justice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/

2. The unannounced inspection took place on 2-3 May 2007

3. HMP Sudbury has an operational capacity of 571 and was last inspected in January 2005