Transition between providers causing turbulence at HMP Lowdham Grange
Inspectors returning to HMP Lowdham Grange found a prison in a state of turmoil following the handover from one private provider to another, the first transition of its kind. The fallout from this was affecting almost every aspect of prison life, with significant staff shortages and rising levels of self-harm, violence and disruptive behaviour.
Fourteen prisoners had died since the last inspection, including six deaths which were self-inflicted. Three of the self-inflicted deaths had taken place in March, shortly after the transition, prompting speculation among staff and prisoners alike that uncertainty and change were causal factors. The evidence pointed to continuing high levels of self-harm and an indifferent approach to oversight and intervention that might help reduce such harm.
Most communal areas were clean and well-maintained, but staff supervision of prisoners’ behaviour on the wings or when moving around the site was lacking. While the overall level of violence had fallen since the last inspection, it was now rising again. This was linked to the availability of drugs, associated debt and bullying, as well as gang-related violence. In response, some prisoners chose to isolate themselves in their cells, some for several months.
Inspectors were told repeatedly that some prison officers behaved in an unacceptable manner, such as making inappropriate comments to prisoners. Use of force in response to disruption was very poorly overseen, and health care staff had reported several instances of prisoners with serious injuries as a result of physical force being used against them. These had not been investigated by leaders.
The inspection also identified serious gaps in public protection. About 90% of the population were assessed as presenting a high risk of serious harm to others, but there were not enough places on the right accredited programmes. This was particularly acute for the 40% of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences. Most were likely to wait years before they could undertake an accredited programme because other prisoners were prioritised ahead of them.
Lowdham Grange was struggling. Some turbulence is to be expected in the context of transition from one provider to another, but that does not mean the issues we found were inevitable. We were confident that the newly appointed director, who was very experienced, had a good understanding of the extent of the challenge and was committed to seeing the transition through successfully, which should address many of the concerns we have identified. In the meantime, the prison needs support and encouragement to make sure this is achieved expeditiously.”
Notes to editors
- Read the HMP Lowdham Grange report, published on 16 August 2023.
- 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.
- This inspection was carried out between 15 and 26 May 2023.
- HMP Lowdham Grange, near Nottingham, is a category B training prison holding adult men, many convicted of very serious offences and 97% of whom were serving sentences over four years in length at the time of the inspection. A privately-run establishment, the prison first opened in 1998 and was operated by Serco for 25 years. Following a competition and market test, the prison was handed over to Sodexo on 16 February 2023.
- Please email media@hmiprisons.gov.uk if you would like more information.