Prison is praised for major improvements

JAMES BRINDLE

PRISON watchdogs have given a private jail near Burton one of its best annual inspection reports in years.

HMP Dovegate's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said the atmosphere at the Category B jail, near Marchington, 'had improved beyond words'.

In a new report, the watchdogs said they had found a 'safe, secure and settled institution'.

Staff were better trained and therefore had 'greater self-confidence and authority' when dealing with the 'many difficult and manipulative prisoners'.

However, health care continued to be a concern and that the demand for mental health services was great, the IMB said.

Currently, a mental health outreach team from the local mental health trust helps inmates and a psychiatrist conducts assessments.

Patients spend long periods in healthcare before being transferred to a secure unit, a situation the IMB said was of 'grave concern'.

The watchdogs also questioned 'what the minister and NHS are doing to relocate these prisoners to more suitable accommodation'.

There were 244 self-harm incidents during the year, a large increase on the 104 and 158 during the previous two years.

The repetitive nature of serial self-harmers is thought to have had a considerable bearing on the increase.

The IMB said there had been four deaths in custody during the year. Inquests into three were outstanding.

Drugs and the home-brewed alcohol, known as hooch, remained a problem, although the position had 'improved substantially' since last year, the IMB said.

Assaults on staff fell from 32 to 21 and weapon finds and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults also declined.

IMB chairman Caroline Ley said: "2008-09 has been a challenge, as is every year, but the IMB considers that every aspect of the prison has improved this year.

"HMP Dovegate is a safer and more positive establishment delivering a calmer environment which will help towards the successful resettlement of prisoners returning to the community."