HMP Hewell: Troubled prison improving but problems persist

A prison previously described as "unfit for the 21st Century" has improved.

Safety and security at HMP Hewell, near Redditch in Worcestershire, has increased according to the report by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB).

Inspectors found it "cleaner, smarter and more comfortable" for inmates following refurbishment, but "constrained by serious systemic challenges".

The prison service said it was pleased the report recognises improvements.

Accommodation for inmates with disabilities was "unacceptable" and the board also said the provision for the "most unwell and vulnerable individuals" was inadequate.

Attention was also drawn to the "inhumanity" of men serving indeterminate sentences, who remain in the prison "long after the minimum period set by the court".

Indeterminate sentences, or Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP), were abolished in 2012 but the change was not retrospective, meaning hundreds of inmates remain in custody with no end date, despite having served their sentences.

"The Board recognises the improvements since its last report to provide a service fit for the 21st century," IMB chair, Rodger Lawrence, said.

"Improvements in safety and cleanliness are impressive. We welcome the refurbishment programme, but we remain concerned at the poor facilities for people with disabilities."

The IMB also praised the prison's "effective and compassionate" handling of the pandemic - an improvement on an earlier report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in 2020 which found social distancing restrictions had left some prisoners without access to a shower or fresh air for weeks.

It said there was "an ambitious programme of cultural change" at HMP Hewell, adding: "The momentum of recent progress needs to be maintained in the coming months otherwise the hard work will have been wasted and an opportunity missed."

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We are pleased the report recognises improved safety and security at HMP Hewell, while vital work to increase accessibility is already underway."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]