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The work HMP Ranby did to train prisoners and help them to resettle back into the community was good overall, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing the report of an announced inspection of the training jail in Nottinghamshire. 

HMP Ranby holds around 1,000 men on a large, sprawling site which makes it difficult to manage. The prison had some excellent features but performance was undermined by some significant weaknesses, some of which were outside its direct control.

Inspectors were pleased to find that:

• there were sufficient activity places for all its population and the prison offered a realistic working environment to most;
• prisoners were positive about the opportunities to engage in a full working week which included night and shift working;
• the quality of some of the vocational training was excellent and a high proportion of prisoners progressed to employment or training on release;
• resettlement had improved and was generally good, with few prisoners leaving the prison without somewhere to stay and good support to help them find a job or training; and
• relationships between staff and prisoners were generally good and diversity issues were generally well managed.

However, inspectors were concerned to find that:

• at any one time, 300 of the 936 activity places were not used and a quarter of prisoners were locked in their cells during the working day;
• long-term funding for the debt and financial advice service had been withdrawn and its future was uncertain;
• too many small single cells had been doubled up and had unscreened toilets;
• although most prisoners said they felt safe, some prisoners reported being victimised, which was often linked to gang and debt issues;
• there were generally insufficient efforts to reduce the levels of violence and, while levels of self-harm were low, they were increasing and the prison had not explored why; and
• there were high levels of drug and alcohol availability, and many opportunities for diversion and theft of prescribed drugs due in part to poor prescribing practices.
  

Inspectors were also concerned that other aspects of health care, commissioned by NHS South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, were very poor. There was no out of hours service and unqualified prison staff had to judge whether a prisoner who complained of being unwell at night should be taken to hospital or told to wait until the next morning. In our view this seriously compromised prisoner safety. There were a high number of missed appointments but long waiting lists for an appointment. At the heart of these issues were poor partnership arrangements and the partnership board, which should have provided a forum for sorting them out, had not met for more than six months.

The Chief Inspector raised these concerns formally with the local Primary Care Trust (PCT), NHS South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, as soon as the inspection ended. The Trust responded promptly and made a commitment to make rapid improvements. Exceptionally, inspectors returned to the prison three months after this inspection, and after the inspection report had been finalised, to check on progress. They found good progress had already been made. The health partnership board had been re-established, medicines management had improved, an out of hours service had been established, waiting times had been reduced and measures to tackle alcohol and drug abuse had been strengthened. Nevertheless, further progress was still required.

Nick Hardwick said:

'HMP Ranby could be outstanding and has some features comparable prisons would envy. Most prisoners have good quality work and training opportunities, together with effective resettlement help, provided in a safe and decent environment. However, for a minority there is an undercurrent of victimisation, frustration sorting out some of the practical necessities of prison life and a lack of encouragement to take advantage of the work and training opportunities available. The big site and thin staffing levels make it difficult to get on top of alcohol availability.  

'The most serious problem facing the prison at the time of the inspection was poor health care provision. It should not have taken an inspection to get these issues resolved. Nevertheless I am pleased by the way the prison and NHS South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw have responded to our concerns and that the inspectors I asked to return to the prison found health care had improved.'

Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), said:

'I am pleased the Chief Inspector recognises the progress made in education and training at Ranby despite the challenges they face in terms of the scale of the prison and the population it holds.

'Since the inspection, the Primary Care Trust have taken urgent action to improve health care provision and is working with the Governor to tackle drug and alcohol abuse. These measures, combined with a good range of resettlement provision, will reduce the likelihood of reoffending and thereby protect the public.'

Notes to editors:

1. Read a copy of the report.
2. 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.
3. This announced inspection was carried out from 5-9 March 2012. A further health check was carried out on 20 June 2012.
4. HMP Ranby is an adult male category C training prison.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons in HMI Prisons Press Office on 0207 035 2123 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information or to request an interview with Nick Hardwick.