HMP Wandsworth slowly improves after cash boost

"Getty Wandsworth Prison has made slow improvements following years of terrible conditions inside the Victorian prison in south-west London. A new healthcare unit has opened and a "moderate decrease" in violence were among the improvements noted in a recent report. But staffing issues and poor living conditions were cited as persistent problems. The prison, built in 1851, had a "catastrophic" inspection last year, after which it was issued an urgent notification - and following that a 100m funding boost."

"The new report from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), said there was "much less of the day-to-day chaos and confusion" that had contributed to violence at the full inspection. It also said there had been "some improvement" in staff experience, with more support and investment in training. Levels of staff absence remained "unacceptably" high, with an average of one third of staff unavailable every day."

"The crumbling infrastructure of the 170-year-old building meant living conditions remained "inhumane and unacceptable", with the majority of prisoners sharing cramped cells originally built for one. Many of the showers were mouldy and unhygienic and frequent boiler breakdowns during the winter meant that cells were often too cold. Frequent and disruptive lockdowns continued to be a problem, with prisoners often spending 22 hours a day locked in their cells."

Wandsworth Prison has made slow improvements after years of terrible conditions, including a new healthcare unit and a moderate decrease in violence. The prison received a 'catastrophic' inspection last year, an urgent notification, and a £100m funding boost. The Independent Monitoring Board found reduced day-to-day chaos, some improvement in staff experience, stronger safety teams, and better joint working on behaviour management. Staffing problems persist: about one third of staff are absent daily and many centrally recruited staff lack adequate training. The Victorian building's crumbling infrastructure leaves most prisoners sharing cramped cells, with mouldy showers, cold cells, frequent lockdowns, and very limited out-of-cell time.

Read at www.bbc.com