Calls for improved leadership at Worcestershire prison
3 prisoners died in a recent covid outbreak at HMP Long Lartin
A report into a Worcestershire prison has raised concerns about staffing levels and healthcare access.
The inspection at HMP Long Lartin near Evesham found they were recovering from a serious covid-19 outbreak recently, in which three prisoners had died.
Long Lartin holds some of the country’s most dangerous and serious offenders, with two-thirds serving life sentences and almost all of the rest serving more than 10 years.
At the time of the inspection visit, over 20% of those held were category A, the highest security classification.
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said:
“The governor and his team had focused on the management of the pandemic, and the partnership working between the establishment, the main health provider and Public Health England was effective.
“They had provided good communication about the restrictions to both staff and prisoners, with regular updates.
Most prisoners said that the measures to prevent the spread of the disease were necessary, but the recent outbreak had affected their perceptions of their own safety, which were poor despite falls in recorded violence and self-harm.”
Aside from the handling of COVID-19, inspectors identified weaknesses in many areas of prison life.
More than half of the 546 prisoners – around 280 – lived in cells with no toilet, sink or running water.
The report noted:
“They had to use an electronic request system – which was often unreliable – to use the toilets at night. The pandemic had brought the shortcomings of this system into sharp focus because prisoners were locked up for longer periods than usual.”
On a more positive note, though, inspectors commended the fact that exercise yards were open throughout prisoners’ time unlocked enabling them to access time in the open air for over two hours a day during the week.
A Prisons Service spokesperson said:
“Inspectors have rightly praised the governor and his staff for their effective management during the pandemic which has protected lives.
“Facilities are already being upgraded and we are investing £2.5 billion to modernise the prison estate.”
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