HMP Swaleside: Prison struggling due to staffing levels, inspectors say

Inspectors say Swaleside Prison is delivering a severely restricted daily routine for inmates

A prison holding men convicted of serious offences is continuing to struggle because of its reliance on staff brought in from other jails, inspectors said.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons said Swaleside, Kent, delivered a "severely restricted daily routine".

It comes after a report into the prison in October 2022 found staffing levels to be at "crisis point"

The government said the report recognised its "hardworking staff".

HMP Swaleside is a category B training prison located on the Isle of Sheppey.

At the time of the inspection in September it held 813 prisoners.

Inspectors said the prison failed to provide a "purposeful, rehabilitative environment needed for a high-risk population".

Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said: "This was our sixth visit to Swaleside since 2016. During that time, we have repeatedly raised significant concerns about the prison.

"Overall, this was a concerning inspection. Swaleside is a prison that continues to struggle and where outcomes still need to improve dramatically.

"Without the reduction in the prisoner population and the deployment of staff from other jails, it is hard to imagine how the prison would have coped."

The inspection highlighted some improvements, including a reduction in levels of self-harm and the positive work being done to understand the causes of violence.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are pleased inspectors recognised the efforts of our hardworking staff which have helped reduce incidents of self-harm at the prison.

"With significantly increased salaries of over £30,000, we're also recruiting and retaining more prison officers - with 4,600 more across the country than in 2017 - enabling us to quickly deploy staff to where they're needed most."

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