A damning report on the state of HMP Winchester highlights the risks prisoners and staff are facing, warned the Prison Officers’ Association (POA).

Sarah Rigby, POA national executive committee member, said the government’s reaction to the Urgent Notification may once again fall short of what is needed.

Ms Rigby said she was doubtful that the official response would bring the sustained changes Winchester urgently needed.

“I genuinely wish I had some faith that this notification would create a big ripple effect and give Winchester what it needs. But I don’t,” she said.

“The longer this system of HM Inspectorate of Prisons going in and issuing these urgent notifications goes on, the less faith I have in it, to be honest. These notifications have started to lose relevance.”

Ms Rigby’s concerns echo those voiced by many prison reform advocates who say that the cycle of inspections and short-term fixes often lack the sustained investment necessary for meaningful reform.

Ms Rigby pointed to the repeated warnings at other facilities—Exeter and Bristol prisons, each of which has received two Urgent Notifications—as a sign that the system is not addressing root issues.

“They come up with a plan on paper, a plan of what they’ll do. They might parachute in a couple of extra governors, maybe a few extra staff, but that funding isn’t indefinite,” Ms Rigby said.

“They’ll bring in resources for a year or two, tick a few boxes, and hope that’s enough to improve things. But the reality is that these problems are systemic.”

Safety concerns hit crisis levels

The latest inspection at HMP Winchester, a Victorian-era Category B prison housing about 670 male inmates, highlighted widespread issues, from drug availability to violence.

Among reception centres in England and Wales, Winchester now has the highest rate of serious sexual assaults.

Drug prevalence is also at critical levels, with 41% of inmates testing positive in August and nearly half reporting easy access to illicit substances.

Ms Rigby underscored the challenges officers face when dealing with rising violence, particularly with inmates experiencing mental health issues and communication difficulties.

“Our officers are expected to manage highly vulnerable people, many of whom have complex mental health needs, without the proper training to respond appropriately,” she said.

This lack of specialised training can lead to unsafe conditions for both inmates and staff, creating a volatile environment that worsens with every new intake, she said.

Systemic failures

The inspection report also highlighted a 297-case backlog of unresolved disciplinary hearings, and about one-third of CCTV cameras remain in disrepair.

Conditions have worsened in recent years, with maintenance issues, such as leaking roofs and broken windows, remaining unresolved since 2022.

Deputy Chief Inspector of Prisons Martin Lomas acknowledged the gravity of the issues, calling for “sustained support and investment” if the prison is to achieve “decent living conditions, keep prisoners safe, and provide them with the skills they need to succeed in life outside prison”.

Winchester’s current conditions, however, suggest that such sustained support is far from guaranteed.

According to Rigby, the short-term fixes often applied to urgently flagged prisons lack the depth required for lasting improvement.

Widespread issues

Winchester joins eight other UK prisons, including Woodhill, Wandsworth, and Exeter, in receiving an Urgent Notification since November 2022.

While Prisons Minister Lord Timpson stressed the importance of preventing prisons from becoming “breeding grounds for further crime,” critics argue that these statements need to be backed by action.

Mark Day, deputy director of the Prison Reform Trust, supports Ms Rigby’s call for deeper changes.

“Inspectors are right to lay the blame on systematic failings with the prison service and Ministry of Justice…a radical change to our approach to imprisonment is needed,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 2022 ITV Meridian report had already labeled Winchester “one of the most violent jails in the country”.

Despite a government-deployed team of experienced officers aimed at managing violence, the persistent problems at Winchester signal the need for more than temporary boosts in staffing or oversight.

Complete overhaul needed

Educational and rehabilitative programs at HMP Winchester have also suffered.

The Ministry of Justice recently acknowledged an Ofsted rating of “inadequate” for Winchester’s educational services, underscoring the lack of rehabilitative support available to inmates.

For Ms Rigby, the cycle of urgent notifications and temporary interventions does not bode well for true reform.

“Without genuine, sustained support and training, these efforts will continue to miss the mark,” she warned.

Ms Rigby’s message is a clear one: the prison system’s current approach does not need more band-aid solutions—it requires a complete overhaul focused on consistent funding, comprehensive training, and support for both staff and inmates alike.