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9.1 The senior management team was led by the Governor, who had been in charge of HMP Greenock prior to taking up his current appointment in March 2000. Reporting to the Governor were six senior managers who were responsible for Custody, Operations, Activities and Contracts, Human Resources, Estates and Finance and Administration.
9.2 The Head of Custody, who had been in post for 16 months, was also the Deputy Governor and was responsible for the day to day operational management of the establishment. The dominant issue that he was addressing was the staffing of the prison. Routine difficulties were exacerbated by the high turnover of staff – and in particular, Operations Officers who would normally carry out escort duties - a recruitment freeze pending rationalisation of the prison estate and the development and introduction of revised staff attendance patterns.
9.3 Reasons for the high turnover of staff, particularly Operations staff, were a perceived lack of prospects in the SPS, dissatisfaction over pay and recruitment campaigns by a number of organisations, particularly the police. The impact on prison staff was seen in rising TOIL levels, cancellation or curtailment of training, restrictions to the regime for prisoners and increased sickness levels leading to a further reduction in staff morale and increased stress. The outcome of this was an acute shortage of discipline staff – a 10% shortfall in Operations staff was forecast by early October and this situation was expected to get worse before it got better.
9.4 At the same time, the demand for escorts was outstripping the staffing allowance available, which often meant that Industries and Programmes staff had to be taken off post for escort duties, resulting in sheds being shut, programmes postponed and production targets not being met. These issues coincided with very high levels of staff sickness, which reduced the establishment's ability to manage and limited the flexibility in repaying TOIL. A number of measures were being deployed to deal with these huge challenges. The regime at weekends had been cut to provide discipline staff for escorts and so reduce the commitment from Industries and Programmes. A decision had also been taken to operate a centralised staffing roster to improve co-ordination and fairness. During the period of the inspection eight staff were on detached duty at Edinburgh, six of these (four from Barlinnie, two from Shotts) were on a long term basis. One each from Glenochil and Inverness were assisting on a short term basis.
9.5 Secondary issues for the residential function at Edinburgh included the achievement and maintenance of standards. Additionally, the Deputy Governor spoke of the need to develop the progression system to introduce real differentials and to ensure that the primary criterion for progression – being drug free – was effectively and consistently applied. It was pointed out that since the introduction of the progression system, the frequency and seriousness of incidents had reduced. This served to provide a more relaxed environment as one progressed, and allowed resources to be focused on the areas of greatest need, namely 'A' and Forth Halls.
9.6 The manager tasked with providing business support also reported to the Head of Custody. Key elements of this task included the collection, co-ordination and collation of management information which supported the delivery of the establishment's Strategic Plan. Also, the co-ordination of the communication system, which we have identified as an area of best practice, and in particular the widespread use of IT and local fora which supported an open and inclusive approach to communication, reflected the preferred management style in the prison. The remit of the Business Support Manager was, to a large extent, cross-functional in his role as Chairman of the Prisoner Health Promotion Group and the Green Team Leader. This helped to overcome some of the inflexibility which is a feature of functionally-based management structures.
9.7 The Head of Operations had been in post for nine months (having previously served as Deputy Governor at HMP Aberdeen). He was responsible to the Governor for security, contingency planning, intelligence and the achievement of security standards. He had two Operations Managers reporting to him, who were responsible for escorts, security audits and the control room and gate, visits and reception respectively. The pressing issue, which was causing considerable strain, was managing the escort commitment within existing constraints.
9.8 An important project being taken forward by the Head of Operations was the development of a Local Procedures Manual. The aim of this project was to identify, codify and collate procedures and systems necessary for the effective operation of the prison and to develop checking and monitoring systems to ensure compliance and effectiveness. It was expected that this work would inform the design of revised staff attendance systems, an important initiative that was being taken forward at the same time. There was also a clear commitment to developing an approach to visitors that would be consistent with the new facilities that were due to be completed later this year.
9.9 The Head of Activities and Contracts was responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of a range of services, comprising prisoner programmes, education, industries and vocational training, chaplaincy, social work, health care, physical education, catering, drug strategy co-ordination and psychology.
9.10 It had been recognised that to manage such a broadly-based group of specialist service providers would require the development of more formal relationships, which more clearly set out the tasks, standards and resources. To that end, a number of contracts and service level specifications had been developed for areas such as pharmacy services and education.
9.11 The prison was also a pilot site for the delivery of social work services as specified in a contract. This had required a great deal of additional work to be carried out and although there had been an understandable dip in morale in the Social Work Unit due to uncertainty about the future and a perception that the role of social work in the prison might be diminished, the high levels of service delivery had been maintained.
9.12 One area of concern was over the provision of psychology services, which were managed by Regime Development Directorate in SPS HQ. It was recognised that recruitment and retention of psychology staff was an issue. Additionally, it was to some extent inevitable that a degree of uncertainty and tension would arise when the prison's priorities, which were based on assessed prisoner needs, did not coincide with those of Regime Development Directorate. One example given by the establishment was the priority given to running a pilot programme of STOP 2000 for short term sex offenders which was resource intensive and similar to a programme already being delivered in Peterhead, an establishment which already had the advantages of acknowledged expertise and a safe, conducive and supportive environment compared to 'B' Hall at Edinburgh (see paragraph 3.32). It was felt that the development of a service level agreement in this area would be mutually beneficial and we concur with that view.
9.13 Priorities for the Head of Activities and Contracts were the introduction of the Workshop Efficiency Scheme, complementing the development of "employability" skills for prisoners by integrating the work of education, industries, throughcare and prisoner programmes and the delivery of a cohesive drug strategy in partnership with a range of support services, both in prison and in the community. He pointed out that the ongoing deployment of industries and programme staff on escort duties was undermining the real chance of successful outcomes in these key areas.
9.14 The Human Resources Manager had been in post for four years and like his HR colleagues in other establishments, had a very full agenda. This included implementation of a number of HR initiatives, particularly the new national policies for management of staff absence and equal opportunities. The primary focus within the establishment was on staff development, with the delivery of training for first line managers identified as a priority.
9.15 The Estates Manager had been in post for five years and was responsible to the Governor for the care and maintenance of the buildings, systems and perimeter as well as monitoring the contractors' performance in carrying out minor works and maintenance. Additionally, he was the local project manager for minor capital works and local liaison for major capital works and the prison's energy manager. Priorities for the coming year included completion of the visits project on time, preparation for a new houseblock project and ensuring that maintenance standards were achieved.
9.16 The Finance and Administration Manager had been in post for 3½ years and had introduced a number of major changes and improvements to the administration of the prison. The main focus of his task was in consolidating the organisation of the function into the main areas of finance, criminal administration and procurement and monitoring and improving the performance of revised systems and processes. Additionally, he was heavily involved in the Warrant Administration Working Group, including the delivery of training courses in warrant administration.
9.17 The Governor chaired a monthly policy and planning meeting which took place prior to the Area meetings. The meeting was attended by the senior management team who reviewed progress to date, performance against targets and forthcoming events.
9.18 Following the Area meetings, the Governor briefed the senior management team on relevant issues so that they could brief their managers in turn at a series of functional meetings. Information was then cascaded down as Unit Managers held meetings with First Line Managers and their teams. Additionally, cross-function meetings were held to co-ordinate the work of Operations and Residential, while the purpose of the activities and contracts meetings was more concerned with sharing information and briefing colleagues.
9.19 An increasingly important outcome of weekly residential meetings was a review of the staffing situation in order to cover posts or more frequently, to spread the number of uncovered posts more equitably.
9.20 Mention has been made elsewhere in this report about the use of SPIN to publish the minutes of the considerable number of meetings. The open approach adopted by the Governor in providing such information had done a great deal to reduce staff anxiety and counter any claims that staff were being kept in the dark. It had also helped everyone to be aware of what was being undertaken and achieved.
9.21 Taken separately these various processes may not differ significantly to those encountered in many other SPS establishments. However, the open approach when combined with the imaginative use of SPIN makes for a very powerful management tool, in our opinion.
9.22 The department was staffed by a full-time Manager, one Personnel Officer and an Administrator. An SVQ Co-ordinator had also been appointed and reported to the HR Manager. The location of the HR offices had moved to a more appropriate area nearer to the staff facilities, offering more convenient access for all employees.
9.23 The establishment had been accredited as an Investors in People (IiP) in October 1999. It was clear in our discussions with staff, however, that they were very sceptical about the value of the award and generally felt that it had very little positive impact.
9.24 The introduction of a number of national policies and initiatives had required the HR department to devote a significant amount of attention to ensure they were implemented on time. At the same time there was a heavy workload of referrals to the Occupational Health Service, which had resulted in priority being given to day to day issues rather than in ensuring that the HR Department maintained a sharp focus on the bigger picture.
9.25 The local sick absence policy was about to be replaced by a more robust national policy, which was expected to cause a further hiatus and result in what was hoped would be only a temporary increase in the HR workload. It was also acknowledged that the staffing shortages and high turnover, which had been increasing apparently inexorably over the past year, had contributed to low morale and widespread scepticism about IiP, Goal 5 and the SPS Board's motives and priorities.
9.26 An Equal Opportunities chaired by the Deputy Governor, met every two months. Membership of the Committee was drawn from a range of functions throughout the establishment. Current issues included a programme to raise awareness about the Equality and Diversity Policy, which had been launched in September 2000.
9.27 It was acknowledged by the HR Manager that the Equal Opportunities agenda required considerable attention within the establishment. While optimism was voiced regarding the likely effectiveness of the new policy, the local issue of "ingrained attitudes" presented a particular challenge to the committee and all the managers.
9.28 Improved facilities for female staff and disabled visitors had been provided. New showers had been installed and disabled ramps and toilets included in the new visits complex.
9.29 The staff training complement comprised two Training and Development Managers, with support being provided on a part-time basis by an Administrative Officer, the remainder of whose job was to assist the SVQ Co-ordinator - see paragraph 9.33. Since our last inspection, the Training Unit had moved out of the portable building that they had occupied in the sterile area of the prison and in to new purpose built facilities, in an area that was previously part of the Stores. These new facilities were ideal for their purpose and helped to create a training environment. In addition to the staff offices, there was a staff library with multi-media training facilities, an IT training room with four SPIN terminals, two classrooms and a Conference Centre for large gatherings.
9.30 Each year, the establishment's Unit Managers produce a Strategic Plan and based on that document the Training Managers produce a Staff Training and Development Plan and a Strategic Issues document. This set out the training needs of the establishment for the year ahead and how it was proposed that those needs would be met. That document was then circulated to all senior Managers, with copies also being made available throughout the establishment for other staff. General oversight of the training function was undertaken by a Staff Training Committee, the membership of which comprised representatives from the various parts of the establishment. The Committee was scheduled to meet every six weeks and minutes of meetings were placed on the local training folder within the SPIN system.
9.31 Based on the training plan, courses were held on a regular basis throughout the year, with Friday afternoons being specifically set aside for training. Courses being held were advertised at strategic points in the prison and staff who wished to attend made applications through their line managers. The programme of courses to be held each Friday afternoon was made up eight weeks in advance. In addition to those formal training programmes, individual courses - both internal and external - were also arranged to meet the specific needs of members of staff.
9.32 The actual training within the prison was delivered either by staff in the establishment with specific skills or by the Training Managers. Comprehensive computerised records were maintained of all staff who attended courses and on a monthly basis, a report was submitted to senior Managers giving a breakdown of the number of courses held, the numbers attending and the total amount spent from the training budget.
9.33 At the time of our last inspection, we had been disappointed to note that the establishment had been well behind in their SVQ assessments, which was having an adverse effect on Operations staff. On this latest inspection, however, we were pleased to note a significant improvement. Following that last inspection, an SVQ Co-ordinator had been appointed and this had had a major influence in getting the assessments up-to-date. There was now no backlog and from a sample check of staff SVQ records, we noted that comprehensive documentation was being maintained.
9.34 The arrangements for staff training were impressive. The Training Unit was located in ideal conditions with an excellent range of training aids. The Training Managers were extremely committed to their task and a comprehensive system was in place to identify and meet the training needs of staff. A wide range of courses was available at regular intervals throughout the year and we were pleased to see that the Friday afternoon training sessions were proving to be of value. The main disappointment was the fact that frequently, staff who had arranged to go on a course were unable to attend because they were required to undertake other more pressing duties. This was a symptom of the current staffing situation within the establishment.
9.35 We were also impressed with the computerised record keeping system. We noted that this was able to produce a comprehensive amount of statistical information about training activities, though we suggest that it should also be used to identify staff who were not participating in any training activities so that appropriate targeted action might be taken.
9.36 The main staff facility was in a purpose-built two-storey building adjacent to the Administration area and had been opened in 1990. On the ground floor there was a locker room with a locker for every member of staff. Within this area, there was a male toilet that also contained two showers; a female toilet area with one shower was located close to the locker room. Also on the ground floor, there was a drinks vending machine. The upper floor had seating areas and a television as well as two pool tables, dining tables and chairs, snack food and drinks vending machines and a kitchen. This latter area had a cooker and microwave oven, cupboards and a sink.
9.37 Staff also had access to the gymnasium and as noted at paragraph 5.82, we were pleased to note that as part of the refurbishment of the showers area, facilities had been provided exclusively for the use of male and female staff. Also since our last inspection, there was now a designated staff car park with remote controlled entry and exit barriers.
9.38 We were satisfied with the facilities that were available for night shift staff and there was adequate provision of staff toilets throughout the establishment.
9.39 We were pleased to note improvements made since the last inspection including the provision of the new gymnasium shower facilities and staff car park. We also noted that there were now proper cleaning schedules in place for the main staff facility, an issue that had been the subject of some criticism in the previous formal report. However, we noted that this main facility was rarely ever being used by staff and the kitchen area was looking rather run-down, with broken cupboard doors and a general shortage of cutlery and crockery. We were advised that consideration had been given to the feasibility of introducing a canteen service that would be run by an external private company but that these proposals had been put on hold due to the cost involved in bringing the kitchen area up to a standard that would satisfy health and hygiene regulations. However, as things stand at present, the facility is being grossly underused and we suggest, therefore, that further consideration be given to the possibility of either converting it into a privately managed concern or of upgrading it to a standard that makes it more attractive to staff.
9.40 During the course of our inspection, we met with a number of staff groups representing all grades and specialisms. As is our normal practice, we have recorded the views of staff as they were put to us but that should not be taken to imply that the Inspectorate is in full agreement with every point that was raised. However, where issues raised relate to subjects that are covered in this report, we have cross-referenced the relevant paragraph. The following is a summary of the main points raised.
9.41 Staff Morale. All groups described this as being extremely low. Operations staff were unhappy about the fact that they were regularly called upon to cover vacant Residential posts, which meant that Operations posts were then left vacant. They said that because of the current Estates Review, there were no prospects of permanent promotions and they felt that they had been misled from the beginning about long-term pay and promotion prospects. They claimed that many of their colleagues were leaving the SPS. Residential staff were equally unhappy and felt that staff in the SPS were undervalued. They also expressed concern about the proposals for a new attendance pattern. Supervisors referred to the number of rumours that were circulating and said that these were the result of uncertainties throughout the service. They felt that everything that was currently been done was anti-staff and they were unhappy about recent statements made by the Chief Executive about the future way forward for the SPS. Non-uniformed staff agreed that morale was low and though they felt that this applied more to the uniformed grades, they were unhappy about their pay system, which varied on an individual basis depending on which establishment you had started in - paragraphs 3.2-8.
9.42 Staffing Levels. This issue was raised by all the uniformed staff groups and we were told that the establishment was down in complement and that some areas had been understaffed for months. They claimed that many staff were leaving but the freeze on recruitment meant that vacancies were not being filled. It was said also that many members of staff were unhappy about regularly having to work their rest days - paragraph 3.8.
9.43 Safety and Security. Some staff said that they had concerns about safety given that in some areas, staff shortages meant that there were fewer staff on the landings. Concerns were also expressed about the safety of the civilian staff in the Visitors Centre, whilst the fact that the tables and chairs in the visits room were not bolted down was of concern to Operations staff.
9.44 Relationships with Management. It was clear to us that the Governor I/C was held in high regard but staff were universally distrustful of senior managers in SPS Headquarters. However, whilst some staff felt that Managers in the establishment were very approachable, we also received comments that they were effectively bullying staff into working their way, that many of them could not be trusted and that they were rarely seen around the residential areas. Supervisors felt that they were Managers in name only and did not feel that they were involved in the management of the establishment as much as they should have been. Many Residential staff indicated that they did not like the recently introduced arrangement whereby there were three Supervisors to a group as they felt that this introduced an element of inconsistency in decision making. Staff also expressed no confidence in the staff appraisal system.
9.45 Relationships with Prisoners. These were described as being generally good and relaxed. Staff felt that this was because they were always being encouraged to deal with prisoners' problems directly rather than pass them on to more senior members of staff. Some staff expressed scepticism, however, about arrangements for the policing of drug free areas - paragraph 8.2.
9.46 Staff Training. Training facilities were described as very good and the training staff as being very helpful. It was acknowledged that a good number of courses was available, including the Friday afternoon sessions, but we were told that many courses were cancelled at short notice because of staff shortages. It was claimed also that because of the staffing situation, the only time that many staff could attend courses was on their rest days. The view was also expressed that although the establishment had achieved IiP accreditation, staff saw very little benefit arising from this award - paragraphs 9.29-35.
9.47 Staff Facilities. This was the subject of much criticism, with staff commenting that they would prefer to have a canteen facility where they could purchase meals. Other criticisms related to the lack of clothes drying facilities for staff who cycled to work, the fact that Administrative staff had no lockers and although the gymnasium was available for staff use, its location meant that not all staff could get there during their breaks - paragraphs 9.36-39.
9.48 Communications. It was said that staff were satisfied with the way in which they were notified about national issues but some concern was expressed about the communication of local initiatives. It was acknowledged that there was a lot of information on the local folders in the SPIN network but that not all staff knew how to access this information - paragraphs 7.5-6.
9.49 As with the situation in many other Scottish prisons, we found that concerns about the longer-term future were resulting in very low staff morale. In Edinburgh, this was particularly noticeable amongst Operations staff, who were now under complement as well as feeling under-valued. We believe this general feeling of low morale may have been contributing to the concerns expressed about safety, security and relationships with senior management. On the positive side, however, relationships with prisoners were generally good. We agreed not only with the positive comments made about staff training but also the concerns expressed about the number of courses cancelled at short notice. As regards staff facilities, whilst those at Edinburgh compare favourably with what is available in many other Scottish prisons, we have suggested that options for a privately-managed canteen style operation should be explored. We did not agree, however, with all the comments about communications. In our view, Edinburgh is one of the best establishments in the SPS for ensuring that staff have ready and easy access to relevant items of information.
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