| Report
on HM Prison Noranside
HM Inspectorate of
Prisons for Scotland 1998
9. STAFF AND MANAGEMENT
Management
9.1 The senior management team consisted of the
Governor and four managers. The Deputy Governor, who was also Head of Custody, had seven
Supervisors reporting to him. The Resources and Activities Manager reported directly to
the Governor on matters concerning Catering, PE, Industries, Education, Social Work,
Health Care and Chaplains. The Human Resources (HR) Manager was responsible to the
Governor for Administration and Staff Training. The Estates Manager was responsible for
supervision of the Maintenance contract.
Comment
9.2 We considered the structure and span of control
to be appropriate for the size and range of activities within a busy establishment and
that the management team worked well as a group.
9.3 We also assessed that the Deputy Governor had
made a significant contribution to the development of the establishment over the three
years that he had been in post. His forthright and energetic style would be missed, as he
was due to retire immediately after the inspection.
Human Resources
9.4 The HR management role had developed since our
last inspection from a shared post with HMP Castle Huntly to the full-time appointment in
1996 of the current postholder. With the impending retiral of the current Deputy Governor,
the role was due to develop further with the HR Manager assuming overall responsibility
for the establishment’s financial management, in addition to her existing
responsibilities for the Office Administration, Staff Training, Industrial Relations and
Management Support functions.
9.5 With the implementation of the New Staffing
Structure in 1997, an Activities Supervisor post had been removed from the complement and
an Operations Officer post had been added. At the time of our inspection, the
establishment was fully up to complement - see Annex 5.
9.6 The local Sick Absence Management Policy was
being operated effectively. At the time of our inspection, two members of staff were on
sick leave (both long-term) against the establishment’s target of seven.
9.7 The HR Manager has been leading a local Project
Team aimed at delivering Investors in People (IiP) accreditation. A trial assessment had
recently been successfully completed by the external verifiers and the establishment was
on target to achieve the award by November 1998, nine months ahead of target.
Comment
9.8 We were pleased to note the proactive approach to
HR management which was currently reflected in sick absence figures that were amongst the
lowest in the SPS and in the significant progress that had been made towards IiP
accreditation. This latter initiative had positively improved procedures and performance
in key areas of delivery and had enhanced staff morale and team working.
Staff Training
9.9 Staff training had been radically restructured
since our last inspection. Following the SPS’s Staffing Structure Review in 1995, the
Staff Training Officer (STO), who had previously had dual responsibilities for both
Noranside and HMP Castle Huntly, had been assigned full-time to Noranside. The STO post
had been further rationalised in April 1998 when a multi-functional post - i.e.
Activities, Management Support and Training Supervisor - had been established with
responsibilities for Management Support (10%) and Activities (40%) in addition to Staff
Training (50%). The current postholder had been in post since November 1996 and reported
directly to the HR Manager.
9.10 The staff training unit was located centrally
within the Administration building and consisted of a compact and well laid out training
area with a separate office facility containing a SPIN terminal and printer. The main
training area had a comprehensive range of relevant training equipment and the nearby
Communications Room and Parole Interview Room were regularly used as syndicate areas. The
unit was fully accessible to staff seven days a week as a resource either to access the
small but adequately stocked library, to use the facility for study purposes or to use the
computer facilities to work on personalised training packages.
9.11 The establishment had successfully overcome all
the major obstacles which had previously obstructed the achievement of a relevant and
dynamic training programme (see Annex 6) not only at Noranside but nationally. This had
been achieved by implementing three key initiatives:-
(i) Alterations to the staff attendance pattern to
allow for 37 hours ‘on post’ plus two hours per week facility time, of which 50%
was dedicated to staff training, and training times being targeted on the shift changeover
in order to maximise attendance;
(ii) Ensuring ownership of staff training by
appropriate delegation to line managers for identification of training needs and delivery
of training through the Personal Performance Programme (PPP); and
(iii) Establishing structures and implementing
procedures to ensure on-going evaluation, assessment, communication, audit and review of
the Staff Training and Development Plan.
9.12 As a result of these initiatives, Noranside had
in the last year delivered almost double the training hours allowed for in the complement
variable - i.e. 4,034 hours against an allowance of 2,168 hours. This has included 1,879
hours delivered on site and 2,155 hours out-housed at either the SPS College or with
specialist contractors. Additionally, a number of staff at all levels had been identified
and coached as resource trainers with deputy supports, thus ensuring that 50% of the
establishment’s staff were actively involved in local training delivery over a wide
range of subject areas. Line managers were responsible for the maintenance of Action
Development Plans and training records as well as for the submission of training plan
tracking charts to the Training Supervisor.
9.13 This restructuring had also allowed the Training
Supervisor to act more fully in a training consultancy and support role, in addition to
permitting him to prioritise time for his other functions. It had also rendered obsolete
the former centrally driven Staff Training Committee.
9.14 The annual Staff Training and Development Plan
contained the local staff training policy statement, aims and objectives, key issues,
training and development needs and priorities, evaluation methodology and an
organisational overview outlining key responsibilities and accountability. It was formally
reviewed on a quarterly basis as one part of an Evaluation of Team Performance Review
Sheet which was submitted by all line managers to the HR manager. This review ensured that
the Plan was sufficiently flexible to accommodate, for example, new SPS national
initiatives which required to be introduced after the initial Plan had been circulated. As
a result, the process of planning, training and development was based on the assessment of
current competencies using PPP and a training needs analysis, prioritised alongside those
training needs which had been created by both the SPS’s and the establishment’s
strategic planning and corporate organisational objectives. A monthly training plan was
circulated to all line managers and to Wing Officers.
9.15 The establishment had fulfilled its targets for
SVQ training as well as for other elements of training such as Control and Restraint and
Induction. Excellent working links had been forged with the main Colleges within the Angus
and Perthshire areas and with the SPS College, with staff from there also delivering
training at Noranside.
9.16 The IiP initiative had also helped the staff
training organisation to refine and review its structure, practices and procedures.
Comment
9.17 We were extremely impressed by the imaginative
restructuring of local staff training since our last formal inspection and by the
ownership and value attached to it by all staff, both in terms of delivery and attendance.
The flexibility and relevance of the annual Staff Training Plan and the ongoing processes
of evaluation and audit are also particularly worthy of mention. Given the difficulties
which a number of establishments throughout the SPS have experienced in delivering a
relevant and accessible training and development programme, we commend this area as a best
practice item.
Staff Grievance Procedure
9.18 The Staff Grievance Procedure was the
responsibility of the HR Manager who maintained all records in the required manner. Since
the inception of the current Scheme, only one case had been raised formally and we were
satisfied that all procedures appeared to meet the laid down requirements. We were also
satisfied that all staff had been made aware of the existence of the Scheme and how to
pursue a case should the need arise.
Equal Opportunities
9.19 An Operations Officer was the Equal
Opportunities Officer. All new staff joining the establishment were given a briefing by
the HR Manager on the local Equal Opportunities policy - which very much followed the
national SPS policy - as part of their induction process; a copy of the policy was also on
display in the Communications Room. In addition, training sessions were provided every six
months and were available to all staff who wished to attend on a voluntary basis. Those
sessions covered information about what constituted unacceptable behaviour and gave
details of how to lodge or deal with complaints. There were, in fact, very few equal
opportunity issues that required to be addressed with the majority of such issues being
dealt with swiftly at local level. For that reason, the decision had been taken not to
have an Equal Opportunities Committee.
9.20 As regards more general issues, apart from the
farms and gardens areas - see paragraph 9.22 - there were adequate toilet and shower
facilities for male and female staff. We were pleased to note also that there was a
wheelchair ramp giving access to the visits area.
Staff Facilities
9.21 Since our last formal inspection, a new suite of staff
facilities had been created in the Administration building out of what had previously been
a number of stores. Within this new area were separate smoking and non-smoking rest rooms,
a fully fitted kitchen/dining room and a locker room that had recently been fitted out
with a new locker for every member of staff. There was also a unisex toilet/shower area
which could be locked when in use, in addition to which there were also separate male and
female toilets in another part of the building. This new complex was a first class
facility which had been fitted out to a high standard and was being very well maintained.
The only problem identified to us was the fact that it could take some considerable time
for the water in the shower to become hot.
9.22 There were adequate toilet facilities for staff
throughout the other parts of the establishment, with staff also having access to the
shower facilities in the gymnasium complex. We did note, however, that although the Farms
and Gardens areas had staff toilets there were no showers, which meant that those staff
had to come up to the main part of the establishment if they needed to use such a
facility. Given the work involved and the substances that staff in those areas could be
required to use, we did not consider that to be an adequate arrangement. Similarly, we
considered that the rest rooms for those staff were less than satisfactory. We suggest,
therefore, that staff in the Farms and Gardens areas should be provided with showers and
adequate rest room facilities.
Staff Perceptions
9.23 During the course of the inspection, we met
formally with groups of staff covering all grades, specialisms and levels of experience.
There was a wide range of issues raised in all of these meetings, with some areas of
duplication.
9.24 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 raised. We do feel, however, that it is important that the views and
perceptions of staff on aspects of the establishment be recorded. Where issues raised
relate to aspects on which we have commented elsewhere in this report, we have
cross-referenced the relevant paragraphs. The following is a summary of the main points
raised and staff’s comments on them.
9.25 Staffing levels were a major cause for
concern, the view being expressed that they were as low as could be without jeopardising
safety. It was claimed that there was no consultation with staff when posts were being
removed from the complement and we were told that the main problem with staff shortages
was not due to staff sickness but to there being an insufficient staffing variable to
cover absences. Concern was expressed about the difficulties in operating the prison when
faced with unexpected demands and some staff claimed that they had now reached the stage
where they were no longer willing to provide cover for absences, such was the frequency of
these demands.
9.26 Relationships with Management were
generally regarded as having improved recently and basic grade staff spoke in particularly
positive terms about their relationships with Supervisors. The senior Management team were
considered to be approachable but the generally held view was that they were too
interested in increasing the amount of revenue that could be raised through the
establishment rather than concentrating on the core elements of the job. Staff who worked
in the more outlying parts of the prison felt that the Management team took little
interest in what they were doing or what their views were on aspects of the establishment.
9.27 Staff morale as regards local issues was
said to have been better than it had been in recent times. However, it was felt that there
were too many new initiatives being forced on staff without any additional time in which
to undertake them. On national issues, there was criticism of the Performance Related Pay
scheme and the view was that the small addition to the salary was not worth the extra
responsibility of moving up the ranks.
9.28 Staff training was said to be good at
Noranside and better than what was available at other establishments. Management was said
to be committed to providing staff with training but there were some claims that courses
were sometimes cancelled at short notice due to staff being called away to cover posts -
paragraphs 9.9-17.
9.29 Staff facilities in the Administration
Block were described as excellent, though it appeared that there were difficulties over
the hot water supply to the staff shower. Those who worked in the Farms and Gardens areas
felt that they should be provided with a proper rest room and showers - paragraphs
9.21-22.
9.30 Relationships with prisoners were
described as very good and had improved with the introduction of the Personal Officer
Scheme - paragraph 10.4.
9.31 Communications were also said to be good
with staff commenting favourably on the Communications Room and the creation of two
Communications Officer posts -paragraphs 9.37-39.
9.32 Inter-staff relationships was another
area that came in for praise, not only for the working relationship between Residential
and Operations Officers but also for the relationships between uniformed staff and
specialists.
9.33 Drug abuse amongst the prisoner
population - and its perceived tolerance - was a major cause for concern. The strongly
held view was that prisoners who tested positive for drug misuse should be returned
immediately to closed conditions. It was felt also that the prospect of a drug-free
environment would encourage suitable prisoners to progress more quickly to Noranside and
in turn, this would help ensure that the establishment was offering value for money. The
view was also expressed that the selection criteria for open prisons should be re-visited
as a matter of urgency and that clear distinctions between open prisons should be
established so that what each establishment had to offer could be made to match more
closely the particular needs of the different types of prisoners - paragraphs 4.4-22.
Comment
9.34 We did not share staff’s concerns about
staffing levels, which we considered to be adequate for an open establishment. We were
pleased to learn that good relationships existed between staff and management but we
support the latter in their attempts to increase the amount of revenue that could be
raised through the establishment to offset running costs. As regards staff training, we
shared staff’s views about the quality of the service on offer and indeed, in this
report we have highlighted this as an area of best practice within the SPS. We were also
in agreement with the views expressed about staff facilities, communications and the
positive benefits that had come about as a result of the introduction of the Personal
Officer scheme. Similarly, we shared the concerns expressed about prisoners who continued
to abuse drugs, hence our recommendation about an immediate return to closed conditions
for any prisoner testing positive, particularly for opiate misuse.
Industrial Relations
9.35 The Scottish Prison Officers Association (SPOA)
was the only union with staff representation at Noranside. Given that non-uniformed staff
had not expressed an active interest in trade union membership, there was no demand for a
Whitley Council structure.
9.36 Meetings, both formal and informal, were being
held between the Governor and the Local Branch Committee of the SPOA, with agreed minutes
being produced following formal meetings. Industrial Relations were described as relaxed
and informal.
Communications
9.37 The local Communications Strategy and the
monitoring of its effectiveness were the responsibility of the HR Manager. Day-to-day
responsibility had, however, been delegated to two Communications Officers and as an
initiative from the establishment’s current Strategic Plan, a new Communications Plan
was targeted for implementation by November 1998. Important elements of the new strategy
were the Public Relations remit and the production of a marketing strategy for the
establishment. Arrangements had also been made within the local Staff Training programme
for the SPS Press Officer to deliver Communications training to selected staff.
9.38 Within the establishment there was a
Communications Room which was situated centrally within the Administration building and
adjacent to the Staff Training Unit. The Communications Officers had the responsibility of
collating all relevant staff notices and ensuring that the information in this room was
both readily accessible and regularly updated. Effective arrangements were also in place
through Team Briefing and the Team Mail facility on SPIN to maximise channels of
communication. The relative smallness of the establishment additionally enhanced
communication, particularly through informal routes.
9.39 We were pleased to note that this important area
continued to be given high priority and we welcome the extension of the strategy in the
public relations and marketing areas.
Butler Trust
9.40 We were pleased to see that the criticisms that we had
made in the report of our last formal inspection about the low profile that was being
given to the Scheme had been addressed. A Residential Officer had been given
responsibility to promote the Scheme and in addition to posters being on prominent display
at various locations throughout the establishment, the local Team Forum on SPIN was being
used to remind staff about how to submit recommendations as well as to provide updates on
any nominations that had been put forward. All nominations were considered by a local
Assessment Panel and though none had been put forward for the current year’s Scheme,
a total of five nominations - including some submitted by prisoners - had been made over
the previous two years. All nominations were awarded a certificate which was presented at
a local ceremony by the Governor. |
