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9.1 The Governor, who was due to retire shortly after this inspection, was in charge of a senior management team within which the Operations and Prison, Young Offenders Residential, Regimes, and Health Centre Managers reported to the Deputy Governor who, along with the Finance, Estates and Human Resource (HR) Managers reported directly to the Governor. As would be expected, this experienced team demonstrated a most impressive understanding and insight into the management of long term YOs.
9.2 The Deputy Governor also had extensive experience of working with YOs in a range of settings and was aware of the unsettling effect that the refurbishment programme was having on the population and to a lesser extent, the staff. He recognised that the best way of reducing the uncertainty was by regular and repeated communication to dispel the rumours and speculation that circulated from time to time.
9.3 The management team presented as a generally cohesive and effective group which was aware of the range of issues facing the establishment and the implications for their colleagues as well as for their own areas of responsibility.
9.4 The imminent retiral of the Governor, much of whose service had been at Dumfries, was recognised as a major element in a significant change process for the establishment. He was, however, continuing to encourage ideas and innovations on how the regime and staff might be developed. Plans were being taken forward by the team on how the regime and staff might be developed to make best use of the refurbished facilities so that YOs might be able to use their time at Dumfries positively and in due course, successfully manage the transition to the adult prison system.
9.5 The HR Department was staffed by a Manager and an HR Administrator, with additional administrative support from the Management's Secretary as required. The team included a Staff Training and Development Officer, who was responsible for the co-ordination of training and development activities.
9.6 The establishment had met the standards for Investors in People Accreditation. It had also gained the 'Health at Work' Bronze Award and was about to be assessed for the Silver Award shortly after our inspection.
9.7 The local Whitley Council, in common with most other establishments, did not currently meet on a formal basis. There were plans, however, to resurrect the local council in the near future but as an interim measure, a number of alternative media for the discussion of IR issues were being used. The establishment was enjoying a reasonably settled IR climate, though there was a number of relatively minor disputes to be resolved. Outside the formal procedures, communications between management and the trade union side was described as open and effective.
9.8 Dumfries is fortunate in that it is a small and compact establishment which facilitates communication but nevertheless, it was apparent that considerable effort had gone into improving formal communications systems within the establishment. Imaginative use was being made of the notice boards and staff information folders that were widely distributed through the Institution. These folders provided up to date and accurate information on a range of subjects and had proved to be very successful in countering the myths and rumours which from time to time circulated round the establishment. The general approach by Managers was to provide information and encourage questions though, as was pointed out, the answers may not always be welcome. Staff and YOs/prisoners, in common with those in many other establishments, typically described communications as poor -; see paragraph 9.26.
9.9 In March 1999, the establishment achieved Investors in People status, an award that was indicative of the commitment to training and development for everyone. It also endorsed the effectiveness of the processes in place for identifying and responding to the training needs of individuals. All who contributed to the achievement of this award are to be congratulated.
9.10 The main feature of training was the use of a model which identified needs, training design, delivery and evaluation and it was a strategy that involved using the personal performance programme for informing the process. Systems were in place to support this approach and each participant - from Staff Training and Development Officer (STDO) to line manager to reportee - was involved, with a clear understanding of his/her role.
9.11 The Staff Training Unit was managed by a qualified STDO with administrative support supplied within the unit. The facility, though small, was adequately resourced. A database for tracking and recording individual needs, as identified by line managers, was a key tool in managing the process. In addition, a multi-media computer-based training programme allowed individuals to develop skills without the need for the supervision of a dedicated trainer. A small but well resourced library had been set up by the STDO and was continually being developed to meet the needs of staff. Completing the physical resources was a small but again well resourced classroom that was used for formal training sessions, with the board room and the group working room supplementing when demand necessitated. It was the responsibility of the STDO to maintain individual training records, which were easily accessible to line managers.
9.12 Statutory training in Control and Restraint and Breathing Apparatus was well advanced. SVQ training for new recruits, although a little behind schedule at the time of our visit, remained on course to be completed within individuals' probationary periods. Out of twelve Supervisors in the establishment, five had achieved D32 accreditation in assessment and a further five were working towards this accreditation. During the course of our inspection, six Supervisors were presented with their NEBS certificate in Management.
9.13 There was no doubt that staff development at Dumfries was well supported in terms of resourcing and commitment. A clearly defined and unambiguous strategy for taking forward training was well established and if properly applied, will support effective and efficient training. The only issue which could inhibit maximising the advantages of this process was the ability or otherwise of line managers to perform proper training needs analysis. It is critical that they can fully identify the role of training in remedying a performance problem and that they can specify whether or not the deficiency is because of a lack of knowledge, poor skills or attitudinal issues or a combination of two or more. There was no evidence of training in Training Needs Analysis and the benefits of the model used could therefore be less effective if line managers were not fully competent.
9.14 Overall co-ordination of the Scheme was undertaken by the Management Support Officer, who was also responsible for record keeping. Since the Scheme started, there had been a total of nine complaints lodged; one was ongoing at the time of our inspection, the others had all been resolved. We offered one minor suggestion to improve the records system but that apart, we were satisfied with the way that the Scheme was being managed within the establishment. We were satisfied also that staff were fully aware of the Scheme and how to progress any grievances.
9.15 The profile given to the equal opportunities agenda within the establishment had deteriorated to the point where there was no local equal opportunities policy, no committee and no training. Although no equal opportunity problems were evident at the time of our visit and facilities for the gender mix within the establishment were being upgraded, it is essential that the structure for establishing and communicating the SPS policy on equal opportunity issues should receive appropriate consideration. Only when this happens and staff are informed about these issues can the whole direction of equal opportunities in the establishment be properly assessed. On the positive side, we were pleased to learn that management had recognised this deficiency and that steps had been taken to progress a policy, assemble a committee and develop training. Considerable work remains to be done, however, before the situation can be described as satisfactory.
9.16 The main staff facilities area was located on the upper floor of the Administration block. The muster room was spacious and well set out and appeared adequate for the number of staff using the facility. It was well equipped with chairs, television, a stereo system and a pool table. One corner of the room had been designated as a smoking area and though staff felt that this was a welcome addition, there was some reservation over the fact that an extractor fan had not been installed. There was also a small kitchen but staff expressed some disappointment about the lack of utensils, such as pots and pans, knives and forks. There was a proposal to build a drying area for staff clothing in the muster room area and although staff welcomed this proposal, they were concerned that the kitchen area was being reduced to accommodate it.
9.17 Adjacent to the muster room was the staff locker room which, at the time of our inspection, was being redesigned to accommodate a female toilet and shower area. However, male staff expressed some concern that having only one shower in their area was inadequate to meet their needs.
9.18 Facilities in the Halls were poor with no toilet or washing area whatsoever in 'B' Hall which meant that staff had to use 'C' Hall facilities. Night shift facilities were also of a minimum standard with no provision for staff to have a hot meal. We understand, however, that the current refurbishment programme will address these problems.
9.19 During the course of our inspection, we met formally with a range of staff covering all grades, specialisms and levels of experience. A wide range of issues was raised with some areas of duplication.
9.20 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.
9.21 Relationships with Management were not considered to be very good with staff complaining of a lack of empowerment or involvement in areas such as the Strategic Planning process, resulting in a feeling of being undervalued. It was claimed also that there were too many Supervisors and Managers in the establishment and members of the senior management team were said not to have a visible enough presence around the Institution.
9.22 Staff Morale was said to be low, partly due to the general lack of meaningful and challenging work. We were told also about feelings of uncertainty as a result of rumours about the future of the establishment following the refurbishment programme and the possibility of some staff being transferred out.
9.23 Relationships with YOs and prisoners were, however, said to be very good, with the use of first names being a particularly positive development. There had been a setback in relationships following the major incident in 1998 but much of that lost ground was gradually being regained - paragraph 10.2.
9.24 Staff training was seen in a different light by different groups. Some staff felt that it was good though there were few opportunities to put into practice what had been learned. Other staff were of the view that although training was in theory available, actually getting the time off to attend courses could be a major problem and it was claimed that many courses were over-subscribed. We were told that training in some potentially life saving issues -; e.g. breathing apparatus -; was not being undertaken due to the unavailability of staff. Similarly, there was a shortfall in training in areas such as e-mail, Team Forum and PRS, though it was acknowledged that Management was trying to take steps to resolve that particular problem -; paragraphs 9.9 - 9.13 and 11.7.
9.25 Staff facilities were criticised for the fact that the lockers and the locker room were too small, that there were no drying facilities for staff who cycled to work and that facilities for night shift staff were poor. The muster room was also criticised for the absence of any cutlery and the lack of an extraction system for cigarette smoke -; paragraphs 9.16 - 9.18.
9.26 Communications were severely criticised by all groups. It was said that Hall meetings were often cancelled and those that were held had no set agenda and were, therefore, not seen as being beneficial. It was also claimed that there were no Team Briefing meetings and that as a result, staff felt very ill-informed about what was happening. As an example, all groups claimed that they knew very little about what the plans were for the establishment following the refurbishment programme and that this inevitably led to rumour and speculation. We were told also that issues raised and formally recorded in the meetings of the monthly Supervisors' forum were not always taken up by senior Management and that the presence of a Unit Manager at those meetings inhibited discussion -; paragraph 9.8.
8.27 We were disappointed to hear that staff did not consider their relationship with the management team to be very good. However, we found no evidence to support the claims that managers did not have a visible presence round the Institution or that attempts were not being made to keep staff informed about how the refurbishment programme would affect the establishment in the longer term. We did agree that relationships between YOs/prisoners and staff were very good and we have commented elsewhere in this report that the use of first names had helped considerably in that regard. On the issue of staff training, we thought that there was an excellent structure in place, though we recognised that there were some issues that required to be addressed in order to maximise the advantages of the current system. In general terms, we agreed with the comments about staff facilities but we were surprised at the degree of criticism about communications. In our view, a considerable amount of effort had gone into improving the system -; see paragraph 9.8.
9.28 There was a local Butler Trust Committee, the membership of which comprised a Supervisor as Chairman and four other members of staff representing different parts of the establishment. The Committee met on an irregular basis but published minutes of their meetings.
9.29 Nominations were normally sought by the Committee using the standard literature provided to advertise the scheme. Although the Committee did not actively seek nominations throughout the year, YOs/prisoners and staff were encouraged to forward applications for consideration. We were advised that there were currently three staff nominations for the award.
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