HMP Garth

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We found the provider had made sufficient progress to address the regulatory breaches found at our previous inspection. Staff completed medicines records fully. Pharmacy staff ensured that medicines reconciliation checks were completed within 72 hours. Staff completed compact agreements with patients at reception screenings. The provider continued to experience recruitment and retention issues but used the resources it had effectively in the face of a challenging and restrictive prison regime. The provider ensured eligible staff had access to specialist substance misuse training.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Learning culture is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safe systems, pathways and transitions is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safeguarding is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Involving people to manage risks is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safe environments is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

At our previous inspection, we said the provider should improve staffing levels, especially in primary care. During this assessment, we found that the staffing picture had improved slightly but there remained vacancies, and recruitment was ongoing. However, the provider used the resources it had effectively to provide a comprehensive service. The health care service was still operating in a highly challenging environment due to the restrictive prison regime and issues with access and enablement, all of which placed additional pressure on already stretched staff. However, staff worked hard to minimise the impact of staffing shortages on patient care. At our previous inspection, we said the provider should offer specialist training in substance misuse to all staff involved in any substance misuse care. At the time of our assessment, there were no permanent staff in place that were eligible to undertake the RCGP Certificate in the Management of Drug Use. However, the provider was able to offer the training when needed. A previous staff member had received training but had since left. Another team leader was undertaking prescriber training, which included the RCGP Certificate.

The judgement for Infection prevention and control is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

At our previous inspection, we found that medicines records were not always completed accurately. Administration records were left blank or had limited details recorded so it was unclear if and why prisoners had missed their medicines. During this assessment, we found that staff completed medicines records fully. The provider had a process for checking records for gaps, consulting the relevant staff member to identify the cause, and taking remedial action. At our previous inspection, we found that pharmacy staffing shortages meant that staff could not always complete tasks such as medicines reconciliation in a timely way. During this assessment, we reviewed data showing medicines reconciliation rates for 3 months from April to June 2024. We found that all required checks were completed within 72 hours. The service had 2 pharmacy technicians in post but had received funding for an additional pharmacy technician post, which they had started recruiting for. At our previous inspection, we found that not all patients had current compact agreements specific to HMP Garth. During this assessment, we reviewed reception screening data for 3 months from April to June 2024, which showed that staff completed compact agreements with all new patients who required them. The service had developed a new and highly effective system for completing these agreements. They used an electronic template that could be completed and signed onscreen and then uploaded into the patient’s care record making the process simple and quick.