UCU prison education update

Education select committee - prison education inquiry

We are pleased to announce that the select committee have called our general secretary, Dr Jo Grady, to give evidence at their next session on the 8 June. You can read a transcript or watch a video of their first session from 20 April and our written submission can be found here.

Update from JUPA - health & safety

Marianne Quick, UCU's bargaining & negotiations official, co-chairs Joint Unions in Prisons Alliance which is a group of ten trade unions who represent workers in the prison environment. JUPA meets on a regular basis to exchange information and also meets with HMPPS on a quarterly basis and the HMPPS health & safety team monthly to raise matters of concern and seek clarification on health and safety matters. 

Covid situation across the prison estate

There are currently four prison outbreak sites and one approved premises outbreak. HMP Preston being the most recent with over 100 reported cases. 

30 prisons are currently running L3 regimes with the rest of the estate planning towards L3. There is a meeting with ministers next week to review plans for sites at L3 to look at moves towards L2 where the infection and staffing data indicates that it is safe to do so. 

In full consultation with HMPPS' recognised trade unions there is work being undertaken on a future recovery plan and recovery safe operating procedures which may come into play following 21st June as the planned road map currently envisages changes in the wider community.

Their approach is one which is based on balancing the risk of infection, moving in line with community restrictions and mental health well being and care of prisoners. 

HMPPS are currently running some pilot sites for prison visits which will allow hugging of family members, prioritising those that have become new fathers to meet their new babies. 

JUPA side requested copies of the most recent ventilation and social distancing guidance. This is currently being updated. Social distancing is still at 2 meters with all additional controls remaining in place for the foreseeable future. When this changes, risk assessments will need to be updated accordingly

Vaccination & testing

A really helpful update was provided to JUPA on the vaccination roll-out with 27,000 1st vaccines being issued to the prison population (aprox 35%) and what they described as 'relatively reasonable decline rate of 14%'. HMPPS are conducting a thematic review of decline rate to put in place an action plan including peer support and a communication strategy to improve vaccine take up. 

New technology on improving speed and efficacy of testing also discussed including LAMP testing which is a saliva based test. 

A detailed and helpful response to the SAGE report on Covid-19 in prisons was also given at the meeting which talked through some of the modelling, which confirmed that staff remained the primary risk to taking covid onto sites and that they were keeping a very close eye on the efficacy of vaccines in relation to the new variant. 

Compliance visits and safety inspections

We discussed local UCU H&S reps being involved in HMPPS compliance visits/inspections with the onsite H&S/Covid teams. Local reps should be encouraged to ask to attend these visits in/around education areas in accordance with regulation 11 and regulation 12  of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Use these visits to raise issues of concern and ask for a copy of the report afterwards. Prison site contacts for who this is, should be readily available on site but if not clear then please escalate to branch officers and we will do our best to find out who the local contact is. 

HMPPS education report

Mike Harrison, HMPPS education contracts manager was also in attendance. His brief report stated that education was operating within the EDM L3 with some small group provision, some in-cell and some in workshops and classrooms. It is highly likely he said that a blended learning approach would continue into the future. 

A written report from YCS (extract below) was also received: 

'The YCS will look to further increase the delivery of regimes within secure settings, in a manner  is safe and sustainable for both children and staff. It is hoped that as restrictions continue to ease, we will begin to see the regime open up further for those in youth custody. To this end, planning work is now taking place to prepare for a future move to Stage 2. Individual site readiness to move will be based on local risk assessments, which will take place once the gateway becomes available. Specific YCS guidance has been issued to make sure that recovery efforts address YCS priorities and the needs of children.'

Mike Harrison also requested that he is copied in to any escalation issues that UCU needs to make to HMPPS where matters have not been able to be resolved locally.

Whistleblowing hotline 

As a reminder to all members there is a HMPPS integrity hotline in place and that this is available to all directly and non-directly employed staff working with HMPPS. This includes prison service staff, National Probation Service staff and all contracted providers working in HMPPS (healthcare, education, community resettlement companies, building maintenance, escort contractors' providers and other agency workers).  

The integrity hotline number is 0800 917 6877. 

The purpose of the HMPPS integrity line is to enable directly and non-directly employed staff to report corrupt and unprofessional behaviour being undertaken by individuals working within HMPPS, this includes contractors. The service is anonymous by default, but callers are asked whether they would be willing to leave their details. The service is managed by the Counter Corruption Unit (CCU). They do not routinely contact the caller to provide an update (unless this is specifically requested), but all information reported is disseminated to regional CCUs to consider and investigate.

Update on Novus strike action 

Thank you to all prison education members across other branches who have sent messages of support and donated to the strike fund. An update on the action can be seen here: Novus dispute update: Acas talks and strike action

The press release can be read here and see also the background to the dispute [197kb].

You can support your fellow members at the Novus branch by writing to your MP asking them to sign an Early Day Motion 

We are also pleased to announce that Brian Hamilton, UCUNovus branch chair and UCU prison education NEC rep will be speaking at the Newham Trades Council meeting on Tuesday 18 May.

Joint UCU and Prisoner Learning Alliance survey launched 

Prison educators lockdown & beyond

Finally, we are really pleased to announce that UCU and the Prisoner Learning Alliance have decided to carry out a joint survey to find out about experience of you as prison educators and what support you currently receive, as well as the support you would like to receive in relation to your career development. 

It should take no more than 10 minutes to complete the survey, which will help both organisations shape their future work in this area.

Take the survey here

In solidarity

Marianne Quick
UCU bargaining & negotiations official
(Climate & sustainability/prison education)