Last inspectedJuly 2024Full inspection, unannounced
Source: HM Inspectorate of Prisons report published 14 October 2024; visiting details from GOV.UK · last checked 29 October 2026
Latest inspection
At its last full inspection (July 2024; report published October 2024), inspectors found outcomes for prisoners were not sufficiently good for purposeful activity and preparation for release; reasonably good for respect; good for safety. It held 604 people at the time, against an operational capacity of 608.
A senior coroner found that missing heart medication played a part in the death of George Haldenby, and warned that gaps in out-of-hours prescribing and CPR training could cost more lives.
Inspectors rated safety good at the prison for men convicted of sexual offences, but found no offending behaviour programmes, an overstretched offender management unit and too little meaningful activity.
The inspectorate's report on HMP The Verne, published in June 2020, praised staff-prisoner relationships at the Dorset prison but found too little activity and an under-resourced health service.
Prison News staff
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