HMP Onley

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 improved systems to address the issues identified during our previous inspection and were no longer in breach of the regulations. Managers and staff had worked hard to improve services for patients since the last inspection. Work was ongoing and there was clear commitment to continue to make improvements. Medicines were appropriately prescribed, supplied and administered in line with the relevant legislation, current national guidance or best available evidence.

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.

The judgement for Safe and effective staffing is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

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

Managers and staff told us medicines management had significantly improved since the last inspection. A new pharmacist had been appointed and had reorganised the working arrangements within the pharmacy and medicines hatches. The recording and issuing of medicines functioned well following these changes which ensured patients received their medicines on time. At the last inspection, the medicines policies had expired. At this inspection we found the main medicines policy remained under review which had been extended until January 2025. Other policies relating to medicines had been reviewed and updated in October 2024. At the last inspection we also noted the emergency response policy stated injectable naloxone should be used. Staff at this site were not trained to administer injectable naloxone and used the nasal preparation instead. At this inspection we found that staff had been trained and used injectable naloxone when required. At the last inspection, we saw evidence of delays in patients being provided with their medicines, sometimes for several weeks. There was also a backlog of tasks on the electronic system where repeat prescriptions and medicines requiring review had been requested in advance of need, but not processed in a timely manner. There were also occasions when the prison had no prescribers available to process prescription requests. At this inspection a new pharmacist had been recruited and in post for six months. The newly appointed pharmacist had reorganised systems and processes and provided positive support for the team which improved the cohesiveness of working relationships. We found that most patients received their medicines on time, with few unavoidable exceptions. The backlog of tasks had been cleared and were mostly responded to in a timely manner.