Author: Michael Harrison

All contents within this guidance are to be treated as OFFICIAL and the link to the platform is not to be shared externally.

Thanks to the hard work by Operational Implementation Support Group (OISG) and MOJ digital studio, Check My Diary is now live. We urge all staff to sing up to Check My Diary. It allows to have a remote access to the detail on “In-vision”. This means that staff (Band 2-5) can check their duties whenever they want. In case of any short-notice redeployments, staff can manage their time more efficiently. MOJ digital is planning future developments to include access to Annual leave/Toil balances/Payment Plus to increase the benefits for staff.

There is no training or additional facilities required from the establishments to run this. Everything is supported remotely by the MoJ Digital team and its use is best described as intuitive, receiving only positive feedback so far.

It is important to note that Check My Diary does not absolve establishments from following standard management procedures regarding notices etc.

To sign up, staff need to email their name, establishment, personal mobile number or email address (or both), Quantum ID and justice email address to CheckMyDetail@justice.gov.uk

The link below is required to log in:
https://checkmydiary.service.justice.gov.uk/auth/login

All contents within this guidance are to be treated as OFFICIAL and the link to the platform is not to be shared externally.

Advice from HM Government and PHE around social distancing has resulted in DHL having to reduce the numbers of prisoners in their workshops.

Some of the DHL employees in the workshops have been raising unsubstantiated concerns about our ability to provide a canteen service this week.

Following the intervention of Silver Commanders and the support of Local Bronze we are confident that prisoners will receive a near normal service.

However, it is the case aligned with the systems currently operating in supermarkets in the communities we have had to introduce some caps on the number of items available to purchase on some lines. Where individual issues arise for an odd missing product there will be some contingency stocks available to each site to supplement where possible.

We are extremely grateful for the support and flexibility from Governors of prisons with packing sites and we are working with DHL around the working arrangements for next week and beyond.  We are presently mobilising two large warehouses in Gloucester and Knowsley to support our Canteen provision and to safeguard the supply.

Week commencing 29^th March, canteen orders will not be able to include fruit or items that need to be stored in a fridge or freezer. Fruit will still be supplied from the kitchen as part of the daily food provision. The following week (commencing 5^th April) we will reintroduce a good selection of fruit items.

We will require ongoing support from prisons as we have seen this week to keep the service as near to normal in the coming weeks and will keep prisons up to date via operational Guidance. If there are any expected changes in this position we will inform Gold/Silver Commanders as a priority.

All contents within this guidance are to be treated as OFFICIAL and the link to the platform is not to be shared externally.

Information has gone out to establishments to train non-catering staff how to use kitchen equipment in the event that catering staff are not available. The use of prisoners under supervision can be used for low level tasks but will require some hygiene training. Prisoners already trained as part of the kitchen party would be the ideal workers to be used and supervised for meal production. Prisons are to receive two days’ supply of frozen complete meals per prisoner to hold as a contingency stock. Should they require more these will be dispatched by Bid food, our national supplier

Options that are being put in place above the complete meal options include:

• Contingency non-perishable food stocks are being sourced and will be despatched to establishments to hold for a contingency of basic commodities which catering managers have said they could base a menu on.

Depending on the level of staff:

• In the event of a reduced catering staff team, plans should include deferring to a reduced menu that meets all dietary and religious needs if necessary, with a minimum of two choices that meet all dietary and religious needs.
• Local contingency plans to take into account staff shortages especially catering staff as well as lack of prisoner labour have been relayed.
• Volunteer non-catering staff should receive training on how to use prime catering equipment such as ovens as a priority and this should begin immediately.
• Those same staff should receive basic hygiene training that includes receiving and storing food deliveries, re-heating and transportation of hot and cold food, this could be delivered locally by catering staff but should be recorded.
• As some of the contingency food lines will require hydration with boiling water there should be an adequate supply of kettles or flasks on site for prisoner use.
• Local contingencies should include providing sufficient freezer capacity to store frozen ready meals and sandwiches. It may be necessary to rent additional portable freezers – catering managers will be provided with contact details of suitable suppliers.
• In the event of prisoners’ meals being delivered to cells it is recommended that any allergen or other dietary requirements of the prisoners are posted outside the cell door.

All contents within this guidance are to be treated as OFFICIAL and the link to the platform is not to be shared externally.

15/08/22: Please refer to Prison adjudications policy: PSI 05/2018 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for all live and updated Prison adjudications guidance