In June 2020, the National Gateway for establishments to progress to Regime Stage 3 was opened. Prisons are able to move to Regime Stage 3 where it is deemed appropriate.
Stage 3 will include the small and incremental easing of restrictions, establishing access to some activities and services which were undeliverable during Stages 4 and 5. Social Distancing, hand hygiene and infection control will remain in place as safety controls during this stage. Particular thought must be given to the most vulnerable people in our care in order to keep them safe, for example pregnant women and those with conditions that render them clinically vulnerable. Considerations should be made with regards to shielding whilst in Stage 3, and if appropriate should be offered to pregnant prisoners and those with health conditions. In order to facilitate a safe and ordered initiation of Stage 3, establishments will need to complete a Recovery Regime Management Plan (RRMP), guidance and templates for which are below.
RRMP’s at Stage 3 will be fed by Exceptional Delivery Models (EDM) for each area of regime that is being stood up. EDMs will outline the expectations for each regime element, the controls that must be in place and guidance on how these may be established at prison level. EDM’s can be found here.
Once in receipt of the EDMs, establishments will complete their RRMP and submit to their Prison Group Director (PGD) for Readiness Assessment. PGDs will assure themselves that the RRMP is complete, has been communicated effectively and that the conditions for recovery are in place. Staff and prisoner safety is a fundamental consideration within the Readiness Assessment and specific Risk Assessments have been designed to assist sites in planning for the unique challenges we currently face.
Once supported, PGD’s will submit the Readiness Assessment to Gold where senior leaders will conduct a Go/No Go assessment of an establishments readiness to stand up their RRMP. Executive Directors, Senior Health Partners and data assurance colleagues will all contribute to this assessment and will instruct through the command line that an establishment can move to recovery.
Below is a short process map to demonstrate the process which sites will follow when introducing RRMPs and a worked example of an Operating Procedure.