Serious incidents of self-harm more than double at Jersey's La Moye Prison
Report by ITV Channel's Wesley Smith
The number of serious self-harm cases at Jersey's La Moye Prison has more than doubled.
21 incidents of this type were reported last year compared to nine in 2020, according to an annual report by Jersey's Independent Prison Monitoring Board (IPMB).
One prisoner accounted for 16 of the cases.
Inmates have been given mental health training by the charity Samaritans to help them support each other.
The review says: "Whilst the IPMB welcomes such an introduction, it is wary that a voluntary peer-to-peer support system alone does not provide sufficient coverage to deal with new and ongoing mental health conditions."
Worker shortages were also highlighted as a key concern.
Last Autumn inmates were forced to stay locked down in their cells one day a week due to an already understaffed service being hit by sickness and Covid absences.
La Moye's New Operating Model which is being rolled out to restructure the service more efficiently has in the report's view "created or exacerbated staffing pressures".
The independent board add that although the long-term outcome may be positive, the model's introduction has so far caused uncertainty that has hit staff morale.
Workers have become worn down after needing to put in extra overtime and several senior officers resigned in 2021, although the reasons for this are unclear.
Prisoners have been affected by staff shortages with work sessions and education programmes stripped back.
IPMB notes that Le Moye is "a safe, secure and stable environment when compared to prisons in England and Wales".
There were no serious assaults, attempted escapes or riots.