Manager of Woodhill close supervision centre admits mental disorders 'not uncommon' in unit where inmate cut own ears off A jail unit designed to hold disruptive inmates has been criticised for holding mentally ill prisoners, following incidents of self-harm. The close supervision centre (CSC) at Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes was one of three units set up by the Labour government in 1998 to hold the most dangerous and disruptive inmates, but not those with mental health issues. Yet the unit's operational manager has confirmed in a letter seen by the Guardian that incidence of self-harm is high and it is holding prisoners who have mental health problems. In the letter, Claire Hodson, says that the "presence of a mental disorder or personality disorder is not uncommon within this population". She adds that the CSC regime is an "essential part of the prison system" for managing those prisoners who are considered a high risk to others. But the regime at the unit has been criticised by a former chief inspector of the prison service and a mental health charity who argue mentally ill prisoners must be placed in secure hospitals. In July this year, Woodhill's CSC was criticised after an inmate, Lee Foye, sliced off an ear with a razor blade, three months after cutting off his other ear at the unit in April. The July incident occurred while the prison governor was holding an inquiry into the April incident, when Foye, who had previously self-harmed, was allowed into a shower room with a razor blade. Earlier this month, a judge at Hull crown court sentencing Damien Fowkes for attempting to kill Ian Huntley in Frankland prison, Durham, and for the manslaughter of child killer Colin Hatch at Full Sutton prison near York, expressed concern at the number of attacks at high-security prisons. A prison source claims more prisoners are to be transferred to the unit at Woodhill, but that staffing levels are not being increased in line with the rise in population, prompting fears about safety. Prisoners in the unit who have contacted the Guardian through their relatives describe the regime as "highly punitive", with inmates subjected to controlled unlocking, meaning at least five prison officers, all in riot gear, supervise them when they are out of their cells. In some cases, the prisoners are handcuffed during the process. In her letter, Hodson said some prisoners "often present with highly complex needs which can include the presence of a mental disorder, the use of self-harm, either as a coping mechanism, or as a maladaptive coping strategy, as well as one or more personality disorders". She added: "Some prisoners will present with high levels of self-harming behaviours due to their clinical needs." Hodson says confidentiality prevents her from confirming the number of CSC inmates affected or the types of mental illness involved other than to say "the presence of mental disorder is not uncommon within the unit". Lord Ramsbotham, a former chief inspector of prisons who raised questions in the Lords after Foye cut his ears off, said the regime in CSCs had always concerned him. Ramsbotham, who left his post in 2001, said it had been clear for a long time that CSCs are holding people who should not be there. "If you are holding people suffering mental health problems, then they should be held in conditions similar to those in secure mental health hospitals. This is clearly not the case at Woodhill," he said. Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, which researches and analyses mental heath treatment in the criminal justice system, said a CSC was not the environment to keep someone with a severe and enduring mental illness. He said such people should be transferred to NHS secure care, where security and therapy can be combined. "The levels of need among this group of CSC prisoners should be investigated and action taken to offer them the same care and support as they would receive anywhere else," he said. A prison service spokesman confirmed a second CSC had opened at Woodhill, "for prisoners with complex needs which include personality disorders, behavioural issues and potential mental health problems". He said resources for the unit had been revised to ensure appropriate staffing levels. Prisons and probation Mental health UK criminal justice Health Eric Allison guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds