HM Prison High Down


HM Prison High Down is a Category B men's local prison. High Down is located on the outskirts of Banstead in Surrey, England, and is immediately adjacent to the southern boundary of Belmont in Greater London. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is near Downview Prison for women.

History

High Down Prison was built in the 1990s on the site previously occupied by Banstead Hospital. In November 2010 the prison football team played a friendly match against League Two side Wycombe Wanderers, losing 8–0.

The prison today

High Down Prison accepts prisoners from Croydon and Guildford Crown Courts and surrounding Magistrates' Courts. There is a visitors centre at the prison with facilities including Baby changing facilities and a Crèche. Conditions for prisoners reportedly deteriorated following staff cuts.

Accommodation and facilities

Support includes: Sentence planning, drug counseling, First Night in Prison scheme and Bail Information Scheme. The prison has a Detox unit. Prisoners can wear own clothes rather than uniforms. Showers are provided on each landing. A pinphone system is in use.

Healthcare

The prison has an in-patient capacity of 23 beds in single cells, with a Day Centre facility within in-patient area for both in-patients and outpatients and has an Integrated Substance Misuse service. Dental services are provided three times a week, optician services fortnightly, chiropody services weekly, asthma services weekly and sexual health services weekly. GP and out of hours services are available. There is one full time consultant forensic psychiatrist and an additional psychiatrist who works two days per week.

Notable inmates