TARDEBIGGE jail HMP Hewell is failing to implement recommendations to prevent self-harm, while the handling of new inmates is “chaotic” due to staff being “overwhelmed”.

The prison’s fresh criticism has been highlighted by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMIP) Peter Clarke in his annual 2016-17 report into jails in England and Wales.

Published on July 18, he found “startling increases in all types of violence” in the country’s prisons with levels of self-harm continuing to rise “at an alarming rate”.

A “lack of activity, mental illness, illicit substances, and growing debts” contributed to the 10 per cent rise in deaths from self-harm – a total of 103 – from the previous year.

Hewell’s suicide rate was judged among the highest in England and Wales last November, with four suicides in two years noted at its last inspection in January.

The HMIP report found it was one of a third of jails not implementing or reinforcing Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) recommendations to prevent self-harm “well enough”.

Of the four main recommendations only two were achieved, and of a further 72 recommendations only 25 were achieved, 13 partially achieved, with 32 not at all.

It added Hewell has experienced further self-inflicted deaths since its January inspection.

Across all prisons in 2016, there were 26 self-inflicted deaths within a month of arrival.

New arrivals were often left alone with little to do, “held in sparse, dirty holding cells”, and many arrived in large numbers which compromised their safety.

Hewell’s handling of new inmates was also criticised in the report, with the process of induction programmes for new arrivals being labelled as “chaotic”.

And staff dealing with the induction and first night processes appeared “overwhelmed by the complexity of needs among their prisoners”, it added.

But Hewell was praised for its sufficient activity places for prisoners, with men "allocated promptly" to an activity to meet their needs.

The Howard League for Penal Reform said the latest report shows “prisons are out of control” and called for action – stating “enough is enough”.

Chief executive Frances Crook said: “Chronic overcrowding in adult prisons, together with deep cuts to staffing, has created a toxic mix of death, violence and human misery.

“Bold but sensible action to reduce the prison population would prevent more people being swept into deeper currents of crime, violence and despair.”

The prison service will form a ‘new unit’ to track recommendations to improve.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "We know that our prisons have faced a number of long-standing challenges, with annual increases in violence and self-inflicted deaths.

“That is why we have taken immediate action to boost prison officer numbers and put in place new measures to tackle drugs and mobile phones.

“To ensure HMIP and PPO recommendations are driven forward, we are forming a new unit that will track how they are being implemented by prisons.”