“Concerning deficiencies” at Joyce Meggie House Approved Premises, Southwark, rated ‘Requires improvement’ 

Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones, said: “While staff were overall motivated and trying their best, and there were strong partnerships with local services, we found some concerning deficiencies in practice which need to be addressed urgently.”  

Inspectors reported that staffing levels at JMH were too low for the number of and complexity of residents. Plans to support residents at risk of self-harm or suicide were often poorly completed and medication procedures were not always safe or properly managed. Due to the risks created by insufficient staffing arrangements and the absence of quality assurance support for JMH, an organisational alert was issued to HM Prison and Probation Service after fieldwork was concluded [see notes to editor]. 

Mr Jones continued, “The team at Joyce Meggie House are doing important work under significant pressure and despite the demands, we found that the work to keep the public safe was effective. With additional support and stronger systems, I am confident this AP can improve.” 

The Inspectorate’s report makes nine recommendations. Five are for Joyce Meggie House leadership team, including to develop and publish a documented vision for the AP that clearly sets out its delivery model. Four recommendations are for HMPPS, including to provide immediate support to Joyce Meggie House to ensure all practice systems and processes are safe and contributing positively to the wellbeing and rehabilitation of its residents.  

ENDS  

Notes to editor  

1. Approved Premises (APs) are residential units which provide temporary placements in the community for high-risk and complex people on probation. They offer enhanced supervision and rehabilitative support to individuals following release from prison. 

2. The organisational alert procedure is a formal mechanism used to raise concerns about serious risks to public protection, safeguarding, or the integrity of probation or youth justice services. Alerts are triggered when inspectors identify significant failings or risks during inspection activity that require urgent attention from senior leaders or national bodies. The procedure ensures that concerns are escalated swiftly, documented clearly, and followed up to support improvement and accountability. 

3. The concerning staffing arrangements and the absence of quality assurance support for JMH, meant an organisational alert was issued to HMPPS after the conclusion of our fieldwork. The deficits relating to the medication process and management of self-harm and suicide were also identified as priorities within the organisational alert, with actions under way to address them. 

4. Joyce Meggie House is a public sector AP.  

5. At the time of our inspection in September 2025, Joyce Meggie House had 34 male residents. Maximum occupancy is 36. 

6. The Inspectorate uses a four-point scale: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’, rating specific aspects of each service (for APs – leadership, staffing, safety, public protection, and rehabilitation) and giving an overall rating. 

7. The report is available on the HM Inspectorate of Probation website on 12 November 2025 at 00.01. 

8. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales.  

9. Fieldwork for this inspection took place in August 2025. 

10. For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications: media@hmiprobation.gov.uk 

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