CIRC 070: NATIONAL CHAIR UPDATE OCTOBER 2025

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all POA members.

  

THE LATE FINLAY SPRATT - HONORARY LIFE MEMBER

It is with great sadness we report to the membership the death of Honorary Life Member Finlay Spratt, who passed away on Thursday 2^nd October 2025 following a short illness. Finlay joined the Northern Ireland Prison Service on 7^th June 1976 and was elected to the POA Branch Committee at Magilligan in December 1976; he was then elected Branch Chair at Magilligan in December 1981. Finlay became Area Vice-Chair of the Area Committee NI in June 1984 and he was elected Area Chair December 1986, a position which he held for some 30 years until December 2016. Finlay became an Honorary Life Member in 2017.

  

THE LATE JOHN SUTCLIFFE – FORMER ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY

It is with great sadness we report to the membership the death of former Assistant General Secretary, John Sutcliffe, who passed away on Thursday 23^rd October 2025. John joined the Prison Service in 1976. He served at Pentonville, Drake Hall, Send and Littlehey. John was appointed Assistant General Secretary in 1989, a position he held for over 9 years.

  

Review of Nights

HMPPS have advised the NEC that they are due to undertake a review of nights staffing in Prisons. Data indicates that OSGs are working high levels of unsocial hours, with a substantial amount of this on nights. This indicates that Prisons rely heavily on the OSG group to staff nights, making nights a major driver of levels of unsocial hours. HMPPS intend to review the staffing of nights to interrogate the current data picture, identify the drivers behind current trends and assess alternative options to the current model.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme

POA members should note that the criteria for compensation have changed when dealing with violent offenders and being injured or assaulted. The updated rules now make clear that when an emergency worker is injured by someone violently resisting arrest or restraint, decision-makers must fully consider whether the offender’s actions amount to a crime of violence — including cases involving recklessness. This clearer interpretation gives Officers injured through violent or reckless behaviour a stronger and fairer basis for claiming compensation.

This now means that if you have to restrain a violent prisoner and you are assaulted or injured because of their actions whilst being restrained you should submit a claim for Criminal Injuries via this scheme, whereas previously you could not because it was considered as part of your duties.

 

Directive to staff working in Open Prisons

It has been brought to the attention of the NEC that staff in Open Prisons are expected, in some instances, to complete ‘personal officer work.’ All POA members working in Open Prisons should note that personal officer work does not exist, there has never been any consultation nationally to devise a personal officer scheme and all attempts by the NEC to introduce key work into the open estate have been denied by HMPPS.

 

All POA members are therefore directed to refuse to facilitate any attempt to introduce any form of personal officer work. You cannot be disciplined for refusing to conduct a task that does not exist and is not profiled. If HMPPS wish to introduce a personal officer scheme in the open estate, they need to consult nationally and ensure additional resource is introduced. This directive also covers any attempt locally to ‘pilot’ a personal officer scheme or introduce a local policy/agreement. Please ensure you do not, under any circumstances, until further notice from the NEC, facilitate any personal officer/key work.

 

Pay Submissions

HMPPS have confirmed that they have finally submitted their written submissions to the Pay Review Body, one month late. This displays the level of disrespect the employer places on the entire process. Once the Review Body are in possession of the written submissions from all parties, they will publish them on their website for all to view.

 

All the best.

Mark Fairhurst
National Chair