UNCLASSIFIEDPage 13

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APPROVED PREMISES SPECIFICATION
This instruction applies to : / Reference :
Probation Services / PI 04/2011
Issue date / Effective Date / Expiry Date
1 April 2011 / 1 April 2011 / 31 March 2015
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Board
For action by / All Probation Trust Contract Managers
All Chairs of Independent Management Committees
For information / Chairs of Probation Trusts
Chief Executives
Managers and staff of Approved Premises
Contact / Seán Langley, Head of Approved Premises Team, NOMS PPMHG

 020 7035 8176
Associated documents / TheService Specification Document, together with supporting documents:
Operating Model;
Direct Service Costs & Assumptions paper;
Costs Spreadsheet
Approved Premises Manual
Replaces the following documents, which are hereby cancelled:
PC02/2004Deaths of AP residents
PC18/2004Deaths of AP residents – investigations by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman
PC35/2004Security in APs
PC40/2004Strategy for Preventing Sudden Deaths in APs
PC37/2005Role & purpose of APs (except Part 4 – see paragraph 3.2.1 below)
PC13/2006Introduction of new H1 monthly statistical form for APs
PC26/2006Changes to admissions policy for APs
PC35/2006Preventing Deaths of AP residents
PC07/2007Langley House Trust SLA
PC19/2007National Rules for AP residents
PC40/2007Deaths of AP residents – investigations by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman
PC13/2008AP performance improvement standards
PC16/2008Expanded use of female APs
PC07/2009Procedures in APs
PI 09/2009Medication in APs
The substance of these PCs and PIs has been incorporated into the new Approved Premises Manual.
Audit/monitoring:
NOMS will monitor compliance with the mandatory actions set out in this Probation Instruction. Probation Trusts and independent management committees must demonstrate compliance with these actions when required to do so by NOMS.
Introduces amendments outlined to the following documents: none.

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIEDPage 1Page 13

CONTENTS

Section / Subject / For reference by
1 / Executive summary / All staff
2 / Operational instructions / All staff
Annex A / Service Specification, Operating Model, Direct Service Costs & Assumptions paper, costs spreadsheet / All staff responsible for or working in Approved Premises
Annex B / Approved Premises Manual - instructions and guidance for the management and operation of Approved Premises / All staff responsible for or working in Approved Premises

1Executive summary

Background

1.1The Approved Premises Specification was issued to Directors of Offender Management in September 2010, to be forwarded to Probation Trusts and Independent Management Committees. This instruction sets the effective date for implementation of the Specification and introduces an up-to-date version of the Specification and all supporting documents, together with a Manual of instructions and guidance for the operation of Approved Premises. The Manual replaces the AP Handbook, which was issued in June 2009.

Desired outcomes

1.2That Approved Premises are operated and managed throughout England and Wales in accordance with the Service Specification for Approved Premises and the instructions and guidance contained in the accompanying Manual.

Mandatory actions

1.3Contract Managers and IMC Chairs must ensure that Approved Premises are operated and managed in accordance with the Service Specification and the instructions and guidance contained in the accompanying Manual.

1.4All elements of the Service Specification are mandatory; it does not contain any options for variations in the elements of required service delivery. Staff commissioning and delivering Approved Premises services therefore must ensure that the outputs and outcomes in the Service Specification are all met.

Resource Impact

1.5The direct service costs are set out in the Specification, Benchmarking and Costing documents that support the Approved Premises Specification (Annex A).

2Operational instructions

2.1The Manual at Annex B to this Instruction follows the structure of the Approved Premises Specification and is designed to provide the detailed operational instructions and guidance necessary to implement the Specification.

2.2The requirement is for the Specification to be implemented from 1 April 2011, with implementation to be completed by 1 October 2011.

2.3The Service Specification, Operating Model, Direct Service Costs & Assumptions paper and costs spreadsheet, and the Manual, can be found electronically on EPIC and the Ministry of Justice website. These documents will be updated as necessary, with the version being identified and the date of amendment noted. It is important that the current version is used.

3Existing Probation Circulars and Probation Instructions

3.1The new Approved Premises Manual incorporates the substance of a number of PCs and PIs that have been issued in the last few years. They are listed on the cover sheet of this PI.

3.2Two existing Circulars that cannot be included in the Manual will remain wholly or partly in force for a short period, and this PI renews them. They are:

3.2.1PC37/2005 (the Role and Purpose of Approved Premises) - part 4 of this PC is addressed to offender managers intending to make referrals to Approved Premises. They will remain in force until the Offender Management Specification is implemented; and

3.2.2PC50/2005 (Closure of Approved Premises) - the process outlined in this PC is expected to be replaced once Approved Premises services are formally under commissioning arrangements, but will remain in force until then. Any enquiries should be directed to PPMHG using the contact details set out in this PI.

Further information

Please see cover sheet for contact details.

(signed)

Colin Allars

Director of Probation and Contracted Services

P.I. 04/2011UNCLASSIFIEDIssue date 01/04/2011