STRAINS on services at Cookham Wood prison at Rochester are such that vulnerable women prisoners - those likely to self-harm - could be at risk.

That is the conclusion of the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, following an inspection visit to the Rochester prison.

The staff were praised for caring under extremely difficult conditions. The way officers had developed relationships with the inmates was an example to other prisons. But the promised regime in the prison bore little relationship to reality, said Ms Owers.

Chronic staff shortages meant prisoners were regularly stopped from socialising. That caused increased stress, sickness among officers and resignation.

The prison is taking more vulnerable prisoners. The inspectors said the systems were not strong enough to protect them.

No prisoner at Cookham Wood had ever killed themselves in the 25 years it had been open.

"We were particularly concerned that observation panels into cells holding women at risk of suicide and self-harm were sometimes blocked and that managers did not take immediate steps to remedy this, even when it was brought to their attention," said Ms Owers.

She said the segregation unit had staff that needed specialist training, the unit was frequently unstaffed, and on one occasion an alarm bell to a cell holding a prisoner who regularly harmed herself went unanswered for six minutes.

The inspectors were also concerned at young prisoners being held in the same wing as adults. The inspection took place as two inmates were waiting trial for sexually assaulting younger women in the prison. They were subsequently convicted.

"Following allegations of assault, a governor's order had restricted unsupervised contact between adults and young offenders, but this was not being observed," said Ms Owers.