by Angela Cole

The number of older and infirm offenders in Maidstone Prison is putting a strain on resources, a report has found.

The ageing population inside the walls of the County Road prison was an issue raised by members of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) when they carried out their annual inspection.

They found the number of older or infirm inmates had risen from 167 in 2011 to 183 in a year.

The numbers with disabilities had also increased from 179 to 201 during the same 2011 - 2012 period.

But prison managers were coping well, members noted.

Their report said: "These prisoners have additional needs and these are currently being provided but are creating a strain on resources available.

"Given the nature of the buildings and facilities available the prison provides adequately for their requirements so that older and infirm prisoners are not disadvantaged."

Managers even laid on special arrangements in its gym for the elderly or who have mobility problems, they found.

Progress had also been made on the amount of meaningful work for inmates – something highlighted by Chief Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick, in February.

While they found 20% of the 600-strong population did a 33-hour week in the print shop, which inspectors thought gave them a good work ethic, they felt more could be done.

Improvements had been made in the amount of education classes provided, with the numbers going up by 20%.

Concerns raised in a previous report about the lack of religious staff had been addressed with the appointment of a Sikh minister, an Imam and a Roman Catholic Deacon.

Members also found integration between sex offenders and foreign nationals worked well.

The Category C prison became a specialist sex offender and foreign national prison in 2009.

But they felt more needed to be done to ensure foreign prisoners – particularly those from southern Ireland – could finish their sentences in their home countries.

Staff were also praised for their efforts in targeting drugs within the prison.