HMP Elmley is making good progress despite ongoing staff shortages and being at its maximum inmate population, according to the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB).

In its annual report, the voluntary body praised the institution for coping in adverse conditions and reducing the number of violent incidents within its walls.

The praise comes just over a year after Elmley faced criticism that a chronic shortage in the number of prison officers was leading to a spike in inmate suicides.

In November 2014, 41-year-old career criminal Levi Smith was found dead in his cell after apparently taking his own life.

His death was one of 10 - six of which were suicides and four of which were from natural causes - that occurred that year.

At the time, the prison was operating with a severe shortage of staff, meaning inmates were confined to their cells for 23 hours a day because of a lack of officers available to supervise work or education.

A year on, prisoners are reportedly not kept in cells for such prolonged periods of time and there is a full roster of permanent and temporary staff for all activities.

Last year, it also recorded one death among its population, which was attributed to natural causes.

Incidents of violence on staff and inmates almost halved from 1,175 in 2014 to 666 in 2015.

IMB chairman Bob Duncan said: "The board’s assessment was that the prison had made considerable progress.

"The difficulty in recruiting new staff has been eased to a degree by the introduction of special measures at certain prisons. There is some way to go, but there are now new recruits in the 'pipeline'.

"In the meantime, the prison depends on a certain number of staff from other establishments spending time 'on detached duty' at Elmley."

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman said: "HMP Elmley is well staffed to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners. In the last 12 months, an additional 32 officers began work at the prison, which is a net increase of 10 new officers.

“But as the Prime Minister pointed out last week, more needs to be done with our prisons. We need to reform them so they improve offenders’ behaviour and cut crime.

“That is why we are investing £1.3 billion in a more modern prison estate and giving governors more power.”