Legal highs fears at Birmingham's Winson Green prison

However, the Winson Green prison still has room for improvement as there has been an increase in the use of legal highs by inmates and staff sickness is too prevalent.

The Independent Monitoring Board was tasked with inspecting the jail to investigate standards and requirements.

One of the main concerns raised in the report was the increasing prevalence of legal highs. But the board said the prison had begun to adopt new methods to combat the issue and it was a good establishment overall.

Inspectors also said HMP Birmingham, which was privatised in October 2011 and is run by G4S, has come up with innovative schemes to reduce violence and ensure inmates and staff are kept safe.

Monitoring board chairman Rodger Lawrence said: "Together they have put in place a number of very effective, innovative strategies, including a violence reduction strategy, which demonstrates the power of involving prisoners themselves in finding solutions to problems and considering the consequences of violent behaviour. Prisoner representatives from each wing play a vital part in this."

The level of staff absence has had an impact on the ability of the prison to provide educational and work opportunities, according to the report. However the prison has prioritised the time prisoners get out of their cells, although the board said it was worried this was not always the case for vulnerable prisoners.

Inspectors said they were satisfied officers dealt with incidents in the prison well and were generally able to nip problems in the bud.

The report stated: "The senior management and staff work hard to provide a clean and safe environment.

"The board continues to be impressed with instances of care and support for very difficult individual prisoners and prison-wide initiatives aimed at developing a world-class prison."

"Despite challenges there is much excellent work being delivered on a daily basis," inspectors wrote.

"It is the view of the board that strong and effective leadership and management at HMP Birmingham instil a collective sense of optimism and pride."