Staffing models for non-custodial services are complex
Departmental data indicated there were one in five positions vacant in the Health and Wellbeing division, while more than one in four Rehabilitation and Reintegration positions were unstaffed. Combining the number of vacant full time equivalent positions (FTE) with the additional required FTE equates to more than 500 staff the Department of Justice must find to fill current and preferred staffing levels within these portfolios. Many of the staff-to-prisoner ratios in use were devised using now-superseded policy, indeterminate complexity weightings, performance-based forecasting, and/or factors with no recorded corporate memory of how they were determined. Staffing models with a focus on timely delivery of service are aligned with contemporary best practice. Accordingly, the Department has prescribed various timeframes in policy, including some health delivery expectations, and case management and assessment tasks. However, meeting these timeframes is often not achievable with current resources and this has led to delays in health assessments, case management, and rehabilitation planning impacting prisoner care and reintegration outcomes.
Recruitment and retention challenges hamper the delivery of non-custodial services.
While failed budget submissions may have historically impeded increasing FTE, the Department has also been hampered by recruitment and retention challenges. We were advised there is a limited capacity to offer comparable employment incentives in a time where there is a shortage of clinically trained prospective employees suitable to fill correctional roles. Where recruitment occurs, retention remains a significant challenge. Attrition has been linked to increased workloads, unsafe working conditions, limited opportunities for career progression or innovation, a lack of clinical supervision, and an undesirable workplace culture.
Despite recent efforts, including the formation of the Clinical Shortages Workforce Group and various recruitment initiatives, progress has been limited and vacancies remain high in key areas. Some promising strategies have been introduced, such as student placements, relocation funding, and qualification reviews. However, more robust retention measures and competitive incentives are urgently needed. Serco’s tailored approach at Acacia Prison, including retention bonuses and flexible working arrangements, has proven more effective, highlighting opportunities for the Department to enhance its employment offerings.