Wandsworth prisoners missed ‘important health checks’ and sometimes waited more than six months for a medical appointment, according to a watchdog.

Inmates at HMP Wandsworth, in Heathfield Road, had limited access to exercise and showers, and struggled to attend substance recovery courses.

New psychoactive substances were ‘increasingly prevalent’ and mandatory drug testing had been resumed in the last month of the reporting year.

The report, published by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in September, said the Category B facility ‘did not consistently manage to provide a safe, decent and human environment’.

This was cited as a ‘great concern’ to the board.

However, the board said it was encouraged by the 'strong leadership' displayed by the executive governor, the governors and the commitment of senior staff.

The report states: “The emphasis on decency monitoring and performances had tangible effects. Most staff took a highly professional approach to their work in circumstances that were far from easy.

“Incidents, in particular, were well handled with the work of the in-house negotiators deserving particular mention.”

While there were positives cited by the IMB, it found that ‘the continuing staff shortfall affected every aspect of prison life during the reporting year’.

The prison’s ‘inadequate’ staffing levels are said to have led to several outcomes, including telephone call monitoring of high-risk prisoners ceasing and visits hall CCTV coverage being ‘unmanned for some of the time’.

Both of these outcomes were cited as ‘security risks’.

It added: “By year-end, although the vacancy figures had fallen, retention rates had improved and new recruits were joining the prison; staffing levels were still inadequate.”

At the end of the reporting year, waiting time for a nurse clinic appointment was one week and for podiatry clinics, they were 26 weeks.

Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “This desperately depressing report says it all, you cannot build a rehabilitative prison without a secure foundation of decency and safety.

“No amount of management reorganisation or rhetoric can disguise the reality of a prison grossly overcrowded with many people who should not be there, understaffed and physically neglected.

“It is down to ministers to change fundamentally the demands we make on our prisons, not the overworked staff trying to keep them afloat.”

The IMB said HMP Wandsworth made ‘strenuous efforts’ to mitigate staffing shortages by utilising several initiatives, however, the regime was still ‘extremely restricted’.

A prison service spokeswoman said: “We are committed to transforming prisons into places of safety and reform and have announced a major overhaul of the prison system including 2,500 extra frontline officers.

“While there remains progress to be made, HMP Wandsworth has already taken action to address a number of concerns raised in the report, including a targeted, local recruitment campaign which has already begun to boost the number of prison officers in post with more expected to join in coming months.

“The prison has also put in place new measures to tackle the supply and use of illegal contraband.

"This includes the recruitment of new dog handler posts to step up drug detection, and establishing a mandatory drug testing programme.”