[4] Two years later, an inspection report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised conditions in the Close Supervision Centre, stating that inmates being held there were being deprived of mental stimulation and human contact.

The report also stated that staff in charge of youths held in the prison had not been trained or vetted to work with them.

In 2017, Dr Elizabeth van Horn, an experienced prison psychiatrist, left her job at Woodhill and alleged that staff shortages prevented change.

The courts, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the prison's independent monitoring board all expressed concerns over regular understaffing, too much reliance on agency and temporary staff, and assaults on both staff and inmates have also risen in the last few years as have suicides (see below).

Van Horn claimed no real changes happened despite promises management made; they knew what needed to be done but did not know how to achieve improvements.

Coroners' reports have noted the jail repeatedly failed to meet requirements of national policy on suicide and emergency response.