Prison
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Swansea
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 17 August 2022
The IMB report for HMP Swansea (June 2020 – May 2021) notes a safe prison with low violence, reflecting good staff-prisoner relationships despite the COVID-19 restricted regime. Key concerns include insufficient mental health and dental provision, the negative impact of long-term regime restrictions, and challenges related to out-of-area prisoners and foreign nationals. The Board highlights efforts by staff to maintain care during the pandemic while advocating for improved resettlement support, especially concerning accommodation and family contact.
Positive Findings
The Board recognised the significant effort by managers and staff to protect prisoners from Covid-19 and provide a humane and fair system, leading to a safe prison with low violence due to good relationships. Improvements in management and services have raised standards, and social video calls proved beneficial for family contact. The introduction of a safeguarding team and a primary mental health care team was welcomed, as was the body scanner for drug detection. The workforce is stable with low sickness and turnover, and NA/AA support is well received.
Key Concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board was concerned about the length of time that prisoners were on remand and awaiting court appearances.
Mental Health
mental health provision continued to cause concern to the Board.
Healthcare
There was concern about the level of dental provision.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board is increasingly concerned at the effect that the restricted regime will have on the prison’s ability to provide a safe, humane, and positive environment which encourages prisoners’ progression to resettlement.
Overcrowding
The Board has been concerned with the number of times where prisoners from ‘out of area’ are being received into HMP Swansea, whether from transfer from other Welsh prisons or from prisons in England. We fully appreciate that the Prison Service is often under pressure to accommodate prisoners but would ask that reducing the number of out of area prisoners be considered when making placement decisions.
Staffing
consideration be given to whether the cross-deployment of key workers affected the incidence of self-harm
Resettlement/Release
There continued to be issues about the movement of foreign nationals who have completed their sentence but remain in custody under Immigration Act powers. A stagnation of movement of foreign nationals to immigration removal centres and last minute IS91 paperwork was in evidence. ... The Board has significant concerns about Home Office support for these prisoners.
Estate/Conditions
There continues to be poor disability access, with most areas placing considerable restrictions on wheelchair users
Estate/Conditions
The heating system is antiquated with a flow and return system through pipes meaning there is no facility to adjust heat in individual cells. This is compounded by poor window ventilation
Regime/Time Out of Cell
the lack of in-cell phones (which were available at other establishments) has restricted the contact prisoners could have with their families.
Resettlement/Release
at the latter period of the reporting year, men were being released back into the community without sustainable accommodation, which is to be regretted.
Segregation
During remote monitoring, IMB members being informed of CSU admissions and GOOD reviews was inconsistent but in part reflected the lack of presence of the IMB at the prison. This needs to improve moving forward.
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Swansea benefits from a very stable workforce with no notable increase in sickness absence or turnover (7 starters, 13.6 leavers) during the pandemic. However, staff absences due to maternity leave, vacancies, and secondments hampered education provision, and the kitchen carried a full-time vacancy covered by agency staff. Key worker interactions were significantly reduced in line with national guidelines, targeted at vulnerable prisoners, though cross-deployment might have affected self-harm incidents. There was a shortfall of trained adjudication liaison officers being addressed.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are provided by Swansea Bay University Health Board. Mental health provision continues to be a high concern, with insufficient manpower to meet complex needs, despite a slight improvement aided by a Welsh Government grant. Dental provision also caused concern. Prisoners arriving without medication for days, particularly mental health drugs, led to withdrawal symptoms and disruptive behaviour. While the healthcare team had a high workload, they generally provided a decent service, quickly resolving most IMB applications and maintaining excellent links with external services. Optician services were a concern, though mitigated by 'off the peg' glasses.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 restricted regime, implemented in March 2020, significantly curtailed daily life, leading to prisoners spending 22.5 hours a day in cells, with only two 45-minute periods out. This raised concerns about prisoner wellbeing and progression, with advances in resettlement and training suspended. Although some activities continued (sewing, cleaning, multi-skill training), education was severely curtailed, and the lack of in-cell phones restricted family contact. There is concern that the long-term continuation of these restrictions will have further detrimental effects.
Applications to the IMB
Prisoners can apply to their IMB about any aspect of their treatment. This table shows application counts by category.
| Category | Current | Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 4 | 17 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 1 | 2 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 0 | 4 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 1 | 4 | |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 3 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 4 | 22 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 0 | 5 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 1 | 3 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 1 | 8 | |
| Property within this establishment | 4 | 4 | — |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 3 | 7 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 2 | 21 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 9 | 5 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 5 |
Recommendations (5)
Other: 2
HMPPS: 1
Governor / Director: 2
Recommendation 1
We would make a plea that this scheme [housing all rough sleepers during Covid-19] be continued for prisoners leaving custody without accommodation in future.
Other
(other)
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
The Board would ask the Welsh Government to raise this issue [mental health service] with Swansea Bay University Health Board.
Other
(other)
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
We fully appreciate that the Prison Service is often under pressure to accommodate prisoners but would ask that reducing the number of out of area prisoners be considered when making placement decisions.
HMPPS
Overcrowding
Recommendation 4
We applaud the establishment in its efforts to maintain key worker sessions during the restricted regime but would ask that consideration be given to whether the cross-deployment of key workers affected the incidence of self-harm (see paragraph 5.3.2).
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 5
The early activation of body-worn cameras (BWCs) should continue to be encouraged (see paragraphs 4.4.2 and 4.4.3).
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Swansea
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
21 Feb 2023
Unannounced
Safety: 4
Respect: 3
Activity: 2
Release: 3
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.
Prevention of Future Deaths Reports
Coroner PFD reports issued to this establishment.