Prison
Cat Category C and D
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Usk and Prescoed
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 17 November 2021
HMP Usk (Category C) and HMP Prescoed (Category D) operated under significant Covid-19 restrictions during the reporting period, leading to an atypical regime. Despite these challenges, the Board considers them to be safe, well-run prisons with low levels of violence and self-harm, effectively managed by staff. Key achievements include the early rollout of vaccinations and successful maintenance of off-site work placements for Prescoed prisoners, though concerns remain regarding education funding, OASys document quality, staffing retention, and telephone access.
Positive Findings
The Board considers HMP Usk and Prescoed to be effective, well-run prisons, with low levels of violence, bullying, and self-harm, and most men reporting feeling safe. The prison implemented an effective Covid-19 strategy, demonstrating strong management ethos and successfully navigating restrictions. This included being among the first to administer Covid-19 vaccinations and maintaining off-site work placements for Prescoed prisoners. Significant improvements in the prison fabric have been secured, including refurbishment at Usk and replacement of the Lester unit at Prescoed, alongside innovative approaches to maximising exercise time and promoting equality and diversity.
Key Concerns
Safety
Stage 4 lockdown (prisoners confined in their cells for 23 hours a day) succeeded in its aim to protect prisoner safety during the Covid19 pandemic but the consequences for these often-vulnerable people have been significant. The Board asks that the Minister recognises this and secures raised priority (through the JCVI) to enable officers and men to be included in future vaccination priority lists.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Education is a key element in improving prisoner rehabilitation. After accounting for staff salary pay awards (mandated over the last few years) the Board is concerned that there has been an effective decrease in the value of funding the education department receives and that this will have a negative impact on prisoner outcomes.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
As reported in our 2020 report, up to fifty per cent of the OASys documents received in HMP Usk vary in quality with the “start custody” section either remaining blank or the quality of recording falling short of expectation.
Staffing
The Board would suggest that ways be explored to retain experienced and effective officers in HMPPS.
Safety
With respect to the promotion of prison safety, the Board supports the concerns of Dame Anne Owers (letter to the Director General of Prisons, November 2020) regarding the decision that making a ligature (also known as noose making) by prisoners should no longer be a nationally reportable self-harm incident.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The team expands their efforts to improve telephone access for the men in Usk.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages in the Prescoed kitchen presented ongoing difficulties. The key worker system in Usk was disrupted by special circumstances and staff absences, though basic contact continued. The OMiC model is being piloted at Prescoed, offering regular contact with Prison Offender Managers. Challenges were noted in the substance misuse team, with only three staff managing a consistent caseload of 40 prisoners each, operating largely remotely. Furthermore, contact between prisoners and probation officer managers was severely affected by Covid-19 restrictions and low staffing levels, prompting a recommendation to explore ways to retain experienced officers in HMPPS.
Healthcare
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board provides all health services, with GP, dental, and optical services outsourced. Good collaboration between officers and healthcare staff led to effective management during the pandemic, with the main objective now to restore services to pre-Covid-19 levels. An enhanced care unit was developed for increased in-patient care, and Usk and Prescoed were the first UK prisons to administer Covid-19 vaccinations. Recruitment efforts saw an increase in nursing staff and advanced training for existing personnel. Mental health services continued, initially via telephone, with a six-month pilot for older adult mental health identifying 12 patients and discussions for an autism service vacancy.
Regime & Daily Life
Both HMP Usk and Prescoed operated under a restrictive Stage 4 lockdown for most of the reporting period, with prisoners confined for up to 23 hours a day, impacting time out of cell. Despite this, the prison was an early adopter of Level 2 restrictions, increasing unlock hours. HMP Usk demonstrated innovation in maximising exercise time, splitting its sports field for various activities. Education delivery was significantly affected, with many officers redeployed, though distance learning and in-cell TV were introduced. The multifaith room in HMP Usk remained closed due to damage, impacting some faith activities.
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 | 0 | 0 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 2 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 0 | 4 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 0 | |
| Food and kitchens | 3 | 5 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 0 | 0 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 1 | 0 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 0 | 2 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 4 | 4 | — |
| Property within this establishment | 0 | 0 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 0 | 1 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 2 | 1 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 0 | 0 | |
| Transfers | 0 | 1 |
Recommendations (6)
Ministry of Justice: 1
Other: 1
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 1
1 repeated
Recommendation 1
The Board asks that the Minister recognises this and secures raised priority (through the JCVI) to enable officers and men to be included in future vaccination priority lists.
Ministry of Justice
Healthcare
Recommendation 2
Education is a key element in improving prisoner rehabilitation. After accounting for staff salary pay awards (mandated over the last few years) the Board is concerned that there has been an effective decrease in the value of funding the education department receives and that this will have a negative impact on prisoner outcomes.
Other
(other)
Education
Recommendation 3
Repeated
As reported in our 2020 report, up to fifty per cent of the OASys documents received in HMP Usk vary in quality with the “start custody” section either remaining blank or the quality of recording falling short of expectation. See 7.3.3
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
The Board would suggest that ways be explored to retain experienced and effective officers in HMPPS.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 5
With respect to the promotion of prison safety, the Board supports the concerns of Dame Anne Owers (letter to the Director General of Prisons, November 2020) regarding the decision that making a ligature (also known as noose making) by prisoners should no longer be a nationally reportable self-harm incident.
HMPPS
Safety
Recommendation 6
other than to ask that the team expands their efforts to improve telephone access for the men in Usk.
Governor / Director
Regime
Other IMB Reports for Usk and Prescoed
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.