Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Berwyn
IMB Annual Report 2021 · Published 28 September 2021
HMP Berwyn, a category C resettlement prison, experienced its first period near full operational capacity during a reporting year largely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite restrictions, the IMB found the establishment safe with generally good staff-prisoner relationships and efforts made to provide education and essential work. However, significant concerns persisted regarding infrastructure defects (heating, paint), lengthy healthcare waiting times, and delays in transferring prisoners with mental ill-health or those eligible for Category D.
Positive Findings
The Board found the establishment safe, with generally good staff-prisoner relationships and accommodation. Healthcare provision was considered equal to or better than community services in some aspects. Despite Covid-19 restrictions, efforts were made to provide education and essential work, and the prison compared favourably in securing settled accommodation for releasees. The introduction of a body scanner, violence reduction roles, and a new 0800-helpline for applications were welcomed.
Key Concerns
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The serious paint defects and ineffective heating systems will be resolved in the near future. Not solving, or delaying this work carries major challenges in terms of capacity and the operation of the establishment and the core issues do pose a detriment to the men housed there.
Mental Health
The prison experienced significant delays in being able to transfer men to more appropriate establishments and settings, especially those relating to mental ill-health. This resulted in some men spending unavoidable lengthy periods in segregation.
Healthcare
The Board notes the lengthy wait time for dental care and improvements to the service provision to reduce this would be in the interest of the men. The average waiting times are around six weeks to see a GP and 12 months to see a dentist.
Resettlement/Release
Many applications have been received from men who have achieved category D status. There is considerable frustration from these men at the lack of available places to transfer, probably due to a restriction in the operational capacity for the open prison spaces during Covid-19.
Safety
The Board is concerned about the high levels of self-harm, assaults and use of force.
Complaints/Property
Many issues which became formal complaints could and should have been dealt with at community level. Responses to these complaints (that is, Comp 1s and Comp 1as) are still an issue in the establishment, both in timescale and quality of the reply. The complaints system then becomes overwhelmed, and responses are not always given on time or to an appropriate standard.
Healthcare
The medicines optimisation strategy in place within Berwyn... has led to men feeling distressed without medicine they were previously used to; forced into detox; confusion as to why they can no longer have these medications and an increase in complaints.
Overcrowding
Designing the prison with 70% of rooms as double occupancy and 30% as single occupancy causes significant challenges for both the prisoners and staff – especially given the high number of prisoners who are unable to share owing to cell sharing risk assessment (CSRA) requirements, medical conditions, and various other individual issues.
Board Commentary
Staffing
HMP Berwyn benefited from a stable senior management team during a challenging year, which helped navigate the establishment through difficult times. While staff assaults increased, this was contextualized by a larger prison population. Towards the end of the reporting period, there was a significant improvement in key worker interventions.
Healthcare
Healthcare provision at Berwyn is generally considered equal to or better than community services in some aspects. However, significant concerns remain regarding lengthy waiting times for dental care (12 months) and GP appointments (six weeks). The new medicines optimisation strategy caused distress and complaints, and mental health transfers to secure facilities faced significant delays.
Regime & Daily Life
The Covid-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime at Berwyn, confining men to their rooms for long periods and reducing their time out of cell to the statutory minimum of 30 minutes daily. This led to considerable frustration and complaints due to reduced gym access and the closure of workshops. Education largely shifted to in-room methods and digital platforms.
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 | 55 | 20 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 16 | 13 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 42 | 34 | |
| Equality | 14 | 12 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 19 | 14 | |
| Food and kitchens | 14 | 13 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 150 | 57 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 82 | 32 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 103 | 40 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 12 | 41 | |
| Property within this establishment | 59 | 88 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 40 | 24 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 99 | 62 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 97 | 104 | |
| Transfers | 24 | 44 |
Recommendations (7)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 2
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board would wish to be provided with assurance that the wider issues related to the serious paint defects and ineffective heating systems will be resolved in the near future. Not solving, or delaying this work carries major challenges in terms of capacity and the operation of the establishment and the core issues do pose a detriment to the men housed there.
Ministry of Justice
Estate
Recommendation 2
The Board notes that the prison experienced significant delays in being able to transfer men to more appropriate establishments and settings, especially those relating to mental ill-health. The Board considers that this lack of secure mental health facilities needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
There is a need to resolve the serious issues surrounding paint defects and ineffective heating systems. The Board has been informed that contractual negotiations could take some time and whilst that is understood, the core issues do pose a detriment to the prison and men housed there.
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 4
The Board notes the lengthy wait time for dental care and improvements to the service provision to reduce this would be in the interest of the men.
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 5
Furthermore, many applications have been received from men who have achieved category D status. There is considerable frustration from these men at the lack of available places to transfer, probably due to a restriction in the operational capacity for the open prison spaces during Covid-19.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 6
It has been identified that many issues which became formal complaints could and should have been dealt with at community level. Responses to these complaints (that is, Comp 1s and Comp 1as) are still an issue in the establishment, both in timescale and quality of the reply.
Governor / Director
Complaints
Recommendation 7
The Board is concerned about the high levels of self-harm, assaults and use of force.
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Berwyn
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
27 Jan 2025
Unannounced
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.