Prison
Cat local
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Cardiff
IMB Annual Report 2020 · Published 5 February 2021
HMP Cardiff maintained a reasonably safe environment with low violence, but self-harm incidents increased to 712, with four deaths in custody (three self-inflicted). The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the regime, impacting purposeful activity, time out of cell (1.5 hours daily), and overall prisoner wellbeing. Persistent staffing shortages hampered healthcare and mental health services, while disparities for BAME prisoners in areas like segregation and dangerous prisoner labels remained a concern.
Positive Findings
The Board acknowledges the efforts of managers and staff to protect prisoners from COVID-19 and maintain a humane system. Violence levels remained low, reflecting good staff-prisoner relationships. There was an improvement in mental health support access, aided by Welsh Government funding. The learning and skills department successfully supported resettlement, and accommodation on release improved during the pandemic. The care and separation unit is well-managed, clean, and staff engage with prisoners respectfully. Cleaning and general maintenance of the prison have been well maintained. A new barista training workshop proved successful in delivering NVQs, and partnerships with Cardiff University offered educational opportunities. Bank account applications for prisoners continued to be popular.
Key Concerns
Safety
Repeated
Self-harm continued to be a major concern, and cases have increased again this year. Noticeably, in the first 6 months of the reporting year, incidents of self-harm had increased from 301 to 449 over the same period in 2018-2019. The total number of incidents for the reporting year was 712, compared with 707 last year. There were four deaths in custody, three understood to be self-inflicted.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
The Board reiterates its concerns of last year in relation to the holding of immigration detainees in custodial establishments, including the care and separation unit (CSU). The Home Office representative was not in a position to contact detainees between the end of March and mid-June, and only limited contact was possible after that period. Legal documentation continued to be in English only, there continued to be no legal support available, and updates on the progress of cases continued to be delayed regularly.
Staffing
Repeated
Staffing is a perennial problem within the healthcare department, with a 'work force' review delayed and a pharmacy technician vacancy unfilled. Shortfalls in nursing staffing levels were covered by 'bank nurses'. Mental healthcare services also suffered from staffing problems throughout the reporting year, with a team leader, primary mental health practitioners, a part-time counsellor, and a consultant psychiatrist unavailable for periods.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Towards the end of the reporting period, the Board became increasingly concerned about the effect that a restricted regime, which had lasted five months at that point, was having on the prison’s ability to provide a safe, humane, and positive environment which encouraged prisoners’ progression to resettlement. Prisoners remained in their cells for 22.5 hours a day, and positive training and education opportunities had to cease.
Resettlement/Release
A higher-than-average number of out-of-area prisoners were received into the prison, totalling 141 in December 2019. This caused problems related to difficulty receiving visits, challenges in dealing with different health authorities, and managing resettlement across the UK, as well as concerns previously expressed by prisoners from England at being incarcerated in a ‘foreign country’.
Equality/Diversity
Repeated
There continued to be marked disparities in relation to black and mixed-race prisoners of Caribbean origin, who made up about 4% of the population but 10% of those in segregation and disproportionately high percentages of use of force incidents. BAME prisoners also made up an average of 45% of prisoners on monthly dangerous prisoner lists.
Safety
Repeated
Use of force incidents increased by 7% from 724 in 2018/19 to 772 in 2019/20. One concern of the Board is the lack of use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) at times, particularly when applying rigid-bar handcuffs, which was raised in the Board's report last year.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
As reported last year, the prison buildings continued to place severe restrictions on prisoners with a physical disability, with whole areas like the main education rooms inaccessible to wheelchair users.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing shortages remained a perennial problem, particularly within healthcare and mental health, hindering consistent service provision. Recruitment was protracted, with a pharmacy technician vacancy and shortfalls in nursing covered by 'bank nurses'. Mental health services also experienced significant staff vacancies, including team leader, practitioners, and counsellors. Key worker compliance rates were affected by staff sickness and cross-deployment, leading to reduced sessions. However, key worker contact for vulnerable prisoners was prioritised during the restricted regime, with welfare checks provided.
Healthcare
Healthcare services, provided by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, faced perennial staffing problems despite a decent overall service. Recruitment delays left key vacancies unfilled, and the clinical director's time at the prison was reduced. Routine GP waiting times were 14-31 days, and routine dental waits were 37-49 days, but optician appointments could take over 70 days. Mental health services suffered significant staffing issues, though a senior nurse appointment helped progress. Referrals averaged 33 per week, with an average wait of 20-28 days, but a pilot for mental health screening on induction stopped due to staffing. Nineteen prisoners were transferred to psychiatric units, but transfer times were not available.
Regime & Daily Life
The COVID-19 restricted regime significantly impacted daily life, leading to concerns about humane treatment and progression. Time out of cell was reduced to two 45-minute periods daily, resulting in prisoners spending 22.5 hours in their cells. Face-to-face education and vocational training opportunities ceased, though activity packs and limited on-demand materials were provided. Essential services continued, but many workshops closed. The restricted regime also led to frustration among prisoners, evidenced by a spike in staff assaults in June, and low uptake of social and remote visits due to poor experience and difficulties for families.
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 | 26 | 20 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) | 20 | 16 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, IEP, sanctions | 6 | 2 | |
| Equality | 4 | 10 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 17 | 21 | |
| Food and kitchens | 5 | 3 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 98 | 63 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions | 34 | 30 | |
| Miscellaneous, including complaints system | 112 | 161 | |
| Property during transfer or in another establishment or location | 17 | 18 | |
| Property within this establishment | 8 | 24 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell | 27 | 54 | |
| Sentence management, including home detention curfew, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates, recategorisation | 42 | 28 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 61 | 19 | |
| Transfers | 28 | 23 |
Recommendations (9)
Home Office: 1
Other: 2
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 3
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board would again ask that the minister raise this issue with the Home Office and provide it with a copy of the response.
Home Office
Equality
Recommendation 2
We would ask whether this scheme will be continued for prisoners leaving custody without accommodation?
Other
(other)
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
Repeated
The Board would ask the Welsh Government to raise this issue with Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board.
Other
(other)
Healthcare
Recommendation 4
The Board realises that the Prison Service is often under pressure to accommodate prisoners but, would ask that the above issues be considered when making placement decisions.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Recommendation 5
Allied to the above issue is the length of time that prisoners have had to wait to be transferred from court to the establishment, often travelling long distances (see paragraph 4.1.2). Could this be raised with the contracted transport companies?
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 6
Therefore, we would ask what consideration has been given to easing these regimes, dependent on prison and community levels of infection?
HMPPS
Regime
Recommendation 7
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 5.3.1).
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 8
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We still believe that more investigation is required into the disparities in relation to the number of black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) prisoners labelled as dangerous prisoners (see paragraph 5.4.4), and those of a black and mixed-race Caribbean origin who have been held in the CSU (see paragraph 5.4.5).
Governor / Director
Equality
Recommendation 9
Repeated
The increase in the number of use of force incidents is a concern to the Board. We realise that the safer custody group is attempting to reverse this trend by acknowledging good practice and training, but the early activation of body-worn cameras (BWCs) should continue to be encouraged (see paragraphs 4.5.2 and 4.5.3).
Governor / Director
Safety
Other IMB Reports for Cardiff
2022
Published 17 Jul 2025
HMIP Inspections
Recent inspections by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for this establishment.
29 Jan 2024
Unannounced
Safety: 3
Respect: 3
Activity: 3
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.