Prison
Cat B local training
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Cardiff
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 22 January 2026
HMP Cardiff saw a significant reduction in self-harm, use of force, and violence incidents this year, alongside positive developments like the Launchpad project and improved GP services. However, the Board remains concerned about persistent issues such as severe staffing shortages in healthcare, particularly nursing and pharmacy, and delays in mental health transfers. Prison conditions, including heating, water, and accessibility, continue to be problematic, and the key worker scheme needs greater prioritisation amidst ongoing population pressures.
Positive Findings
The Board welcomes the reduction in self-harm incidents from 595 to 295, attributed to electric razors. There was also a welcome downward trend in use of force incidents (852 to 641) and incidents of violence (283 to 214). Progress was made on cell refurbishment, including a new reduced mobility cell. The successful implementation of the Launchpad digital platform received high prisoner satisfaction. The Board commends the completion of the Health and Social Care Needs Analysis and the positive response to it, as well as the positive impact of new GP arrangements, which reduced medication-related applications. The mental health team received positive peer review and training in various therapies, and the prison’s decision to retain the Here 2 Help peers programme is welcomed. Overall, the Board observed positive performance in learning and skills and good practice in education and work activities, alongside the opening of a wellbeing hub and the repurposing of the former Clink restaurant into a bespoke visitors’ centre.
Key Concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The late arrival of out-of-area prisoners at HMP Cardiff, which delays the reception process.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
Prison conditions, including the lack of out-of-cell space for eating; ongoing issues with heating and hot water; and inadequate accessibility for prisoners with mobility issues.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The critical need to prioritise a well-functioning key worker scheme.
Mental Health
Long waiting lists for prisoners to receive mental health services and, in particular, the reduction from seven to six psychiatric sessions a week towards the end of the reporting period.
Mental Health
Repeated
Lengthy delays for some prisoners to be transferred to a suitable mental health placement.
Mental Health
Low mental health staffing levels compared with other, similar prisons, as highlighted by the H&SCNA.
Staffing
Staffing shortages, particularly in nursing and pharmacy, exacerbated by vetting delays and recruitment issues.
Healthcare
Nursing staff not being profiled to attend reception until the afternoon.
Healthcare
The prescribing pharmacists job share so have been unable to prescribe, unless arrangements are made to check the prescribing.
Safety
Lack of lockable storage for prisoners with ‘in possession’ medication to help reduce the risk of other prisoners accessing unprescribed medication.
Healthcare
Absence of a formal and robust social care process between the prison and local authority.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The poor condition of parts of the prison estate, the continued closure of buildings marked for demolition, and ongoing problems with basic infrastructure such as heating, hot water and phones.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The impact that sending prisoners out to hospital has on prison staffing and, subsequently, on the regime, due to the need for an increased number of escorts.
Substance Misuse
Use of drugs continues to be problematic, with levels fluctuating over the reporting period.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staffing, particularly for nursing and pharmacy, remained a significant problem due to recruitment, retention, and vetting delays. Nursing staff were not profiled to attend reception until the afternoon, impacting new arrivals. The pharmacy team was short-staffed with part-time job-sharing pharmacists and no administrative support. Negotiations on a revised staffing profile to support key worker sessions were paused until January 2026. Visa problems also affected some new staff members from minority ethnic groups.
Healthcare
The completion of the Health and Social Care Needs Assessment (H&SCNA) and the positive management response are welcomed. New GP arrangements have improved medication review and reduced related applications. However, overall healthcare staffing, especially nursing and pharmacy, remains problematic due to recruitment, retention, and vetting delays, with nurses not attending reception until the afternoon. Mental health services face waiting lists and a reduction in psychiatric sessions, and there are concerns about the length of time for transfers to suitable mental health placements. The lack of a formal social care process with the local authority is also a concern.
Regime & Daily Life
Population pressures continued, and regime delivery was impacted by the need for increased escorts for hospital appointments, leading to a four-day lockdown in August. Time out of cell for non-workers on the standard incentive scheme was 3.5 hours daily, while those in purposeful activity received 3.5 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Weekend association was 1 hour morning and afternoon, with 30 minutes of exercise. The establishment’s regime is under review with plans to increase Time In Open Air (TIOA) to an hour for all men.
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 transfers) | 45 | 38 | |
| Discipline (adjudications and good order) | 26 | 21 | |
| Fairness, respect, equality, diversity | 7 | 6 | |
| Family contact | 13 | 11 | |
| Food | 9 | 11 | |
| Healthcare (including medication) | 75 | 97 | |
| Legal (including immigration) | 39 | 35 | |
| Loss of property | 28 | 22 | |
| Mental health | 11 | 14 | |
| Money, canteen, pay | 21 | 29 | |
| Other | 45 | 58 | |
| Progression, programmes, activities, work | 18 | 25 | |
| Staff (including attitudes) | 44 | 45 | |
| Wellbeing | 17 | 10 |
Recommendations (10)
Ministry of Justice: 2
HMPPS: 1
NHS / Healthcare Provider: 3
Governor / Director: 4
3 repeated
Recommendation 1
What immediate action will the Minister take to address the delays in the vetting process, which are a significant hindrance in the recruitment of prison staff and IMB members?
Ministry of Justice
Staffing
Recommendation 2
When will the Minister raise with the Home Office the need to resolve the right-to-work status of prison staff, so they can remain employed in the Prison Service?
Ministry of Justice
Staffing
Recommendation 3
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What is the timeline for addressing the poor condition of parts of the prison estate, the continued closure of buildings marked for demolition, and ongoing problems with basic infrastructure such as heating, hot water and phones?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 4
How can Cardiff and Vale University Health Board work with HMP Cardiff and the healthcare department to mitigate the impact that sending prisoners out to hospital has on prison staffing and the regime, given the increased need for escorts?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare
Recommendation 5
How will the Health Board ensure that prescribing checks at HMP Cardiff are resolved quickly, given that the pharmacists’ job-sharing arrangement prevents in-prison checks?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Healthcare
Recommendation 6
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
What steps will the Health Board take to address the delay in prisoners receiving mental health services, including psychiatric sessions, which are lower in comparison to other facilities, as highlighted in the H&SCNA?
NHS / Healthcare Provider
Mental Health
Recommendation 7
How will the prison ensure lockable storage is provided for prisoners with ‘in possession’ medication to help reduce the risk of other prisoners accessing unprescribed medication?
Governor / Director
Safety
Recommendation 8
How will the prison work with Cardiff council to establish a formal and robust social care process, given that none exists, as highlighted in the H&SCNA?
Governor / Director
Healthcare
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board acknowledges the attempts made to introduce a revised staffing profile during the reporting period. How will these negotiations be resolved early in 2026 to support an improved key worker system in HMP Cardiff.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Recommendation 10
How does the prison plan to make visits more inclusive for neurodivergent prisoners and visitors?
Governor / Director
Equality
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.