Prison
Cat Category B, C, YOI
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Parc
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 23 May 2025
HMP/YOI Parc, a Category B/C resettlement prison, faced significant challenges including 19 deaths in custody, with a notable cluster of drug-related fatalities, and high levels of self-harm and violence, though a downtrend was observed towards the end of the reporting period. Persistent concerns included poor food quality and quantity, insufficient keyworkers, and ongoing issues with property transfers. Healthcare provision was strained by excessive waiting times for GP and mental health services, and staff shortages, though some improvements were noted in healthcare access and anti-drug measures.
Positive Findings
The Board noted a general downtrend in violence and self-harm towards the end of the reporting period and commended the new management team for actively confronting safety and security issues. The Young Offender Institution continued to provide positive outcomes, maintaining a caring culture and good safety/resettlement. Improvements were made in the reception area's security and support for new prisoners. HMP Parc established an LGBTQ+ prisoner football team, implemented anti-discrimination initiatives, and saw improved access to healthcare with an additional medical practitioner. The Dyfodol substance misuse service, including peer mentors, received positive feedback, and purposeful activity improved in the latter part of the year.
Key Concerns
Safety
It is of concern that there were 19 deaths at HMP Parc during the reporting period, see the breakdown in section 4.2.
Substance Misuse
Between February 27 and March 19 2024, six prisoners died, with four of these deaths believed to be drug related.
Food/Catering
Prisoner complaints about accommodation were infrequent whereas complaints about food were constant and commented on both quality and quantity.
Staffing
The number of keyworkers employed was still lower than required resulting in prisoners complaining about the lack of contact.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
There were issues with inter prison transfers where, for example, prisoners were put on transport without their property, or were not given time to prepare their property. There were many occasions when other prisons failed to respond to prisoner complaints.
Mental Health
There were issues with mental health provision at Parc particularly surrounding ADHD assessments.
Healthcare
Waiting times for GP appointments were excessive for most of the reporting period.
Staffing
There were not enough nursing staff.
Healthcare
Waiting times following a request to the NHS for an emergency ambulance were frequently excessive.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Throughout the year there were periods when education was restricted due to regime constraints.
Safety
In common with the rest of the YOI estate it appears that violence levels continued to fluctuate with an increase during April, May and June 2024.
Education/Purposeful Activity
Early in the year there were concerns about a decline in the quality of education and purposeful activities (previously rated as good), however this dip appears to have been corrected during the reporting period.
Mental Health
Repeated
Notwithstanding the efforts by management and staff at Parc and all prisons in Wales to support prisoners serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, the uncertainty of their release date is a cause of anxiety and negatively impacts their mental health and progression.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
There remains a need to monitor and ensure that the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is followed to ensure that prisoners’ property is transferred with them. Property issues continued to provide the largest number of prisoner Applications received by the IMB at Parc and most of these related to transfers from other prisons.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board's membership significantly decreased, posing challenges to monitoring, though recruitment efforts are underway. There was a persistent issue with an insufficient number of keyworkers, leading to prisoner complaints about lack of contact. Staff shortages and high turnover impacted control and contributed to increased violence. Investigations into staff unprofessional conduct, bullying, and inappropriate relationships resulted in staff exits. However, continuous recruitment and training increased staff numbers by the end of the reporting period.
Healthcare
Healthcare services are provided by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, with psychological services by FPC (adults) and HMPPS (YOI). Significant challenges included issues with mental health provision, particularly ADHD assessments, and excessive waiting times for GP appointments and emergency ambulances. There was also a shortage of nursing staff. Overcrowding exacerbated mental health issues. However, access to healthcare improved with the appointment of an additional medical practitioner, and no non-natural deaths were recorded between June and September 2024.
Regime & Daily Life
Accommodation at Parc presented a mixed experience, with overcrowding affecting living conditions, although maintenance was ongoing. Food provision was variable, with prisoners complaining about variety, quantity, and quality, attributed to budget constraints and high population. Education was restricted at times due to regime constraints. Despite these, the prison facilitated extensive periods of time out of cell, and purposeful activity improved in the latter part of the reporting period.
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 | 17 | 5 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 8 | 6 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 10 | 13 | |
| Equality | 0 | 8 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 43 | 11 | |
| Food and kitchens | 41 | 22 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 79 | 19 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 46 | 27 | |
| Miscellaneous | 54 | 27 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 127 | 23 | |
| Property within the establishment | 5 | 15 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 34 | 35 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 93 | 9 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 47 | 28 | |
| Transfers | 2 | 17 |
Recommendations (4)
Other: 1
HMPPS: 2
Governor / Director: 1
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
Despite efforts by management and staff at Parc to support those prisoners serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence, not knowing when they will be released is a cause of anxiety impacting on the mental health of those affected. We urge the Government to put in place a process where IPP IPP prisoners’ sentences are reviewed, and a single sentence put in place that would provide clarity for prisoners to know when they would be released.
Other
(minister)
Mental Health
Response
The Victims and Prisoners Act, which received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024, reformed the IPP sentence. Changes began on 1 November 2024, with automatic termination of licences for 1,742 individuals who had been on an IPP licence for at least five years (or four years for under-18s) and had spent two years without recall to custody. From 1 February 2025, the qualifying period for referring IPP licences to the Parole Board for termination consideration will reduce to three years (or two for under-18s), affecting around 600 cases. The refreshed Plan emphasises improving frontline delivery in prisons and the Probation Service, ensuring those serving IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentences have effective sentence plans, access to appropriate interventions, and services to lower their risk for safe release. It avoids resentencing due to public safety concerns, as many would be released without licence supervision despite prior Parole Board recommendations for custody. The Plan's progress will be monitored, with input from experts and campaign groups, while prioritising public protection.
Recommendation 2
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
There is a need to monitor and ensure that the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is followed and monitored to ensure that prisoners’ property is always transferred with them.
HMPPS
Resettlement
Response
Prisoners must comply with volumetric control limits to ensure their property, along with exempt items like legal papers, can be transferred with them. The Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework requires Governors and Directors to oversee proper handling of prisoners' property, including excess items, which must now be transferred within four weeks. HMP/YOI Parc faces challenges due to limited storage and increased population, but measures like utilizing the HMPPS Branston facility and guidance on volumetric control have improved the situation. HMPPS acknowledges concerns about property but cannot transfer all excess property prisoners accumulate beyond volumetric limits and is exploring further solutions.
Recommendation 3
Prev. unaddressed
Set a minimum spend per prisoner to ensure food supplied offers both quantity and quality along with nutritional value to satisfy prisoners’ calorific needs, as it is unreasonable that prisoners have to supplement their food intake by purchasing from the prison canteen.
HMPPS
Food
Response
Both public and private prisons adhere to the Prison Service Instruction 44/2010 on catering for prisoners' nutritional needs.
Recommendation 4
Prev. addressed
Put in place a process whereby prisoners’ food is regularly assessed for nutritional value, calorific content, quality and quantity.
Governor / Director
Food
Response
At HMP/YOI Parc, meals align with this policy and the national catering budget. Feedback from the prisoner council has led to reviews of menus, quality, and portion sizes. Kitchen equipment issues have been addressed, improving meal quality and delivery. Initiatives like international theme meal nights and freezers for chilled desserts have been introduced, while efforts to reduce food waste aim to reinvest savings into menus.