Prison
Cat C
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Berwyn
IMB Annual Report 2025 · Published 15 August 2025
HMP Berwyn, a Category C training prison with an operational capacity of 2000, also accommodates B category and remand prisoners. While the Board noted improvements in staff training, purposeful activity, and resettlement outcomes, the prison continues to face significant challenges. These include high levels of self-harm, violence, and drug use, as well as critical issues with mental health provision, particularly long waiting times for secure hospital transfers and the appropriateness of holding mentally unwell individuals in the CSU. Substandard cell conditions, inconsistent key worker provision, and difficulties ensuring adequate time out of cell for working prisoners remain ongoing concerns.
Positive Findings
The Board noted an improvement in staff levels and training, leading to more proficient staff who generally treat prisoners as individuals. Efforts to reduce self-harm increased, contributing to a good atmosphere over Christmas and New Year. Significant improvements were seen in the heating system, now functioning well after extensive repairs, and the new wellbeing hub has opened, offering a range of facilities and accredited courses. The prison also achieved the highest rate of prisoners in employment on release within its comparator group, and HMIP noted an improvement in preparation for release.
Key Concerns
Substance Misuse
In common with the rest of the prison estate, HMP Berwyn experiences ingress of drugs.
Safety
In-cell fires and vandalism have increased. These are often the result of men fearing violence, leading to demands to be relocated.
Safety
Incidents of prisoners being found under the influence (UTI) of an illicit substance, as well as violence incidents, remain high. Fear of violence and boredom exacerbate this.
Resettlement/Release
Many prisoners are brought in from out of the area, which adds additional challenges, such as, for example, maintaining family contact.
Mental Health
There are large numbers of prisoners with mental health issues. As prisons are not designed for people with mental health challenges, officer training across the prison estate is not adequate for managing these prisoners.
Healthcare
As there are not enough spaces in secure hospitals, many prisoners who have been assessed as suitable for transfer are waiting for longer than the 28 days set out in the policy. This means that prison staff, who are not mental health practitioners, have to care for people with complex needs.
Resettlement/Release
The early release schemes meant there was less time for prisoners to complete courses and get qualifications, and much less time for resettlement to be managed.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
As many prisoners are in HMP Berwyn for shorter lengths of time, they do not always have time to settle or complete rehabilitation work.
Resettlement/Release
The policy of Wrexham Borough Council means prisoners are not assessed for housing until the day of release, which can lead to homelessness.
Resettlement/Release
IPPs: can assistance with life after release be improved to reduce the level of recalls? Will the process of releasing these prisoners be speeded up?
Overcrowding
It was anticipated that there would be a reduction in short-term sentences, but this has not yet materialised and the number of incoming prisoners on short sentences is high.
Resettlement/Release
There is a discrepancy between post-release arrangements for prisoners returning to Wales and for those returning to England.
Mental Health
Repeated
The Board continues to be concerned about men with diagnosed, or obviously diagnosable, mental health issues not being transferred to a secure mental health facility within the timescale specified in the protocol. It is further exacerbated by prisoners waiting lengthy periods of time for a suitable location. Some of these men are held in the care and separation unit (CSU), awaiting the transfer. However, there are a further 190 men in Berwyn with these types of mental health conditions.
Segregation
Repeated
As referenced above, we continue to be concerned about the number of men with mental health or personality disorders being held in the CSU. Men with these conditions are being held in CSU with limited mental stimulation.
Estate/Conditions
Paint is peeling off the walls of some of the cells. A programme of refurbishment was started several years ago to close a unit at a time, reducing capacity by 88 beds. This was stopped due to pressure demands in the prison estate, leading to men living in substandard cells.
Healthcare
If prisoners arrive late on Fridays, the pharmacist will not be available until the Monday. This is a major issue, as it means that medication cannot be dispensed over the weekend.
Food/Catering
Repeated
A new set of digital food thermometers was purchased earlier in the year. Unfortunately, we continue to record that these units are not working, as the batteries have been stolen.
Staffing
Repeated
We are still receiving reports from prisoners saying that they do not know who their key worker is.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
We have received many complaints from men who work all day. When they return to their units, they do not always get their allocated time in the open air.
Segregation
The CSU is often full.
Board Commentary
Staffing
Staff levels are higher than in the previous year, and more training has been completed, resulting in more proficient staff. Staff turnover is less, leading to better-trained officers, particularly in ACCT document completion and CSIP training. Staff shortages are less of an issue, with ongoing training for inexperienced staff and more officers allocated to performance and quality control. However, the Board believes there is not enough training for staff in neurodiversity and communication skills, and key worker meetings have been unsatisfactory for some time, with only 59.29% of prisoners having allocated key workers in January 2025.
Healthcare
Healthcare, provided by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, faces high demand, exacerbated by the poorer overall health of the prison population. A large number of prisoners have mental health issues, but secure hospital spaces are insufficient, leading to long waits for transfers (exceeding 28 days) and prison staff, who are not mental health practitioners, having to care for people with complex needs. The mental health unit is understaffed, and there is a national shortage of ADHD medication. Routine dental appointments have a waiting time of 29 weeks.
Regime & Daily Life
Time out of cell is dependent on officer availability, and working prisoners often complain about not receiving their allocated open-air time, though this has improved. Boredom is a significant factor contributing to drug use, leading to greater emphasis on keeping prisoners occupied. Despite these challenges, Berwyn offers a sports hall, gym, and outdoor pitches, with positive feedback from prisoners about the gym facilities. However, the substance misuse workshop is noted as unfocused, which is a concern given its role in reducing drug-taking.
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 | 20 | 38 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 1 | 11 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 15 | 21 | |
| Equality | 7 | 9 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 9 | 17 | |
| Food and kitchens | 4 | 16 | |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 26 | 44 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 17 | 41 | |
| Miscellaneous | 35 | 58 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 10 | 31 | |
| Property within the establishment | 20 | 42 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 8 | 20 | |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 21 | 44 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 20 | 58 | |
| Transfers | 10 | 12 |
Recommendations (11)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 3
Governor / Director: 4
4 repeated
Recommendation 1
IPPs: can assistance with life after release be improved to reduce the level of recalls? Will the process of releasing these prisoners be speeded up?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 2
It was anticipated that there would be a reduction in short-term sentences, but this has not yet materialised and the number of incoming prisoners on short sentences is high. What steps will the Minister take to address this issue?
Ministry of Justice
Overcrowding
Recommendation 3
There is a discrepancy between post-release arrangements for prisoners returning to Wales and for those returning to England. What will the Minister do to rectify this?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 4
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board continues to be concerned about men with diagnosed, or obviously diagnosable, mental health issues not being transferred to a secure mental health facility within the timescale specified in the protocol. This is evidenced by 26 men transferred from HMP Berwyn in 2022-2023 and 36 in 2023-2024, but only 18 in 2024-2025. It is further exacerbated by prisoners waiting lengthy periods of time for a suitable location. Some of these men are held in the care and separation unit (CSU), awaiting the transfer. However, there are a further 190 men in Berwyn with these types of mental health conditions. Does the Minister consider prison and, in particular, the CSU, a suitable location for these men?
Ministry of Justice
Mental Health
Response
The response to the last report on waiting times for secure hospital transfers noted 'No progress'.
Recommendation 5
Repeated
As referenced above, we continue to be concerned about the number of men with mental health or personality disorders being held in the CSU. Men with these conditions are being held in CSU with limited mental stimulation. Are these appropriate conditions to hold men?
HMPPS
Segregation
Recommendation 6
Paint is peeling off the walls of some of the cells. A programme of refurbishment was started several years ago to close a unit at a time, reducing capacity by 88 beds. This was stopped due to pressure demands in the prison estate. Given the scale of the problem, and men living in substandard cells, is this acceptable and how can it be rectified?
HMPPS
Estate
Recommendation 7
If prisoners arrive late on Fridays, the pharmacist will not be available until the Monday. This is a major issue, as it means that medication cannot be dispensed over the weekend.
HMPPS
Healthcare
Recommendation 8
Repeated
A new set of digital food thermometers was purchased earlier in the year. Unfortunately, we continue to record that these units are not working, as the batteries have been stolen.
Governor / Director
Food
Recommendation 9
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
We are still receiving reports from prisoners saying that they do not know who their key worker is.
Governor / Director
Staffing
Response
The response to the last report on key workers noted that 'New initiative being planned None yet in the reporting period'.
Recommendation 10
We have received many complaints from men who work all day. When they return to their units, they do not always get their allocated time in the open air.
Governor / Director
Regime
Recommendation 11
The CSU is often full. How will this problem be managed?
Governor / Director
Segregation
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.