Prison
Cat Category C (HMP Usk) and Category D open (HMP Pres
Key Concerns Identified
Positive Findings
Usk and Prescoed
IMB Annual Report 2024 · Published 6 September 2024
HMP Usk and Prescoed are considered well-managed with positive outcomes for prisoners, who generally report feeling safe. Key strengths include high levels of purposeful activity, positive staff-prisoner relationships, and good healthcare, despite staffing concerns. However, the Board highlights issues such as the lack of IPP prisoner recategorisation, parole board delays, inadequate healthcare and probation staffing, and persistent property loss during transfers.
Positive Findings
The Board found the prisons to be well-managed with strong leadership, maximising positive opportunities for prisoners. Prisoners consistently report feeling safe, with low levels of assaults, bullying, self-harm, and use of force. Relationships between staff and prisoners are positive, and a cell refurbishment programme has improved living conditions. Healthcare provision is generally well-received, and the head of healthcare was awarded an MBE. HMP Prescoed is successful in providing work placements, and educational opportunities have increased. The Board also welcomes IPP progression panels.
Key Concerns
Resettlement/Release
The Board remains concerned around the lack of recategorisation of IPP prisoners.
Resettlement/Release
The Board remains concerned about the significant impact on prisoners due to delays in holding parole boards.
Healthcare
Concerns remain about access to support for personal social care for the increasing number of prisoners with limited mobility and other disabilities.
Healthcare
Concerns about the healthcare staffing establishment not reflecting the changing case mix and planned expansion, due to the increasing number of elderly prisoners with increasing health needs.
Staffing
Repeated
The number of probation officers is inadequate, which has been raised in previous reports.
Other
Repeated
The loss of prisoners’ property when transferring from other prisons continues to be a problem, which has not improved despite being reported regularly and nationally.
Staffing
An increase in the number of prisoners being transferred to hospital and the impact on staffing has led to additional lockdowns during the day.
Resettlement/Release
Delay in gaining support for escorted absence for men potentially suitable for progression to open conditions from HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) policy lead for ROTL.
Board Commentary
Staffing
The Board noted concerns regarding the healthcare staffing establishment not increasing to reflect the growing needs of an aging population, and the withdrawal of a planned physiotherapist post. The number of probation officers is inadequate, a concern raised in previous reports, impacting existing staff and prisoners. Increased hospital transfers affect daily officer numbers, leading to lockdowns and impacting key worker roles, though the SMT is monitoring compliance to mitigate this.
Healthcare
Prisoners are very positive about the healthcare they receive, and the head of healthcare was awarded an MBE. However, the Board is concerned that the healthcare staffing establishment has not increased to meet the needs of the growing and aging prison population, many with complex health issues and cognitive impairment, leading to longer consultations. The mental health staffing establishment was also not increased despite rising mental health issues. A planned physiotherapist post was withdrawn.
Regime & Daily Life
The regime at HMP Usk and Prescoed is commended for maximising time out of cell, with HMP Usk prisoners receiving 10 hours out of cell during the week. Despite HMP Usk being a Victorian prison with mostly dual occupancy cells, a refurbishment programme has improved living conditions. In-cell telephony was introduced. HMP Prescoed uses 'Bunkabin' pods. Purposeful activity engagement is high, with 93.01% at HMP Usk and 95.88% at HMP Prescoed. Physical activity options are extensive and inclusive.
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 | 0 | 2 | |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 0 | |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 0 | 0 | |
| Equality | 0 | 0 | |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 2 | |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 1 | — |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 1 | 0 | |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 2 | 2 | — |
| Miscellaneous | 3 | 6 | |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 2 | 2 | — |
| Property within the establishment | 0 | 4 | |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 4 | 4 | — |
| Sentence management, including HDC (home detention curfew), ROTL (release on temporary licence), parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 5 | 6 | |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 1 | 0 | |
| Transfers | 1 | 1 | — |
Recommendations (8)
Ministry of Justice: 4
HMPPS: 4
2 repeated
Recommendation 1
Prev. unaddressed
What are the Minister’s plans for the lack of recategorisation of IPP prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Response
As the number of IPP prisoners who have never been released continues to decrease, the proportion grows of those who remain in prison who committed more serious offences and whose cases are complex. These prisoners are still assessed to pose a high risk of committing further violent or sexual offences and have a complex set of risks and needs. These must be addressed before the parole board can consider that their risk to the public is safely manageable in the community under probation supervision. The Board accepts the general point with respect to the complexity of the remaining cases but notes that progress has been at a local rather than a national level.
Recommendation 2
How does the Minister plan to reduce the delays in holding parole boards?
Ministry of Justice
Resettlement
Recommendation 3
How will the Minister address the issue of access to support for personal social care for the increasing number of prisoners with limited mobility and other disabilities?
Ministry of Justice
Healthcare
Recommendation 4
When will the Minister review the healthcare staffing establishment so that it reflects the changing case mix and planned expansion?
Ministry of Justice
Healthcare
Recommendation 5
Repeated
Prev. unaddressed
The Board asks what is being done to address the deficit in the number of probation officers?
HMPPS
Staffing
Response
The Probation Service has received £155 million additional recurrent funding to recruit and retain additional Probation Officers. Actions are now in place to improve recruitment and retention. Locally there are 4 full time Probation Officers out of benchmark of 7. Progress: None noted.
Recommendation 6
Repeated
The Board asks that the loss of prisoners’ property when transferring from other prisons is addressed as a matter of priority.
HMPPS
Other
Recommendation 7
The Board asks if the staffing establishment has been increased to reflect the impact of increased prisoner transfers to hospital on daily officer numbers and additional lockdowns.
HMPPS
Staffing
Recommendation 8
The Board asks if the decision regarding escorted absence for men potentially suitable for progression to open conditions can be expedited?
HMPPS
Resettlement
Other IMB Reports for Usk and Prescoed
PPO Fatal Incidents
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations for this establishment.