IMB Annual Reports
768 annual reports from Independent Monitoring Boards covering 171 establishments. IMBs provide independent oversight of prisons, immigration removal centres, and secure training centres. Source: imb.org.uk.
768
Reports
171
Establishments
757
With Key Concerns
Establishment Type
Reports by Year
Key Findings
99% of IMB reports flag key concerns.
Independent monitors cover 171 establishments
across prisons, immigration removal centres and secure training centres.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,689
Assaults: 525
Staff assaults: 212
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.
Key concerns identified
- Ingress of drugs remains a constant battle, with high incidents of prisoners being under the influence of illicit substances and violence.
- In-cell fires and vandalism have increased, often stemming from fear of violence and demands for relocation.
- Many prisoners are brought in from out of the area, creating challenges for family contact and gang management.
- Large numbers of prisoners with mental health issues are held in conditions not designed for their needs, exacerbated by inadequate officer training and a severe lack of secure hospital spaces leading to prolonged waits for transfer.
- Early release schemes reduce time for prisoners to complete rehabilitation courses, obtain qualifications, and adequately prepare for resettlement, further impacted by the Wrexham Borough Council policy of assessing housing only on the day of release.
- Substandard cell conditions persist due to a halted refurbishment programme, and medication cannot be dispensed over weekends if prisoners arrive late on Fridays.
- Key worker provision remains inconsistent, and digital food thermometers are frequently out of order due to stolen batteries.
- In-cell fires and vandalism have increased, often stemming from fear of violence and demands for relocation.
- Many prisoners are brought in from out of the area, creating challenges for family contact and gang management.
- Large numbers of prisoners with mental health issues are held in conditions not designed for their needs, exacerbated by inadequate officer training and a severe lack of secure hospital spaces leading to prolonged waits for transfer.
- Early release schemes reduce time for prisoners to complete rehabilitation courses, obtain qualifications, and adequately prepare for resettlement, further impacted by the Wrexham Borough Council policy of assessing housing only on the day of release.
- Substandard cell conditions persist due to a halted refurbishment programme, and medication cannot be dispensed over weekends if prisoners arrive late on Fridays.
- Key worker provision remains inconsistent, and digital food thermometers are frequently out of order due to stolen batteries.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,320
Assaults: 558
Staff assaults: 173
HMP Berwyn operates as a Category B/C resettlement and training prison, with a population settling at its operational capacity of 2000. The Board observes a generally safe environment with improving regime delivery, although significant staffing churn, particularly among band 3 officers, remains a challenge impacting various aspects of prison operations. Key concerns include persistent long waiting times for mental health transfers, a halted cell refurbishment program, and issues with missed medical appointments and key worker awareness. Despite these, the prison demonstrates positive outcomes in resettlement, with above-target employment and housing rates for prison leavers.
Key concerns identified
- The significant proportion of inexperienced staff.
- The time taken to address and resolve issues within the prison.
- Persistent long waiting times for mental health transfers to secure units.
- The increasing number of prisoners with severe mental health problems in the segregation unit.
- The halted cell refurbishment program due to increased prison population, exacerbating the problem of peeling paint in cells.
- High rates of missed medical appointments by prisoners.
- Many prisoners are unaware of who their key worker is.
- The ongoing problem with the lack of sufficient dementia training for staff.
- The time taken to address and resolve issues within the prison.
- Persistent long waiting times for mental health transfers to secure units.
- The increasing number of prisoners with severe mental health problems in the segregation unit.
- The halted cell refurbishment program due to increased prison population, exacerbating the problem of peeling paint in cells.
- High rates of missed medical appointments by prisoners.
- Many prisoners are unaware of who their key worker is.
- The ongoing problem with the lack of sufficient dementia training for staff.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 941
Assaults: 356
Staff assaults: 109
HMP Berwyn faced staffing shortages and a more challenging prisoner cohort, impacting regimes and increasing violence in early 2023, despite overall reductions in self-harm and staff assaults. The Board noted positive staff-prisoner relationships, comprehensive resettlement services, and strong education/work provisions. However, significant concerns remain regarding healthcare (medication restrictions, mental health transfers, appointment attendance), estate maintenance, and the need for improved staff training and activity for vulnerable groups.
Key concerns identified
- Medication access restrictions for English prisoners, particularly for mental health issues, due to local healthcare provider policies.
- Long waiting times for seriously mentally unwell prisoners to be transferred to secure psychiatric hospitals due to a lack of beds.
- The impact of out-of-area transfers and a changed prisoner cohort on safety, housing, and an increase in violence.
- Persistent staffing shortages across operational roles, probation, offender management, and complaints departments.
- Rising non-attendance rates at medical appointments (DNA/CNA) and increasing concerns about frailty and dementia.
- Legacy estate issues, including the heating system, peeling plaster in cells, and slow repairs for laundry machines.
- A high number of adjudications cancelled due to incorrectly completed paperwork.
- Insufficient programmes for people with learning difficulties and poor attendance at morning education/work sessions.
- Long waiting times for seriously mentally unwell prisoners to be transferred to secure psychiatric hospitals due to a lack of beds.
- The impact of out-of-area transfers and a changed prisoner cohort on safety, housing, and an increase in violence.
- Persistent staffing shortages across operational roles, probation, offender management, and complaints departments.
- Rising non-attendance rates at medical appointments (DNA/CNA) and increasing concerns about frailty and dementia.
- Legacy estate issues, including the heating system, peeling plaster in cells, and slow repairs for laundry machines.
- A high number of adjudications cancelled due to incorrectly completed paperwork.
- Insufficient programmes for people with learning difficulties and poor attendance at morning education/work sessions.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,638
Assaults: 405
Staff assaults: 242
HMP Berwyn continues to be a safe establishment, though it faces significant challenges from staffing shortages, which impact regime delivery, purposeful activity, and key work. The Board notes improvements in resettlement outcomes and a reduction in serious assaults, alongside robust use of force data collection. Key concerns remain the long waiting times for dental care and mental health transfers, as well as the poor timeliness in responding to prisoner complaints.
Key concerns identified
- Lack of sufficient staff, which is the biggest destabilising factor in the prison.
- Staffing shortages regularly impact the establishment, causing restricted regimes and impacting upon important initiatives such as key work.
- Workshops were not fully operational in this reporting period.
- The prison population is aging, and there is a need for training for staff on recognising and dealing with dementia and other age-related needs.
- Wait times for dental care are operating at 12 months.
- There are long waiting times for transfer to secure mental health facilities due to a lack of beds in receiving establishments.
- Only 46% of all complaints in 2021 received responses within the nationally prescribed target time.
- Reduced operational capacity for transfers to other prisons continues to be an area of concern, impacted by Covid-19 related reductions in operational staffing.
- Staffing shortages regularly impact the establishment, causing restricted regimes and impacting upon important initiatives such as key work.
- Workshops were not fully operational in this reporting period.
- The prison population is aging, and there is a need for training for staff on recognising and dealing with dementia and other age-related needs.
- Wait times for dental care are operating at 12 months.
- There are long waiting times for transfer to secure mental health facilities due to a lack of beds in receiving establishments.
- Only 46% of all complaints in 2021 received responses within the nationally prescribed target time.
- Reduced operational capacity for transfers to other prisons continues to be an area of concern, impacted by Covid-19 related reductions in operational staffing.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,431
Assaults: 301
Staff assaults: 258
HMP Berwyn, a category C resettlement prison, experienced its first period near full operational capacity during a reporting year largely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite restrictions, the IMB found the establishment safe with generally good staff-prisoner relationships and efforts made to provide education and essential work. However, significant concerns persisted regarding infrastructure defects (heating, paint), lengthy healthcare waiting times, and delays in transferring prisoners with mental ill-health or those eligible for Category D.
Key concerns identified
- The serious paint defects and ineffective heating systems need urgent resolution, as they pose a detriment to prisoners.
- Significant delays in transferring men with mental ill-health to appropriate secure facilities lead to lengthy periods in segregation.
- Lengthy waiting times for dental care (12 months) and GP appointments (six weeks) need improvement.
- The lack of available category D transfer places causes considerable frustration among eligible men.
- The high levels of self-harm incidents, assaults, and use of force are a significant concern.
- The complaints system is overwhelmed, with issues not being resolved at community level and formal complaint responses lacking timeliness and quality.
- The medicines optimisation strategy caused distress among prisoners due to sudden changes in medication, leading to increased complaints.
- The prison's design with 70% double occupancy cells creates significant challenges for prisoners unable to share.
- Significant delays in transferring men with mental ill-health to appropriate secure facilities lead to lengthy periods in segregation.
- Lengthy waiting times for dental care (12 months) and GP appointments (six weeks) need improvement.
- The lack of available category D transfer places causes considerable frustration among eligible men.
- The high levels of self-harm incidents, assaults, and use of force are a significant concern.
- The complaints system is overwhelmed, with issues not being resolved at community level and formal complaint responses lacking timeliness and quality.
- The medicines optimisation strategy caused distress among prisoners due to sudden changes in medication, leading to increased complaints.
- The prison's design with 70% double occupancy cells creates significant challenges for prisoners unable to share.
Berwyn
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 1,006
Assaults: 406
Staff assaults: 244
HMP Berwyn is a Category C resettlement and training prison with an operational capacity of 2,106. The Board reports a prison in continuous evolution, marked by improved leadership and several positive initiatives in healthcare and education. However, significant concerns persist, including the availability of illicit substances, unaddressed deficiencies in meeting room facilities, and challenges arising from the double-cell design. High rates of self-harm, assaults, and non-attendance at purposeful activities also highlight ongoing issues within the establishment.
Key concerns identified
- The ongoing availability of illicit substances within the prison continues to cause concern, leading to violence, aggression, and property damage.
- A lack of sufficient meeting and interview rooms is a serious, unaddressed concern, particularly as the prison moves towards full capacity.
- The 70% double-cell occupancy creates significant management challenges, given cell sharing risk assessments and the diverse population.
- The number of prisoners held in the Care and Separation Unit (CASU) for over 84 days needs urgent attention.
- Persistent issues with the building's infrastructure, including the reliability of the heating system and latent paint defects leading to peeling paint.
- A significant number of prisoners fail to attend healthcare appointments (15.8% wasted appointments) and allocated work activities (13% non-attendance).
- Lack of confidence in the Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) investigation process from both staff and prisoners.
- Ongoing issues with cross-contamination of food on house serveries and complaints handling processes, including high volumes of Unilink applications and inconsistent responses.
- A lack of sufficient meeting and interview rooms is a serious, unaddressed concern, particularly as the prison moves towards full capacity.
- The 70% double-cell occupancy creates significant management challenges, given cell sharing risk assessments and the diverse population.
- The number of prisoners held in the Care and Separation Unit (CASU) for over 84 days needs urgent attention.
- Persistent issues with the building's infrastructure, including the reliability of the heating system and latent paint defects leading to peeling paint.
- A significant number of prisoners fail to attend healthcare appointments (15.8% wasted appointments) and allocated work activities (13% non-attendance).
- Lack of confidence in the Discrimination Incident Report Form (DIRF) investigation process from both staff and prisoners.
- Ongoing issues with cross-contamination of food on house serveries and complaints handling processes, including high volumes of Unilink applications and inconsistent responses.