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.
Cardiff IMB
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 295
Assaults: 214
Overall, HMP Cardiff has seen positive developments in safety, with significant reductions in self-harm and use of force incidents, and successful digital platform implementation. However, the prison continues to grapple with severe staffing shortages, particularly in healthcare, and the physical estate remains in poor condition, affecting prisoners with mobility issues and access to basic amenities. Concerns persist regarding delays in mental health transfers, lack of secure medication storage, and the underperformance of the key worker scheme.
Key concerns identified
- Significant delays in vetting processes are hindering the recruitment of both prison staff and IMB members.
- There are unresolved issues concerning the right-to-work status of some prison staff.
- Parts of the prison estate remain in poor condition, with persistent problems in heating, hot water, and telephones, alongside ongoing closures of buildings marked for demolition.
- The impact of hospital escorts on prison staffing and the daily regime is a growing concern.
- Delays in accessing mental health services, including a reduction in psychiatric sessions and slow transfers to appropriate placements, persist.
- There is a lack of secure storage for 'in possession' medication, increasing the risk of misuse by other prisoners.
- The prison currently lacks a formal and robust social care process, as highlighted by the Health and Social Care Needs Analysis.
- The key worker scheme continues to underperform, and the resolution of discussions around a revised staffing profile to support it has been delayed.
- The prison is largely unsuitable for prisoners with disabilities or limited mobility, contributing to dignity issues like out-of-cell dining in shared cell spaces.
- Concerns about lost prisoner property have increased, particularly during transfers to and from the segregation unit.
- There are unresolved issues concerning the right-to-work status of some prison staff.
- Parts of the prison estate remain in poor condition, with persistent problems in heating, hot water, and telephones, alongside ongoing closures of buildings marked for demolition.
- The impact of hospital escorts on prison staffing and the daily regime is a growing concern.
- Delays in accessing mental health services, including a reduction in psychiatric sessions and slow transfers to appropriate placements, persist.
- There is a lack of secure storage for 'in possession' medication, increasing the risk of misuse by other prisoners.
- The prison currently lacks a formal and robust social care process, as highlighted by the Health and Social Care Needs Analysis.
- The key worker scheme continues to underperform, and the resolution of discussions around a revised staffing profile to support it has been delayed.
- The prison is largely unsuitable for prisoners with disabilities or limited mobility, contributing to dignity issues like out-of-cell dining in shared cell spaces.
- Concerns about lost prisoner property have increased, particularly during transfers to and from the segregation unit.
Response to the 2023-24 HMP Cardiff IMB
PRISON
Concerns
This document is a response to HMP Cardiff's IMB report for 2023-24. Key concerns addressed include overcrowding, a prisoner death, issues with heating and water systems, and challenges in mental health provision and transfers. The Minister and HMPPS highlighted positive findings such as visible leadership, good staff-prisoner relationships, consistent purposeful activity, and efforts to improve diversity in staff recruitment, alongside plans for estate upgrades and enhanced mental health support.
Key concerns identified
- Overcrowding and its impact, including issues with cell sharing.
- A prisoner death during the reporting year.
- Inadequacies and ongoing issues with heating and hot water systems due to maintenance backlogs and funding constraints.
- Lack of accessible facilities for disabled prisoners and inadequate in-cell toilet screening.
- Mental health prisoners being held in the Care and Segregation Unit (CSU) and experiencing delays in transfer to specialist inpatient care.
- The discontinuation of funding for the 'Here 2 Help' peer support and emotional resilience training project beyond March 2025.
- A prisoner death during the reporting year.
- Inadequacies and ongoing issues with heating and hot water systems due to maintenance backlogs and funding constraints.
- Lack of accessible facilities for disabled prisoners and inadequate in-cell toilet screening.
- Mental health prisoners being held in the Care and Segregation Unit (CSU) and experiencing delays in transfer to specialist inpatient care.
- The discontinuation of funding for the 'Here 2 Help' peer support and emotional resilience training project beyond March 2025.