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.
Swansea
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 180
Assaults: 8
HMP Swansea operates as a Category B/C prison for men, generally maintaining a safe and stable environment despite an overcrowded Victorian estate and significant prisoner turnover. While healthcare access is timely and education has improved, key challenges include extensive waits for mental health transfers, persistent issues with property complaints, and inconsistent staff practices regarding key working and the use of Body Worn Video Cameras. The Board highlights the need for addressing overcrowding, enhancing support for vulnerable prisoners, and improving transparency in healthcare complaint handling.
Key concerns identified
- Lengthy waits for mental health inpatient transfers, often in segregated conditions.
- Overcrowded Victorian estate, particularly double occupancy of single cells.
- High prisoner turnover and short custody periods, impacting reoffending and resettlement efforts.
- Lack of IMB access to health partnership forum agendas and minutes, and outcomes of healthcare-related complaints.
- Persistent issues with missing or delayed property, both within the prison and during transfers.
- Inconsistent quality of key working sessions and records.
- Low uptake and inconsistent use of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) and their pre-record function by staff.
- Staff awareness of the impact of limited English language ability and underutilisation of official translation tools like 'The Big Word'.
- Disparity in the availability of faith-related items on the canteen supply contract.
- Long gap between evening meal and breakfast, and portion inconsistencies.
- The long-overdue upgrade of the fire alarm system.
- Inability for prisoners to make applications online, relying on paper systems.
- Lack of access to exercise.
- Overcrowded Victorian estate, particularly double occupancy of single cells.
- High prisoner turnover and short custody periods, impacting reoffending and resettlement efforts.
- Lack of IMB access to health partnership forum agendas and minutes, and outcomes of healthcare-related complaints.
- Persistent issues with missing or delayed property, both within the prison and during transfers.
- Inconsistent quality of key working sessions and records.
- Low uptake and inconsistent use of Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs) and their pre-record function by staff.
- Staff awareness of the impact of limited English language ability and underutilisation of official translation tools like 'The Big Word'.
- Disparity in the availability of faith-related items on the canteen supply contract.
- Long gap between evening meal and breakfast, and portion inconsistencies.
- The long-overdue upgrade of the fire alarm system.
- Inability for prisoners to make applications online, relying on paper systems.
- Lack of access to exercise.
Swansea
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Swansea is considered a safe prison, commendably addressing initial self-harm incidents and demonstrating good staff-prisoner relationships. However, it faces persistent challenges with severe overcrowding, inadequate disability access, and significant delays in estate maintenance. Staffing issues have impacted key worker sessions and purposeful activity, while mental health and post-release accommodation remain key concerns requiring targeted interventions and better funding.
Key concerns identified
- The ineffectiveness of Amey Projects has led to significant problems with major works and cell refurbishment, impacting the estate and work opportunities.
- Persistent overcrowding, with two men sharing single cells and inadequate disability access, continues to be a major concern.
- The education and activities department has struggled due to staff suspensions, and key worker sessions are significantly down, impacting purposeful activity.
- Mental health of prisoners, particularly those on short-term sentences, remains a major concern, alongside inconsistent funding for addiction programmes.
- Post-release accommodation is a significant problem, and the bail information pilot has stalled due to lack of staff.
- IMB members are frequently unable to observe Good Order and Discipline (GOoD) reviews due to inconsistent scheduling, and there is insufficient use of The Big Word translation service.
- Persistent overcrowding, with two men sharing single cells and inadequate disability access, continues to be a major concern.
- The education and activities department has struggled due to staff suspensions, and key worker sessions are significantly down, impacting purposeful activity.
- Mental health of prisoners, particularly those on short-term sentences, remains a major concern, alongside inconsistent funding for addiction programmes.
- Post-release accommodation is a significant problem, and the bail information pilot has stalled due to lack of staff.
- IMB members are frequently unable to observe Good Order and Discipline (GOoD) reviews due to inconsistent scheduling, and there is insufficient use of The Big Word translation service.
Swansea
PRISON
Concerns
HMP Swansea is generally considered a safe and humane prison by the Board, with notable improvements in education, purposeful activity, and resettlement support. However, significant concerns persist regarding the inadequate mental health provision and the challenge of securing accommodation for prisoners on release. Other key issues include delays in cell refurbishment, poor disability access, and inconsistent reporting of segregation decisions to the Board.
Key concerns identified
- Mental health provision remains a high concern with insufficient manpower.
- Prisoners are leaving custody without suitable accommodation, undermining resettlement efforts.
- The number of out-of-area prisoners being received into HMP Swansea is consistently high.
- Inconsistent informing of the Board regarding CSU admissions and Good Order or Discipline reviews.
- Cell refurbishment has effectively halted due to external project management delays.
- There is poor disability access throughout the prison, with only one compliant cell for over 400 prisoners.
- Prisoners are leaving custody without suitable accommodation, undermining resettlement efforts.
- The number of out-of-area prisoners being received into HMP Swansea is consistently high.
- Inconsistent informing of the Board regarding CSU admissions and Good Order or Discipline reviews.
- Cell refurbishment has effectively halted due to external project management delays.
- There is poor disability access throughout the prison, with only one compliant cell for over 400 prisoners.
Swansea
PRISON
Concerns
Self-harm: 228
Staff assaults: 26
The IMB report for HMP Swansea (June 2020 – May 2021) notes a safe prison with low violence, reflecting good staff-prisoner relationships despite the COVID-19 restricted regime. Key concerns include insufficient mental health and dental provision, the negative impact of long-term regime restrictions, and challenges related to out-of-area prisoners and foreign nationals. The Board highlights efforts by staff to maintain care during the pandemic while advocating for improved resettlement support, especially concerning accommodation and family contact.
Key concerns identified
- Length of time prisoners were on remand.
- Insufficient mental health and dental provision.
- Detrimental effect of the restricted regime on wellbeing and resettlement.
- Influx of ‘out of area’ prisoners placing pressure on accommodation.
- Concerns regarding foreign nationals remaining in custody post-sentence and Home Office support.
- Poor disability access and antiquated heating/ventilation in the prison estate.
- Lack of sustainable accommodation for prisoners upon release.
- Restricted family contact due to absence of in-cell phones.
- Inconsistent monitoring of CSU admissions and GOOD reviews by the IMB.
- Insufficient mental health and dental provision.
- Detrimental effect of the restricted regime on wellbeing and resettlement.
- Influx of ‘out of area’ prisoners placing pressure on accommodation.
- Concerns regarding foreign nationals remaining in custody post-sentence and Home Office support.
- Poor disability access and antiquated heating/ventilation in the prison estate.
- Lack of sustainable accommodation for prisoners upon release.
- Restricted family contact due to absence of in-cell phones.
- Inconsistent monitoring of CSU admissions and GOOD reviews by the IMB.