Recommendation 1
Access to specialist mental health facilities remains a problem as the team struggled with low staff numbers.
Source · IMB Annual Report
Usk and Prescoed
AI-generated report summary HMP Usk and Prescoed maintained good relationships between staff and prisoners and effectively restored regime activities following Covid-19 restrictions. While safety levels were low for assaults and self-harm, concerns persist regarding understaffing in mental health and probation services, and issues with prisoner property transfers. The prisons continue to demonstrate success in purposeful activity and resettlement, including high rates of first-night housing on release.
Year: 2023
Published: 21 Nov 2023
Type: Prison · Cat Category C (Usk), Category D Open (Prescoed)
Recommendations: 4
Key concerns
Positive findings
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Self-harm incidents | 54 | 44 |
| ACCT cases opened | 54 | 44 |
| Prisoner assaults | 26 | — |
| Assaults on staff | 2 | — |
| Use of force | 6 | — |
Positive findings
AI-generated summaryThe management team effectively reopened activities post-Covid, leading to good association and meaningful activity for prisoners. Safety metrics are positive, with low levels of assaults and self-harm, and rare use of force. Staff-prisoner relationships are productive, and healthcare provision is generally good. The education curriculum redesign has been effective, and Prescoed maintains a strong record of providing work placements. Notably, the prison achieved a 94% success rate for first-night housing on release.
Key concerns
Access to specialist mental health facilities remains a problem as the team struggled with low staff numbers.
Prisoners, and in particular Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners, find last minute adjournments to their parole hearings distressing.
The number of probation officers is inadequate, with the complement currently at one when four would be needed.
The loss of prisoners’ property when transferring from other prisons continues to be a problem which does not appear to be improving despite being reported regularly and nationally.
Recommendations
Recommendation 2
Prisoners, and in particular Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners, find last minute adjournments to their parole hearings distressing.
Recommendation 3
The Board is concerned that the number of probation officers is inadequate. We understand that the complement of probation officers currently stands at one when four would be needed to cover the work involved.
Recommendation 4
The loss of prisoners’ property when transferring from other prisons continues to be a problem which does not appear to be improving despite being reported regularly and nationally.
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 2 | 2 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 0 | 1 |
| Equality | 0 | 3 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 2 | 2 |
| Food and kitchens | 1 | 0 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 0 | 1 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 2 | 3 |
| Miscellaneous | 6 | 1 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 2 | 2 |
| Property within the establishment | 4 | 0 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 4 | 0 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 6 | 2 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 0 | 1 |
| Transfers | 1 | 3 |
Related inspections & investigations
Individual at Usk and Prescoed · Self-inflicted
Individual at Usk and Prescoed · Natural causes
Individual at Usk and Prescoed · Natural causes
Individual at Usk and Prescoed · Natural causes
Individual at Usk and Prescoed · Homicide
Other reports for Usk and Prescoed
· Self-harm 8
· Concerns
Population 536
· Self-harm 27
· Concerns
Population 430
· Self-harm 13
· Concerns
· Self-harm 16
· Concerns
· Self-harm 4
· Concerns