Berwyn

The Board would wish to be provided with assurance that the wider issues related to the serious paint defects and ineffective heating systems will be resolved in the near future. Not solving, or delaying this work carries major challenges in terms of capacity and the operation of the establishment and the core issues do pose a detriment to the men housed there.

It is regrettable that maintenance issues persist. There is evidence to suggest the paint was incorrectly applied to the concrete walls and so the Government Legal Department (GLD) are now looking to address the issue with the constructor. In the meantime, a pilot painting programme commenced on Monday 18 October to refurbish three cells. These cells are having different specifications of work undertaken to assess which of the finishes will provide the most appropriate and resilient end-product. The work is scheduled to be completed before the end of October and the cells will be then be monitored on a monthly basis for the next six months to evaluate the works. The most appropriate painting finish will then be applied to the remainder of the cells.
Regarding the heating systems, the site is serviced by three gas boilers and heating supplied though a centralised system. Although there were some improvements with this long-standing issue during the reporting period, there are current problems with the heat valves and distribution pipes and so temporary backup boilers were installed as a contingency measure to cover all residential accommodation and other critical areas. Some action has already been undertaken to replace the underground valves, however other defects were identified with the original installation. As with the paint defects, evidence has been gathered and presented to the GLD. Steps are being taken to resolve all maintenance issues through contractual negotiations.

The Board notes that the prison experienced significant delays in being able to transfer men to more appropriate establishments and settings, especially those relating to mental ill-health. The Board considers that this lack of secure mental health facilities needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

There is significant work to support men with mental health concerns at HMP Berwyn and this work has become more complicated with the prison taking responsibility for remand prisoners from North Wales Courts. In Wales and England, the demand for secure hospital beds exceeds supply. This often results in significant delays. The length of wait for a secure hospital bed is dependent upon availability but in all cases, the health provider ensures men are transferred to a secure hospital bed as soon as a place is available. Pending any required transfer, HMP Berwyn continues to make use of it’s excellent community outreach provision, provided through the healthcare contract, to support men until a secure hospital bed is available. At HMP Berwyn, the health provider has a good consultant psychiatry support service. When extended stays are unavoidable, prisoners receive regular joint reviews from clinical and prison operational teams. The prison continues to provide support to the more vulnerable men, but it is recognised that regime limitations and limited opportunities to transfer prisoners was further affected by the pandemic. The decision not to have an in-patient facility at HMP Berwyn was decided at the construction project stage and there remains no plans to build a unit at this time.

There is a need to resolve the serious issues surrounding paint defects and ineffective heating systems. The Board has been informed that contractual negotiations could take some time and whilst that is understood, the core issues do pose a detriment to the prison and men housed there.

It is regrettable that maintenance issues persist. There is evidence to suggest the paint was incorrectly applied to the concrete walls and so the Government Legal Department (GLD) are now looking to address the issue with the constructor. In the meantime, a pilot painting programme commenced on Monday 18 October to refurbish three cells. These cells are having different specifications of work undertaken to assess which of the finishes will provide the most appropriate and resilient end-product. The work is scheduled to be completed before the end of October and the cells will be then be monitored on a monthly basis for the next six months to evaluate the works. The most appropriate painting finish will then be applied to the remainder of the cells.
Regarding the heating systems, the site is serviced by three gas boilers and heating supplied though a centralised system. Although there were some improvements with this long-standing issue during the reporting period, there are current problems with the heat valves and distribution pipes and so temporary backup boilers were installed as a contingency measure to cover all residential accommodation and other critical areas. Some action has already been undertaken to replace the underground valves, however other defects were identified with the original installation. As with the paint defects, evidence has been gathered and presented to the GLD. Steps are being taken to resolve all maintenance issues through contractual negotiations.

The Board notes the lengthy wait time for dental care and improvements to the service provision to reduce this would be in the interest of the men.

Although the waiting time for routine dental treatment remains in excess of 12 months, emergency dental treatment is provided on the same day. Significant delays resulted from a backlog in appointments at the start of the year; Covid-19 restrictions which impacted on access as appointments had to be limited/cancelled; there was a need to undertake physical upgrades to the dentistry area to improve the air and heating circulation system (this work now is completed); and the advice from the Chief Dental Officer for Wales to restrict routine dental care during the pandemic. A business case for a waiting list initiative has been approved by the Health, Wellbeing and Social Care Partnership Board. This will deliver additional dental sessions on site at HMP Berwyn to address the routine dental treatment waiting times. The provider is also actively recruiting additional dentist and dental nurse posts. The additional sessions will commence as soon as these staff are appointed. An enhanced oral health promotion programme is planned to compliment the increased sessions.

Furthermore, many applications have been received from men who have achieved category D status. There is considerable frustration from these men at the lack of available places to transfer, probably due to a restriction in the operational capacity for the open prison spaces during Covid-19.

HMPPS understands prisoners’ frustrations with the speed of transfer to the open estate. Although Covid-19 management procedures severely impacted capacity throughout the estate, there is a high demand for Category D places for adult males. To prevent future victims, the ability to test men in open conditions as they approach the end of their sentence is a critical step in their reintegration into society. Expansion of the Category D estate is already underway. This project will deliver over 600 additional places at six sites (HMPs/YOIs Standford Hill, Springhill, Hatfield, Leyhill, Ford, and Sudbury). The places will be delivered through adding one or two 60-bed units at each site. Sites were selected in consultation with Prison Population Management, based on establishments with the highest demand. Site surveys established what size expansion was feasible operationally and considered the land available. The expansion will not change the profile of offenders accommodated by these prisons and there will be no change to which sites currently accommodate men convicted of sexual offences.

It has been identified that many issues which became formal complaints could and should have been dealt with at community level. Responses to these complaints (that is, Comp 1s and Comp 1as) are still an issue in the establishment, both in timescale and quality of the reply.

The Board is concerned about the high levels of self-harm, assaults and use of force.