Source · IMB Annual Report

Parc

AI-generated report summary HMP/YOI Parc reported eleven deaths in custody and a substantial increase in illicit item finds during the reporting period. The Board noted significant issues with inadequate mental health provision, excessive waiting lists for appointments, and critical staffing shortages impacting key worker sessions, healthcare, and education. Concerns were also raised about the quality and quantity of food, ineffective complaints handling, and the anxiety experienced by IPP prisoners due to release uncertainty. Positively, self-harm and violence incidents saw significant reductions.

Year: 2023 Published: 10 Sep 2024 Type: Prison · Cat B local YOI Recommendations: 5 Key concerns Positive findings

Safety statistics

Incidents during reporting year
IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody11
Self-harm incidents1,1011,199
ACCT cases opened1,001
Prisoner assaults453443
Use of force823961

Positive findings

AI-generated summary
The IMB commended the effective induction unit, noting Listeners' involvement as particularly supportive for first-time prisoners. They highlighted a substantial reduction in self-harm incidents and significantly reduced rates of violence, alongside a downward trend in use of force. The Board observed an excellent culture among staff in the segregation unit and noted the prison met its key worker effectiveness target for the first time. Prisoner-led initiatives enhanced staff-prisoner relationships, and a permanent media hub was opened with prisoner involvement. Substance misuse services were well-led and resourced, utilizing enthusiastic peer mentors, and industries provided various work opportunities. Positive family support, including a dedicated Family Interventions Unit, and resettlement efforts, such as arranging IDs and bank accounts for release, were also praised.

Key concerns

9 items
Safety There were eleven deaths in custody during the period of this report.
Substance Misuse The quantity of illicit item finds showed a substantial increase from the previous reporting period, and there was an increase in failed mandatory drug tests.
Food/Catering Repeated Set a minimum spend per prisoner to ensure food supplied offers both quantity and quality along with nutritional value to satisfy prisoners’ calorific needs, as it is unreasonable that prisoners have to supplement their food intake by purchasing from the prison canteen.
Mental Health There were issues with mental health provision at Parc particularly surrounding ADHD assessments. Waiting lists for appointments were excessive. There was not enough nursing staff. Waiting times following a request for an emergency ambulance were frequently excessive.
Staffing The number of keyworkers employed was still lower than required, leading to prisoners complaining about a lack of contact, and the Offender Management Unit (OMU) was understaffed.
Education/Purposeful Activity Education was frequently limited due to regime restrictions and challenges following the contract renewal, including a lack of preparedness from the new provider, Novus Gower. Source wording under review
Mental Health Prisoners serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences experienced anxiety due to not knowing when they will be released.
Resettlement/Release By far the majority related to inter prison transfers. Other prisons were either slow to reply or did not reply at all. Despite there being a revised Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework issued in August 2022, there was little or no evidence of improvement in property being transferred along with prisoners.
Complaints/Property As a result of prisoners complaining about a lack of response to their complaints, the IMB carried out a review in October 2022 and established that there were 700 prisoner complaints that had not been responded to, of which 165 were prisoners who had left the prison without a response.

Recommendations

5 items · 2 repeated

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice

Despite efforts by management and staff at Parc to support those prisoners serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence, not knowing when they will be released is a cause of anxiety impacting on the mental health of those affected. We urge the Government to put in place a process where IPP prisoners’ sentences are reviewed, and a single sentence put in place that would provide clarity for prisoners to know when they would be released.

Source text verified

Government response
Rwy’n llwyr ddeall pryderon y Bwrdd am garcharorion sy’n treulio dedfrydau amhenodol er mwyn diogelu’r cyhoedd (IPP). Gobeithio bod y Bwrdd bellach yn ymwybodol bod dedfrydau IPP wedi eu diwygio gan y Ddeddf Dioddefwyr a Charcharorion a dderbyniodd Gydsyniad Brenhinol ar 24 Mai 2024. Ar 5 Medi 2024, cyhoeddodd yr Ysgrifennydd Gwladol amserlen raddol ar gyfer cyflwyno’r newidiadau hyn. Dechreuodd hyn ar 1 Tachwedd, gyda thrwyddedau 1,742 o bobl a ryddhawyd ar drwydded IPP am y tro cyntaf o leiaf 5 mlynedd yn ôl, neu 4 blynedd i rai a gafwyd yn euog pan oeddent o dan 18 oed ac wedi treulio’r ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf ar drwydded heb gael eu galw’n ôl i’r carchar, yn cael eu terfynu’n awtomatig. Fel rhan o’r cam nesaf ar 1 Chwefror 2025, bydd y cyfnod cymhwyso pryd y mae’n rhaid i’r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol gyfeirio trwydded IPP at y Bwrdd Parôl i ystyried ei therfynu yn lleihau o 10 mlynedd i 3 blynedd, neu ddwy flynedd i rai a gafwyd yn euog pan oeddent o dan 18 oed. Mae hyn yn golygu y bydd 600 o bobl yn cael eu cyfeirio at y Bwrdd Parôl i ystyried terfynu eu trwyddedau.
Cytunaf y gall peidio â gwybod pryd y byddant yn cael eu rhyddhau achosi pryder sy’n effeithio ar iechyd meddwl carcharorion IPP. Mae’r Llywodraeth yn benderfynol o gynorthwyo carcharorion IPP i adsefydlu drwy Gynllun Gweithredu diwygiedig newydd a gyhoeddwyd ar 15 Tachwedd 2024. Mae’r Cynllun newydd yn rhoi pwyslais ar wasanaethau rheng flaen effeithiol yn ein carchardai a Gwasanaeth Prawf, i sicrhau bod gan rai sy’n treulio dedfrydau IPP gynlluniau dedfrydu trylwyr ac effeithiol a’u bod yn ymgysylltu’n effeithiol â nhw ac yn y carchar iawn i dderbyn yr ymyriadau a’r gwasanaethau adsefydlu iawn ar eu cyfer. Dyma’r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o’u helpu i leihau eu risg er mwyn gallu symud ymlaen i gael eu rhyddhau’n ddiogel o’r carchar. Cyhoeddwyd y Cynllun Gweithredu diwygiedig yn yr Adroddiad Blynyddol IPP sydd ar gael yn https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmpps-annual-report-on-the-ipp-sentence-2023-to-24. Fodd bynnag, mae’n bwysig nodi y byddai ymarfer ail-ddedfrydu’n debygol o arwain at ryddhau’r rhan fwyaf sy’n dal i dreulio dedfryd IPP yn y carchar, heb unrhyw oruchwyliaeth trwydded ar eu cyfer, er bod y Bwrdd Parôl o’r farn yn flaenorol y dylai’r unigolion hyn aros yn y carchar er mwyn diogelu’r cyhoedd. Bydd HMPPS yn parhau i fonitro cynnydd y Cynllun Gweithredu IPP ac i ymgynghori â sefydliadau arbenigol a grwpiau ymgyrchu i sicrhau bod pob opsiwn yn cael ei ystyried yn ofalus o ran pa waith arall y gallwn ei wneud, ond rwy’n gobeithio y gallwch ddeall mai diogelu’r cyhoedd yw’r flaenoriaeth fwyaf i’r Llywodraeth o hyd ac na allwn wneud unrhyw beth i roi hyn yn y fantol.

Recorded status: In progress

Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation 2

Addressee: HMPPS

There is a need to monitor and ensure that the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is followed and monitored to ensure that prisoners’ property is always transferred with them.

Source text verified

Government response
Fel y mae’r Bwrdd yn cydnabod, rhaid i’r pwyslais barhau i fod ar garcharorion yn cydymffurfio â’r uchafswm rheolaeth feintiol oherwydd dylai unrhyw eiddo o fewn yr uchafswm hwn drosglwyddo gyda’r carcharor, ynghyd ag eitemau a eithriwyd o reolaeth feintiol, fel papurau cyfreithiol. Mae’r Fframwaith Polisi Eiddo Carcharorion hefyd yn glir y dylai Llywodraethwyr a Chyfarwyddwyr sicrhau y gwneir archwiliadau gan reolwyr i roi sicrwydd bod eiddo carcharorion yn cael ei drin yn gywir a gofalus, ac yn cydymffurfio â’r uchafswm rheolaeth feintiol. Y carchar sy’n anfon sy’n gyfrifol am drosglwyddo unrhyw eiddo sydd ar ôl. O’r blaen nid oedd terfyn amser ar gyfer sicrhau bod eiddo’n cael ei anfon ymlaen ond, ers cyflwyno’r Fframwaith Polisi Eiddo Carcharorion, mae’n ofynnol i garchardai drosglwyddo unrhyw eiddo sydd ar ôl o fewn pedair wythnos.
Yn lleol, rydym yn cydnabod bod maint ffisegol y Storfeydd Eiddo yn HMP/YOI Parc a’r cynnydd yn y boblogaeth dros nifer o flynyddoedd wedi gwneud storio eiddo’n anodd. Mae Rheolwyr Diogelwch wedi gwneud defnydd gwell o ganllawiau’r Fframwaith Polisi, gan ddefnyddio mwy ar gyfleusterau storio eiddo canolog HMPPS yn Branston, ac mae Strategaeth Ddiogelwch Leol a Pholisi Chwilio’r carchar yn cynnwys canllawiau ar sut i ddilyn y drefn rheolaeth feintiol a lefelau rheolaeth feintiol. Mae tîm Rheolydd HMPPS y safle hefyd wedi cwblhau nifer o ymweliadau sicrwydd eiddo a bellach yn gweld gwelliannau.
Mae HMPPS yn nodi pryderon y Bwrdd am eiddo ond nid yw’n ymarferol bosib i’r holl eiddo dros ben y gallai carcharor fod wedi’i gasglu, sydd dros yr uchafswm meintiol hwn, gael ei drosglwyddo gyda’r carcharor. Mae HMPPS yn ymwybodol o’r problemau gydag eiddo ac yn parhau i weld beth arall y gellir ei wneud.

Recorded status: In progress

Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation 3

Addressee: HMPPS

Set a minimum spend per prisoner to ensure food supplied offers both quantity and quality along with nutritional value to satisfy prisoners’ calorific needs, as it is unreasonable that prisoners have to supplement their food intake by purchasing from the prison canteen.

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Gellir sicrhau’r Bwrdd bod carchardai cyhoeddus a phreifat yn dilyn y canllawiau ar fwyd ac anghenion maeth yn unol â Chyfarwyddyd 44/2010 y Gwasanaeth Carchardai ar gyfer Arlwyo - Prydau Bwyd i Garcharorion. Mae prydau bwyd a bwydlenni yn HMP/YOI Parc yn cael eu paratoi’n unol â’r PSI ac mae gan y carchar gyllideb arlwyo ddyddiol fesul carcharor sy’n unol â chyllidebau arlwyo carchardai cenedlaethol HMPPS. Mae’r cyngor carcharorion lleol wedi rhoi adborth defnyddiol ar fwydlenni, ansawdd a maint prydau ac mae Cyfarwyddwr y Carchar wedi bod yn gweithio ag uwch-reolwyr a’r darparwr arlwyo i adolygu’r prydau bwyd. Derbyniwn fod rhai problemau wedi codi oherwydd diffygion cyfarpar neu ddiffygion yn y gegin ac mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r rhain wedi cael sylw. Mae’r darparwr arlwyo ers hynny wedi gwella ansawdd y prydau bwyd ynghyd â’r dulliau o ddosbarthu bwyd i’r ardaloedd gweini. Cyflwynwyd nosweithiau bwyd themâu rhyngwladol amrywiol i ddathlu bwyd o wahanol ddiwylliannau, a groesawyd yn frwd, gyda rhewgelloedd wedi eu gosod yn yr ardaloedd gweini i gynorthwyo gyda gweini pwdinau oer. Mae’r carchar hefyd yn parhau i adolygu ei wastraff bwyd er mwyn gallu ail-fuddsoddi’r arbedion yn y fwydlen.

Recorded status: Noted

Topic: Food

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Governor / Director

Ensure the complaints system functions and monitor that responses are received within the required time scales.

Source text verified

Recorded status:

Topic: Complaints

Recommendation 5

Addressee: Governor / Director

Put in place a process whereby prisoners’ food is regularly assessed for nutritional value, calorific content, quality and quantity.

Repeated Source text verified

Government response
Gellir sicrhau’r Bwrdd bod carchardai cyhoeddus a phreifat yn dilyn y canllawiau ar fwyd ac anghenion maeth yn unol â Chyfarwyddyd 44/2010 y Gwasanaeth Carchardai ar gyfer Arlwyo - Prydau Bwyd i Garcharorion. Mae prydau bwyd a bwydlenni yn HMP/YOI Parc yn cael eu paratoi’n unol â’r PSI ac mae gan y carchar gyllideb arlwyo ddyddiol fesul carcharor sy’n unol â chyllidebau arlwyo carchardai cenedlaethol HMPPS. Mae’r cyngor carcharorion lleol wedi rhoi adborth defnyddiol ar fwydlenni, ansawdd a maint prydau ac mae Cyfarwyddwr y Carchar wedi bod yn gweithio ag uwch-reolwyr a’r darparwr arlwyo i adolygu’r prydau bwyd. Derbyniwn fod rhai problemau wedi codi oherwydd diffygion cyfarpar neu ddiffygion yn y gegin ac mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r rhain wedi cael sylw. Mae’r darparwr arlwyo ers hynny wedi gwella ansawdd y prydau bwyd ynghyd â’r dulliau o ddosbarthu bwyd i’r ardaloedd gweini. Cyflwynwyd nosweithiau bwyd themâu rhyngwladol amrywiol i ddathlu bwyd o wahanol ddiwylliannau, a groesawyd yn frwd, gyda rhewgelloedd wedi eu gosod yn yr ardaloedd gweini i gynorthwyo gyda gweini pwdinau oer. Mae’r carchar hefyd yn parhau i adolygu ei wastraff bwyd er mwyn gallu ail-fuddsoddi’r arbedion yn y fwydlen.

Recorded status: Implemented

Topic: Food

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions 5 3
Canteen, facility list, catalogues 6 2
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions 13 6
Equality 8 7
Finance, including pay, private monies, spends 11 7
Food and kitchens 22 7
Health, including physical, mental, social care 19 12
Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions 27 18
Miscellaneous 27 15
Property during transfer or in another facility 23 11
Property within the establishment 15 10
Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell 35 18
Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation 9 3
Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying 28 16
Transfers 17 7

Related inspections & investigations

13 Jan 2025 HMIP · Unannounced Safety 1 · Respect 2 · Activity 2 · Release 2

Other reports for Parc

2025 Published 2 Apr 2026 Population 1,785 · Self-harm 1,465 · Concerns
2024 Published 23 May 2025 Population 1,599 · Self-harm 2,325 · Concerns
2022 Published 29 Sep 2023 · Self-harm 1,285 · Concerns
2021 Published 21 Dec 2021 · Self-harm 1,193 · Concerns