Source · IMB Annual Report
Ford
Year: 2024
Published: 25 Feb 2025
Type: Prison · Cat D open
Population: 343
Recommendations: 10
Key concerns
Positive findings
HMP Ford, a Category D open prison, generally provides a safe and humane environment, with commendable improvements in induction processes, security measures, and a strong focus on rehabilitation through education and employment. However, the Board remains concerned about the failing building infrastructure, including critical boiler issues, inadequate phone provision, and persistent delays from probation services impacting prisoner progression and resettlement. The ongoing delay in the prison expansion project and budget cuts to vocational training are also significant concerns.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths in custody | 0 | — |
| Self-harm incidents | 0 | — |
| ACCT cases opened | 5 | — |
| Prisoner assaults | 1 | — |
| Use of force | 6 | — |
| Drug finds | 192 | 178 |
Positive findings
The Board believes Ford is generally a safe environment, noting improved induction processes including neurodiversity assessments. There's a significant downward trend in illicit items and mandatory drug testing failures, attributed to increased security and activities. Healthcare, mental health, and substance misuse teams provide excellent integrated services. The prison has positively focused educational activities towards future employment, with Chichester College School of Construction and workshops proving to be real assets. The Offender Management Unit performed well, successfully releasing 71 men under SDS-40 with 100% placed into accommodation.
Key concerns
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Repeated
The inadequate phone provision continues to be an issue, with no ‘in-cell’ ‘phones and insufficient and badly-located telephones in the corridors. As a consequence, communication between prisoners and their families is difficult, especially for those with young children.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
For several years, the IMB annual reports have commented on the poor condition of the former Fleet Air Arm buildings. The frequency of plumbing, drainage, heating and electrical problems is increasing and is due to the old infrastructure and a total lack of planned, regular maintenance.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The boilers at HMP Ford are old and appear not to be fit for purpose. They were put on the Risk Register by GFSL nine years ago and are a clear health and safety risk. Not having access to hot water is also impacting upon the rehabilitation of prisoners, over 100 of whom go out to work each day.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
However, irrespective of the outcome of this planning application, commencement of any building works will now be delayed indefinitely, due to the appointed building contractor, ISG, filing for administration on 20 September 2024. 2029 has now been suggested as a revised completion date, but the Board has little confidence in this, given the many delays that have already occurred – both previously appointed main contractors have gone into administration after signing contracts.
Education/Purposeful Activity
It is therefore, very concerning to note, that the budget for these critical rehabilitation activities [Chichester College School of Construction] has been cut by 50% for the 2025 financial year.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Unfortunately, as reported in previous years, problems continue in obtaining timely responses from COM’s and from some police forces regarding background and other necessary checks prior to being granted ROTL... Nevertheless, delays in COM’s responding in good time remain a major source of frustration for prisoners and staff.
Other
Repeated
Together with IMBs throughout the country, we continue to stress that IPP sentences are inhumane and should be removed from existing prisoners.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The IMB is often required to alert the prison to such situations and recommend a more proactive approach by the Residential team to monitoring and management of the provision of cooking, washing and laundry facilities for the prisoners.
Food/Catering
The DHL canteen service is over-priced and much criticised by the men. It is positive that this will be replaced on site by a more conventional ‘shop’, but disappointing that this will continue to be operated by DHL, given the service and pricing concerns.
Other
Repeated
the continued impact of the unacceptable loss of prisoner’s personal possessions, including passports, driving licences etc. by prisons other than Ford is unacceptable. Much more needs to be done.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The low rates of pay in Engineering and LBA, both commercial areas that require a motivated and productive workforce, is a source of discontent for the prisoners. While there is merit in rewarding prisoner’s progression in trust and education with access to higher paid jobs within the prison, the pay scales at Ford fail to recognise workers with trade skills required by the prison to function and to honour their external contractual obligations. There is disparity in pay in some areas and the methodology used to determine the rates of pay is unclear.
Equality/Diversity
The prison still has no purpose-designed rooms for prisoners with disabilities, although one landing in A-wing (C1) and eight pods have some modifications to assist prisoners with physical needs. The disability alarm system in the eight pods is still not properly connected.
Estate/Conditions
On a number of occasions, the visitor toilets used by families were found to be unclean and very unappealing which created a poor impression of the prison which maintains better standards of cleanliness elsewhere in its buildings.
Recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Given the largely positive HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) report of 2023 and recent IMB reports highlighting the improving work of Ford, when – and how – will the Minister expedite the new build plans for HMP Ford to expand its capacity in support of the prison’s ‘reducing reoffending’ objective?
Repeated
Response
I understand the Board’s concerns about expansion plans and refurbishments at HMP Ford. A planning application for the expansion plans has been submitted for seven new houseblocks, delivering 420 additional places along with supporting ancillaries (property storage, offender management unit, healthcare unit, multi-faith unit and car parking for 80 spaces). The details of the planning application can be found on the Arun District Council website. |
Ministry of Justice | In progress |
| 2 |
At present, there is no way for a resettlement prison to evaluate the success of all that they do, including know what percentage of prisoners re-offend. When will the Minister set up an effective system to monitor prisoners after release?
Repeated
Response
I appreciate your concerns around post-release and resettlement evaluation systems. The current commissioned rehabilitative services (CRS) contracts have service levels in place which are monitored closely by regional HMPPS Contract Management Teams who work with CRS suppliers to address any performance and/or service delivery concerns. The service levels were developed as measures which were evidence-based as likely to contribute to effective services. Service-user progression is currently monitored through CRS provider action plans, their attendance and completion. As part of the design of the future CRS contracts, to enhance the evaluation of service user progression, HMPPS is developing a distance travelled tool, which service users will complete at the start and end of their involvement with CRS. This tool will enable them to report the progress they have made. HMPPS will involve service users in its design and validation and are seeking input from academics to ensure the reliability and validity of the tool. This tool is intended to benefit service users by providing an opportunity to identify and celebrate progress and to assist delivery partners and HMPPS to better understand the impact and effectiveness of the services. |
Ministry of Justice | In progress |
| 3 |
As we have reported for some years now, the building infrastructure across Ford is failing and the accommodation provided is unacceptable. Simply ‘limping along’ is not a viable option. When will the Minister undertake an in-depth appraisal of the existing buildings and commit to undertaking a comprehensive refurbishment of that accommodation?
Repeated
Response
I understand the Board’s concerns about expansion plans and refurbishments at HMP Ford. I would like to assure the Board that we remain committed to continuing the prison build programmes and to invest in prison maintenance so that existing places remain in use and are safe. HMPPS is continually reviewing the investment required across the estate, for both the current and next Spending Review periods. The proposals will be underpinned by the data collected in recent condition surveys which assessed the fabric, cells, and critical assets at each prison. These will inform long-term forward maintenance registers, which can be prioritised against future capital budgets. The Board will appreciate there are budgetary pressures and whilst all requests from the establishment will be considered, demands for maintenance are much greater than the available funding. Therefore, once a bid for a project is received, HMPPS must prioritise works very carefully to make best use of that funding, focusing on risk to life and risk to capacity and decency. HMP Ford’s faults with fire doors will be addressed in all living areas during the course of the year, and a full refurbishment of A-wing is now complete. A boiler replacement project for the gate house and visits block is currently in progress and due for completion before the end of April 2025. |
Ministry of Justice | Partial |
| 4 |
Given that GFSL has registered 219 faults with the boilers in the accommodation blocks in the five years to 30 November 2024, when will the Minister commit to replacing Ford’s boilers and hot water systems, which were deemed ‘at risk’ nine years ago?
Repeated
Response
A boiler replacement project for the gate house and visits block is currently in progress and due for completion before the end of April 2025. |
Ministry of Justice | Partial |
| 5 |
Given that GFSL has registered 219 faults with the boilers in the accommodation blocks in the five years to 30 November 2024, when will HMPPS commit to replacing Ford’s boilers and hot water systems, which were deemed ‘at risk’ nine years ago?
Repeated
Response
A boiler replacement project for the gate house and visits block is currently in progress and due for completion before the end of April 2025. |
HMPPS | Partial |
| 6 |
Most men arrive from prisons that have in-cell phones. When will HMPPS address the lack of phone access at Ford to enable the maintenance of family ties?
Repeated
Response
HMPPS comments in response to the issue raised in relation to in-cell telephony is set out in the attached annex. In-Cell Telephony: There are no current plans to install in-cell phones at HMP Ford. However, there is a pilot in another open prison to look at the potential on pin locked mobile phones. There is also currently a pilot on the use of prisoners’ own mobile phones for those who have access to them on release on temporary licence. |
HMPPS | Rejected |
| 7 |
The prison operating at full capacity again, which will allow the available resources to be properly utilised and prisoners to benefit from their time at Ford.
Response
I understand the Board’s concerns about expansion plans and refurbishments at HMP Ford. A planning application for the expansion plans has been submitted for seven new houseblocks, delivering 420 additional places along with supporting ancillaries (property storage, offender management unit, healthcare unit, multi-faith unit and car parking for 80 spaces). The details of the planning application can be found on the Arun District Council website. |
Governor / Director | In progress |
| 8 |
A consistent, reliable heating and water supply to the accommodation blocks, as the situation is unacceptable.
Repeated
Response
I would like to assure the Board that we remain committed to continuing the prison build programmes and to invest in prison maintenance so that existing places remain in use and are safe. HMPPS is continually reviewing the investment required across the estate, for both the current and next Spending Review periods. The proposals will be underpinned by the data collected in recent condition surveys which assessed the fabric, cells, and critical assets at each prison. These will inform long-term forward maintenance registers, which can be prioritised against future capital budgets. The Board will appreciate there are budgetary pressures and whilst all requests from the establishment will be considered, demands for maintenance are much greater than the available funding. Therefore, once a bid for a project is received, HMPPS must prioritise works very carefully to make best use of that funding, focusing on risk to life and risk to capacity and decency. HMP Ford’s faults with fire doors will be addressed in all living areas during the course of the year, and a full refurbishment of A-wing is now complete. A boiler replacement project for the gate house and visits block is currently in progress and due for completion before the end of April 2025. |
Governor / Director | Partial |
| 9 | A more proactive approach to the monitoring and management of the provision of effective cooking, washing and laundry facilities in the prisoners’ accommodation. | Governor / Director | |
| 10 |
Solutions implemented to address the lack of phone access for the men.
Repeated
Response
HMPPS comments in response to the issue raised in relation to in-cell telephony is set out in the attached annex. In-Cell Telephony: There are no current plans to install in-cell phones at HMP Ford. However, there is a pilot in another open prison to look at the potential on pin locked mobile phones. There is also currently a pilot on the use of prisoners’ own mobile phones for those who have access to them on release on temporary licence. |
Governor / Director | Rejected |
Applications to the IMB
| Category | Current | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions | 2 | 1 |
| Canteen, facility list, catalogues | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions | 0 | 3 |
| Equality | 1 | 1 |
| Finance, including pay, private monies, spends | 0 | 1 |
| Food and kitchens | 0 | 0 |
| Health, including physical, mental, social care | 2 | 1 |
| Letters, visits, telephones, public protection, restrictions | 1 | 0 |
| Miscellaneous | 1 | 1 |
| Property during transfer or in another facility | 6 | 17 |
| Property within the establishment | 0 | 0 |
| Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, time out of cell | 0 | 1 |
| Sentence management, including HDC, ROTL, parole, release dates, re-categorisation | 1 | 11 |
| Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying | 1 | 1 |
| Transfers | 1 | 0 |
Related inspections & investigations
4 Apr 2023
HMIP · Unannounced
Safety 4
· Respect 3
· Activity 3
· Release 4
Other reports for Ford
Report details
- Establishment
- Ford
- Type
- Prison · Cat D open
- Report year
- 2024
- Published
- 25 February 2025
- Responsible body
- HMP Ford
- Recommendations
- 10
- MoJ rating (2024/25)
- 4 — Outstanding
Population
| Population | 343 |
| Operational capacity | 349 |
Service providers
Academic education
Milton Keynes College
Dental care
Time for Teeth
Food pack distribution / Canteen services
DHL
Infrastructure maintenance
Gov Facility Services Limited (GFSL)
Principal health services
Practice Plus Group
Vocational training
Chichester College