Nottinghamshire 2021/22
Read more about NottinghamshireThis is HMICFRS’s second full assessment of fire and rescue services. This assessment examines the service’s effectiveness, efficiency and how well it looks after its people. It is designed to give the public information about how their local fire and rescue service is performing in several important areas, in a way that is comparable with other services across England.
The extent to which the service is effective at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks is good.
The extent to which the service is efficient at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks is good.
The extent to which the service looks after its people is good.
Roy Wilsher, HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services
HM Inspector's summary
It was a pleasure to revisit Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, and I am grateful for the positive and constructive way that the service engaged with our inspection.
I am pleased with the performance of the service in keeping people safe and secure from fires and other risks. For example, risk information is updated promptly and accurately to make sure that the latest information is available to operational crews.
The service has clearly used the last report appropriately and worked hard on the areas for improvement. We found it had improved in almost all areas since the round one inspection.
These are the findings I consider most important from our assessments of the service over the past year.
The service has a well-resourced prevention department that carries out a mix of referral and data-led visits to target those most at risk from fire. It then uses an evaluated method to understand the level of risk to the individual. Other organisations the service works with have been trained to use this method to ensure a consistent approach. This cohesive approach has resulted in many more people being reached compared with our first inspection.
In round one of our inspections, we gave the service an area for improvement to introduce a robust performance management framework. During this inspection, we found that the service had put one in place. This was evident across almost all areas of the service. The framework provides several levels for reporting, and ensures oversight is maintained and activities that are missing targets can be recorded and addressed before a problem arises.
We found the service had put processes in place to ensure that firefighters always have up-to-date risk information for Nottinghamshire, which it shares with neighbouring fire and rescue services when needed. The inspection team still have problems with using some of the mobile data terminals to access the information, but we recognise the service has a plan in place to address this.
Another round one area for improvement was to develop a wellbeing strategy. We were pleased to see this had been done, and that the service had this and other wellbeing provisions in place. During our inspection, we found that staff weren’t always aware of these. So the service should ensure that all staff understand the wellbeing provisions available to them.
Overall, I commend Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service on the clear improvements it has made since our last inspection. And I encourage the service to keep the momentum going with the positive changes it has made so far.