FRS inspections 2018/19 – tranche 2 – service press releases

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Wendy Williams said:

“Our first inspection of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has found that it is performing to a high standard in all areas. Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue services combined in 2016. We found that the combination was well managed, and the new service is realising operational and financial benefits as a result.

“The service’s approach to risk prevention is particularly effective. It conducts a range of risk reduction programmes, which are informed through its Community Safety Plan. These programmes include home visits, partnerships with relevant organisations and targeted identification of high-risk premises. The service also hosts a range of educational initiatives, such as its arson reduction programme.

“The service also responds well to fires and other emergencies. Its partnership with two neighbouring fire and rescue services allows it to draw on external resources when responding to incidents.

“Savings have been achieved through the combination of the two separate fire services. The combined service has streamlined management systems and revised policies and procedures, and is saving £4.5m annually. Resources are therefore allocated in an efficient and cost-effective manner, meaning that the service can appropriately direct its resources where needed.

“We also found that the service treats its workforce well which includes providing a range of welfare support. It has effective promotion and appraisal processes and is good at identifying future leadership talent.

“The residents of Dorset and Wiltshire can be confident that they are receiving a quality service and I look forward to seeing what further benefits result from their recent combination.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley said:

“We are disappointed in what we found in our first inspection of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. I recognise it has been a period of significant change and challenge, with governance transferred to the Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017 and the service implementing recommendations made by Lord Kerslake following the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena. The service is also undertaking a comprehensive organisational review which may impact on future delivery.

“Our inspection found the service is effective at responding to emergencies and generally does so in a timely manner. It has processes in place to learn from incidents it attends. It also has a good understanding of local risks. However, the service has insufficient staff working within its risk-based inspection programme to ensure high-risk premises are complying with fire safety regulations.

“At the time of the inspection Greater Manchester did not have its own capability in place to respond to terror-related incidents because of an industrial relations dispute. Instead it has an agreement for its neighbour, Merseyside FRS, to provide its marauding terrorist attack capability. This arrangement is a serious concern, any delay in responding to such an attack could endanger the public. This matter requires urgent attention.

“Efficiency and sustainability is also mixed. We found that the service has a good track record of making savings. However, the service is operating in a financially unsustainable manner, using reserves to cover budget shortfalls. This cannot continue in the long term.

“Worryingly, the service does not have proper controls in place to monitor and manage the skills of its workforce. We also found examples of poor culture and behaviour and an unacceptable lack of facilities for women at some stations.

“I look forward to seeing the service improve in response to our findings.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Humberside Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley said:

“Humberside Fire and Rescue Service provides a good service to its local community. We found that it effectively and efficiently keeps people safe from harm, however the service needs to improve how it looks after its staff.

“The service has built a good understanding of risk through the use of a wide range of data and information.

“It responds well to fires and other emergencies. A regular programme of operational and risk-critical training allows commanders and firefighters to effectively respond to a wide variety of incident types. It also works well with its local police and ambulance service.

“The service demonstrates good financial planning and generally allocates resources, including staff, in an efficient manner. It has achieved savings in line with budget reductions and is forecasting a balanced budget until 2022/23.

“Unfortunately, our inspection identified several inconsistencies around workforce management. The service has insufficient staff working within its protection function to ensure high-risk premises are complying with fire safety regulations. Performance development reviews are carried out in an inconsistent manner and many staff do not have confidence in training and development activities. We believe improvements can be made in how the service monitors staff grievances and how fair its promotion procedures are perceived to be by the workforce.

“Overall, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service provides a good service to local residents. I look forward to it addressing the issues we have raised, to improve its service even further.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Kent Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Kent Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Zoë Billingham said:

“I am pleased that we have rated Kent Fire and Rescue Service as ‘good’ across all three areas of our inspection, in terms of its efficiency, effectiveness and the way it looks after its staff. This is a modern and innovative fire service that is prepared to find new ways of doing things. Many other fire and rescue services could learn from the example it sets.

“The service performs well in one of its primary duties: responding to fires and other emergencies. We found good collaboration with other local emergency services, including the ambulance service and the police, which improves the service given to the people of Kent.

“Kent Fire and Rescue Service has a strong approach to fire prevention and safety. It provides a wide variety of education and risk reducing activity including home visits, community safety activities and water and road safety initiatives.

“We were very impressed with how Kent Fire and Rescue Service manages and looks after its people; some of the practice we found is outstanding. The service takes welfare seriously, giving its staff access to out-of-hours support services for professional and personal issues. We were struck by the positive relationship between staff and senior leadership, which encourages direct contact and a culture of trust and empowerment. We saw some strong examples of values and culture and recognise the efforts the service’s leadership team has put in to transforming the culture of the organisation.

“The service is aware of the need to operate in a financially sustainable manner, working within its budget and with an appreciation of its monetary reserves. It is improving the technology it uses and is considering other ways to save money. The service operates more engines than it says it needs, which suggests further efficiencies could be made.

“I look forward to continuing to see strong performance from Kent Fire and Rescue Service in future inspections.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Zoë Billingham said:

“We rated Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service as requiring improvement across all three areas of our assessment. The service is performing well in some aspects; importantly for the public, it has a comprehensive understanding of the risk of fire and other emergencies, which enables it to make well evidenced decisions about where it should put its resources. However, there are other areas where the service is falling short.

The service regularly moves firefighters around to meet demand, and to make sure there is adequate cover to respond to incidents. The service has trained its incident commanders, although some hadn’t received refresher training or reassessment after their initial training.

“We have concerns about how the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service fulfils its responsibilities to enforce fire safety legislation, and how it responds to emergency incidents. The service is failing to meet its targets relating to the number of buildings it audits as part of its risk-based inspection programme. That said, we were pleased to see that when they do identify issues of concern, the service uses its full range of enforcement powers.

“We found an overreliance on requiring firefighters to work overtime to cover absences and keep fire engines available. Its fire prevention work, where it works with vulnerable people to reduce life threatening incidents is good.

“We were disappointed that there are several problems relating to workforce management. Several staff highlighted their dissatisfaction with the current grievance, promotions and appraisals processes.

“The staff of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are dedicated to protecting the public from fires and other risks. I am hopeful that the service will rectify the problems identified in our report.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley said:

“I am pleased with the results of this inspection, which shows that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is performing to a high standard.

“We have inspected 30 fire and rescue services to date and Merseyside is the first we have graded as “outstanding” in how they prevent fires and other emergencies and how they respond to national risk. The service’s track record in safety is largely attributable to its strong understanding of the nature and level of risk across its area.

“It has an effective fire prevention strategy, centering on local community engagement. It conducted over 50,000 home visits in the year ending March 2018, which was considerably higher than the England average per 1,000 of the population. It carries out programmes with high-risk and vulnerable communities, for example, those with dementia. In addition, it partners with a wide variety of local organisations to promote fire and road safety, such as football clubs and schools.

“The service places great emphasis on staff wellbeing, with support programmes for both mental and physical health in place. It has an excellent understanding of workforce capabilities and is therefore able to proactively address any future skills gaps. The general culture of the workforce is positive.

“The service is working hard to remedy the few problems that we did identify such as an underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and I am confident that it will do so. I want to congratulate the service on its performance.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Zoë Billingham said:

“Our inspection of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service revealed that the service requires improvement. While some areas are satisfactory, there are several problems which the service needs to address before it can offer a comprehensive service to residents of Norfolk.

“Importantly for the public, the service is good at responding to emergencies when called. But we are concerned that the service does not fully understand the nature and level of risk to the public. Whilst it collects data from a variety of sources, it does not use this information to create a comprehensive risk profile against which to match its fire engines and crews. There is also a backlog in home fire risk checks meaning that those people who may be vulnerable to the risk of fire, like the elderly and those with disabilities may not be getting the fire prevention support they need.

“There are some positives when it comes to how Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service manages its money and resources. We found that the service understands financial risk, with the result that it is meeting its savings targets. It also has effective business continuity arrangements in place.

“Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service places a high priority on the wellbeing of its workforce, with a range of staff support programmes in place. But many staff are unaware of the support available to them.

“I welcome the work the service has already started to respond to the issues we have identified. I look forward to seeing how this work progresses.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service revisit letter – 2018/19

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Zoë Billingham said:

“We recognise that this has been a time of upheaval and challenge for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service including a recent change of governance from the county council to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. While there are some areas of good practice, we found that Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service requires improvement across all three areas of our inspection.

“During our inspection we found a committed and proud workforce wanting to do their best for the people of Northamptonshire. However, the financial straightjacket placed on the service has severely impacted what the service can provide.

Of particular concern is the service’s emergency response capability, which we rated as ‘inadequate’. The service has identified that it needs at least 14 fire engines available at any one time. However, in the short time period we sampled there were far fewer available engines than this, which has a clear knock-on effect on response capability. We also have concerns regarding the service’s ability to work effectively with the services of other counties.

“More positively, the service knows its risk and has well-developed prevention and protection strategies. But it has too few staff are available to provide what is required. We were also concerned that, at the time of our inspection, the service did not have any financial reserves in place.

“Finally, we identified several problems with the service’s approach to workforce management. Although it takes staff wellbeing seriously, it does not have a workforce plan in place to deal with absences. This is a consequence of having too few staff available.

“At the end of our inspection, we raised these concerns with the service. HMICFRS revisited Northamptonshire in June 2019 to check on progress. We were encouraged to see the service had taken on board our comments and is starting to make improvements. We will carry out a full reinspection in the future and report on the progress made. We expect to see further improvements.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley said:

“In our first inspection of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, we have rated it as requiring improvement across all three pillars of our assessment criteria.

“We recognise that the service is operating in a tough financial climate which is a significant factor behind our findings. It has already made significant savings and is required to make more in the years ahead. In what is already a very lean organisation, there is no agreed plan for how further savings will be achieved which brings into question the service’s long-term financial sustainability and viability.

“The service needs to improve its emergency response. We found gaps in training provided to incident commanders. We also found that the service could do more to make the public aware of any ongoing incidents through better use of its website and social media.

“The service should also improve its fire protection function. While it undertakes building audits to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations, it has too few staff to meet its own targets. We found similar capacity issues within the fire prevention team.

“Finances are also affecting staff wellbeing, with many staff working excessive hours to manage their workloads. We also found that management capacity at all levels is stretched. These problems are exacerbated by inconsistent promotion procedures and the lack of a formal talent management process.

“Staff are committed to doing the best they can for the communities of Northumberland; unfortunately, the difficult financial climate is impacting upon the service provided. It is unclear if they will be able to aborb any further reductions without adversely affecting their ability to keep people safe.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• ‘requires improvement’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Zoë Billingham said:

“We rated Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as ‘requires improvement’ across all three areas of our inspection. While the service performs well in some areas, such as protecting the public through improving compliance with fire regulations, many issues remain.

“We are concerned that the service does not fully understand the nature and level of risk to the public. This affects their ability to manage their fire engines and crews as effectively as possible. There are too few fire engines, which affects their emergency response capability.

“We were pleased to find that Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service works well with local businesses to improve safety through compliance with fire regulations, improving safety in buildings and workplaces.

“The service is less efficient than it should be. Its resources are not aligned to its priorities. This financial year the service is anticipating an overspend of £1.2 million. This is not financially sustainable.

“We had some concerns with aspects of workforce management. A general lack of monitoring and recording means that temporary promotions and performance development reviews are not administered in a transparent way.

“On a much more positive note we were impressed with staff commitment to the values and culture of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, which it effectively promoted throughout the service. For example, the service is working hard to remedy its under-representation of black and ethnic minority employees. Positively, staff generally feel looked after and that the service cares for their wellbeing.

“The staff of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service are dedicated to protecting the public from fire and other risks. I recognise this is a challenging set of findings for the service, but I look forward to seeing the improvements it will make”.

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Matt Parr said:

“Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is performing well in its core duty of responding to incidents and protecting the public from fire and other risks. It works well with other services in the Thames Valley region to deliver a joined-up response to a broad range of incidents.

“Additionally, the service is good at analysing current and future demand. It utilises a risk-based approach to determine response capability, as well as techniques such as risk modelling software and effective information sharing with other services. We did, however, identify ways that the way it manages risk information for firefighting could be improved.

“We were very impressed with the service’s range of education programmes as part of its 365Alive programme. These include home visits, school outreach schemes, fire cadets and youth work, an interactive safety centre and the provision of road safety information. The service should be proud of its record in these areas.

“Broadly speaking, the service manages its people well. It is one of only 2 out of 30 services inspected to date which we have graded “outstanding” for its values and culture. We found a positive culture throughout the organisation with everyone knowing their role and purpose.

“The people of Oxfordshire should be proud of their fire and rescue service and I am confident the service will address the issues that we identified”.

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Matt Parr said:

“Our first inspection of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service revealed that it is performing to a high standard. We graded the service as ‘good’ in each of our three main inspection categories. The people of Berkshire can be confident that they are being well-served.

“We found that the service is good at both responding to existing risks and preparing for future ones. The service has recently increased its number of ’wholetime’ fire engines from 13 to 14. The service puts significant effort into understanding current demand and anticipating future risk, which it does through measures including data analysis, public consultation and advanced risk modelling software.

“We were impressed with the service’s effective working practices with neighbouring fire and rescue services. It hosts a join fire control room also used by Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire fire and rescue services. It has also signed up to mutual aid agreements and engages in regular cross-border training. It is also purchasing new equipment with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire fire and rescue services which will further improve how the services work and respond together.

“We were encouraged to see an efficient allocation of money and resources – the service has a financial plan up to the year 2021. It is also exploring opportunities to make further savings by the end of this financial year.

“The service is good at looking after the welfare of its staff and we saw some impressive and innovative practice including counselling, trauma support and a healthcare scheme all available. It is also strongly committed to further improvements. We found that the senior leadership team had encouraged a positive culture within the service. Like many other services, Royal Berkshire could do more to accurately represent the ethnic makeup of its resident population. The service recognises this, and it has implemented an action plan to increase recruitment from minority communities.

“I am very pleased with the results of this inspection and I look forward to seeing further improvements in the future.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Wendy Williams said:

“I am pleased with the results of our inspection of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, which has found that the service is performing to a ‘good’ standard across the three pillars of our assessment.

“The service has a good understanding of risk and demand. Its integrated risk management plan draws on a range of data, from both within and outside the service, to build a complete picture of current and likely future demand. This understanding is also developed using risk modelling software, as well as information shared between the service and a wide variety of local partners.

“As a predominantly rural service, with more than half its firefighters being on-call, it is crucial that the service deploys its workforce efficiently. Our inspection found that the service does well in this regard and uses a range of tools to ensure effective distribution of people and resources. The service has also managed to maintain strong operational performance while achieving savings, reducing its spend by £3 million since 2012.

“Staff also felt well looked after. The service has a range of support programmes in place for its staff.

“I look forward to seeing the service continue to build on its already impressive performance.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley said:

“I am pleased with the results of this inspection, which show that Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is providing a good service to its local community. Emergency response is particularly impressive.

“The service’s track record in response is underpinned by a solid understanding of its local risk profile. It has a comprehensive community safety and integrated risk management plan. These are regularly reviewed and draw on evidence from a wide variety of sources, including local community feedback.

“The service generally performs well with regards to risk prevention. It undertakes a range of safety programmes with local communities, as well as partnering with external organisations like the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

“While the service is generally good at resource allocation and financial planning, we are concerned around its long-term sustainability. To meet its planned future budget the service needs to reduce its spending. However, it does not have an agreed plan to do this and may be forced to use its financial reserves to cover the shortfall. This is not sustainable in the long term.

“We also found mixed results in how the service looks after its workforce. There is a good relationship between staff and leaders. We were particularly impressed with the ‘leadership bond’, which clearly defines expected leadership behaviour and values. However, the service lacks any clear process to identify future leaders and we found issues in relation to its appraisals and promotions processes.

“In spite of our concerns, we are satisfied that the service is generally performing to a high standard. I look forward to seeing further improvements in subsequent inspections.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that West Midlands Fire Service:

• is ‘good’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• is ‘good’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘good’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – West Midlands Fire Service

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Wendy Williams said:

“We graded West Midlands Fire Service as ‘good’ across all three pillars of our inspection. This is an excellent result and testament to the dedication of the service’s workforce.

“We have inspected 30 fire and rescue services to date and West Midlands Fire Service is the only one which we have graded as “outstanding” for its operational response. The fact that the service has managed to achieve this while making savings of £23 million since 2011 is proof of its efficiency in managing its finances and resources.

“The service has built up an excellent understanding of levels of demand and risk. It has done this through collating and analysing data and information from a variety of sources, including local authority statistics, academic research, demographic data and community feedback. This identification and delineation of risk means that the service is able to prepare for future threats.

“We were also impressed with the service’s approach to its workforce. The service has in place a 24-hour employee assistance programme for its staff. It provides a range of services to its staff, including physiotherapy, counselling, occupational therapy and debt management advice. The service has in place a defined code of conduct, as well as sickness and health and safety policies. We also recognise the work the service is doing to be more representative of the community that it serves.

“Staff should feel proud of these achievements and I am confident that the service will continue to build on its good performance.”

In its first inspection of fire and rescue services, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service:

• ‘requires improvement’ at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks;
• ‘requires improvement’ at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
• is ‘inadequate’ at looking after its people.

Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2018/19 – West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service revisit letter – 2018/19

HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Dru Sharpling said:

“Our inspection of West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has revealed several concerns which require immediate action by the service to address.

“We rated the service as ‘inadequate’ – our lowest grading – in how it looks after its people. We found ineffective communication between the service’s senior management team and staff. Staff don’t work to the service’s values and the behavior of some staff was poor including reports of bullying. The service isn’t doing enough to ensure fairness and diversity with little engagement with staff representative bodies, particularly with those representing minority groups. We also saw little promotion of equality and inclusion in the workforce. Staff weren’t clear what training was available or if it was mandatory. Wellbeing support is offered but isn’t coordinated and staff had little faith in the service’s performance management process.

“When responding to fires and other emergencies, the service is not making the best use of its resources. Fire prevention is another concern. The service’s strategic approach to prevention is unclear. Although it conducts home visits and other preventative measures, these activities aren’t effectively monitored and assessed. We also found examples of follow-up work not being actioned. The service’s prevention work is hindered by an ineffective IT system. Its protection work is similarly poor. It has too few staff to complete its risk-based inspection programme and needs to do more to improve its understanding of building risk in the county.

“More positively, the service demonstrates an understanding of the financial climate it is operating in and has made necessary savings. However, its long-term financial sustainability is in question.

“At the end of our inspection, we raised these concerns with the service. HMICFRS revisited West Sussex in February 2019 to check on progress. We were encouraged to see the service had taken on board our comments and was starting to make improvements. We will carry out a full reinspection in the future and report on the progress made. We expect to see further improvements.”