Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service moved into enhanced monitoring

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has been moved into an enhanced level of monitoring, the fire inspectorate has announced.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) continuously monitors the performance of all fire and rescue services in England.

The monitoring process consists of two stages: Scan and Engage. All fire and rescue services are in the Scan phase by default, but may be escalated to Engage.

HMICFRS said Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has moved into the Engage phase because the service hasn’t done enough since its last inspection to:

  • embed its values and associated behaviours and promote a positive workplace culture; and
  • improve levels of understanding and awareness of the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and remove barriers to embedding EDI in the service.

The inspectorate said more detail about Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s performance would be included in its next inspection report, which is due to be published later this month.

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Wendy Williams said:

“We move fire and rescue services into our enhanced level of monitoring, known as Engage, when we believe a service is not responding to a cause of concern, or if it is not succeeding in managing, mitigating or eradicating the cause of concern. The Engage process provides additional scrutiny and support.

“Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service was asked to urgently produce an improvement plan and will meet regularly with our inspectors. We will work closely with the service to monitor its progress against these important and necessary changes.”

Notes

  1. More information about the HMICFRS monitoring process
  2. Gloucestershire has moved into Engage because it has not done enough since its last inspection to:
    • embed its values and associated behaviours and promote a positive workplace culture; and
    • improve levels of understanding and awareness of the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and remove barriers to embedding EDI in the service.
  3. The first point relates to a cause of concern first issued to the service in 2019. The second is a new cause of concern that will be detailed in the service’s latest inspection report, due for publication later this month.
  4. For further information, please email the HMICFRS Press Office or call us on 07836 217 729.