Operational Assessment Howard Jones Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team howard.jones@communities.gsi.gov.uk PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Introduction Assessment and inspection for 2009 Operational Assessment Comprehensive Area Assessment Organisational Assessment Area assessment Health and Safety Executive inspections A joined up process? Burden on the Service Duplication PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Where have we come from? 2006 Operational Assessment of Service Delivery (OASD) Central Government process Linked to CPA Scored – valid for 3-years Followed HSG 65 model PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Where are we now? Sector led approach for improvement Self-assessment Peer review Improvement planning and support Revised toolkit developed and delivered in partnership Improving performance, service delivery and firefighter safety National operational assurance PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Where are we going? Move away from HSG 65 Toolkit based on outcomes and impact Flexible – to take account of emerging issues Supported by other tools briefing sheets good practice performance indicators Additional Key Lines of Enquiry PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Audit Commission Context Coherent and integrated assessment of FRAs Strongly support a sector led approach to OpA Contribute to the CAA process – Org Assessment Opportunity for the sector to: Become more independent Drive improvement The Audit Commission will assume that OpA will be completed shortly after toolkit is available PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Fire assessment model PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

LOCAL WATCH/STN/AREA REGIONAL REIPS & RMBS NATIONAL CFOA/LGA CLG/LG PROTOCOL CLG IMPROVEMENT BOARD INTERVENTION SECRETARY OF STATE FIRE SECTOR IMPROVEMENT PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Baby P review Performance management arrangements across agencies are insufficiently robust. The reliance on national and local performance indicators is too great and does not enable understanding of the quality and effectiveness of service provision on the ground. Insufficient attention has been given to evaluating the quality of front line practice and quantifying the impact of services upon children. There has been a failure to use the outcomes from qualitative audit activity to critically self evaluate and to report on the actual outcomes for children and young people. The partnership does not use performance indicators to question and challenge underlying issues about the quality of front line practice. PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Operational Assessment Howard Jones Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team howard.jones@communities.gsi.gov.uk PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Self assessment process Previous experience Verification study Comprehensive performance assessment OASD 2006 Other assessment processes – E&D, ROSPA No additional guidance, templates or forms Reduction in assessment burden and subsequent peer review Business as usual performance management structure PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Reduction in Burden Business as usual Honest & realistic account – Service Delivery Communication Tool Strengths/areas for improvement Notable practice Links to new assessment framework Operational Assurance PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Key lines of enquiry Community Risk Management - formerly risk analysis Prevention Protection Response Health and Safety Training Call Management and Incident Support – same as 2006 Formerly Prevention and Protection Formerly Operational Preparedness and Emergency response New PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE 5.3 Has the FRA established effective plans, challenging targets, procedures and practices in relation to Health, Safety and Welfare? KLOE Focus The organisation: has considered all relevant guidance and legislation when formulating their Health, Safety and Welfare plans. allocates the correct resources to meet Health, Safety and Welfare requirements. Descriptors Developing Established Advanced Enhanced arrangements are being developed to ensure risk analysis data is consistently used to inform strategy and planning. Arrangements to provide managers with the appropriate level of resources to discharge their Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) responsibilities are being reviewed. Challenging HSW performance targets are being implemented. The FRAs Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) strategy has targets for activities and takes account of risk analysis outcomes. Plans are developed to take account of relevant legislation, guidance and national initiatives. Managers are provided with appropriate resources to discharge their HSW responsibilities. Systems are in place to ensure that safety critical information is captured and disseminated to key internal and external stakeholders in order to reduce risk to personnel. An Integrated operational risk information system is embedded within the FRA and information is shared with key stakeholders. Robust arrangements ensure comprehensive risk assessment monitoring and review. Corporate Health, Safety and Welfare objectives and individual targets are embedded in the planning process. Exemplar of notable practice The FRA has integrated and embedded arrangements for gathering risk information, maintaining its currency and making it available to operational crews. Operational procedures are developed from recognised Generic Risk Assessments and guidance, delivered and supervised by competent people using appropriate equipment and PPE. This provides a robust basis for a safe system of work. An audit of all safe systems of work is programmed and completed as part of the FRAs quality assurance system. The FRA has well established plans, procedures and practices with challenging targets for individuals and the organisation. These have delivered widespread improved and sustained Health, Safety and Welfare performance. PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Evidence gathering Narrative for each key area within each KLOE Developing Established Advanced No requirement to score - a consultation question Areas of notable practice PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Briefing sheets Support each key line of enquiry Not a definitive list but a good guide Concentrate on outcomes and impact Terminology may be different – should focus on the ‘document’ that drives activity Briefing sheet consultation Structure and content Appropriate level? Useful and supportive? Will you use them or gaps? PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Training and Development Realistic Training (focus area) Suitable arrangements to secure realistic training Training needs analysis Incident Commanders - identifying and assessing risks Arrangements for BA training Underpinning knowledge PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Peer review Process being developed by CFOA/IDeA Judgements accounted for through Audit Commission Organisational Assessment process Evidence should be Fair and reasonable clear and concise robust and able to withstand scrutiny PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Progress Operational Assessment Toolkit issued Briefing sheets issued Piloting of the toolkit commenced Peer review process developed (CFOA/IDeA) Consultation process completed: 12 December – 6 March PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Next steps March Completion of self assessment pilots IDeA regional peer assessment training Peer review pilot April 3 self-assessment seminars Operational Assessment toolkit published for use PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Self Assessment Pilots South Yorkshire Surrey Bedfordshire and Luton Isle of Wight Cleveland Lincolnshire GMC West Midlands Cumbria PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Self Assessment Seminars April 2009 2nd Fire Service College 3rd Surrey 7th Manchester Operational Assessment toolkit Performance Indicators Peer Review CAA/Organisational Assessment PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Consultation Process Closed 6 March Consultation Panel: Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s Team CFOA Operational Assessment Working Group LGA PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Summary Sector led process linked to CAA An improvement tool concentrating on OUTCOMES AND IMPACT Flexible to account for emerging issues Additional key lines of enquiry – training and H&S Audit commission anticipate a peer review from FRAs Consultation closes 6th March Toolkit published April 2009 PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Operational Assessment Howard Jones Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team howard.jones@communities.gsi.gov.uk PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE