1. Operational Assessment
Howard Jones
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team
PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

2. 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
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3. 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
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4. 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
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5. 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
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6. 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
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7. Fire assessment model
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8. LOCAL WATCH/STN/AREA REGIONAL REIPS & RMBS NATIONAL CFOA/LGA
CLG/LG PROTOCOL
CLG IMPROVEMENT BOARD
INTERVENTION
SECRETARY OF STATE
FIRE SECTOR
IMPROVEMENT
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9. 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.
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10. Operational Assessment
Howard Jones
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team
PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

11. 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
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12. 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
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13. 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
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14. 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.
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15. Evidence gathering Narrative for each key area within each KLOE
Developing
Established
Advanced
No requirement to score - a consultation question
Areas of notable practice
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16. 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?
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17. 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
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18. 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
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19. 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
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20. 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
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21. Self Assessment Pilots
South Yorkshire
Surrey
Bedfordshire and Luton
Isle of Wight
Cleveland
Lincolnshire
GMC
West Midlands
Cumbria
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22. Self Assessment Seminars
April 2009
2nd Fire Service College
3rd Surrey
7th Manchester
Operational Assessment toolkit
Performance Indicators
Peer Review
CAA/Organisational Assessment
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23. Consultation Process Closed 6 March Consultation Panel:
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s Team
CFOA
Operational Assessment Working Group
LGA
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24. 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
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25. Operational Assessment
Howard Jones
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s team
PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE