1. Scrutiny & HM Inspectorate Role within Scotland
Simon Routh-Jones QFSM
HM Chief Inspector for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

2. Comparisons

3. The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
In 2005, the core functions, responsibilities and Fire Safety legislative provision of the Fire & Rescue Services transferred to Scottish Government - Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
In 2013, Eight Fire & Rescue Services became one National Service, with a further transformational programme planned

4. Scottish Fire and Rescue 4th Largest FRS in World 356 Fire Stations
7834 Employees (2017)
3 Operational Areas
16 Local Senior Officer Areas
32 Local Community Areas
North Area
West Area
East Area

6. Challenges to the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
New Chief, Board and Chair
Demographics
Funding – Transformation Agenda
– Year on Year Budgets & No Reserves
– National Negotiations v Scottish Solution
Size of Scotland
RDS

7. Inspection Process
In contrast to England and Wales, Scotland retained its formal inspectorate system, thus, maintained an independent Fire & Rescue Inspectorate
Throughout the period England and Wales moved to the Chief Fire & Rescue Advisor and Peer Reviews and now HMICFRS, Scotland’s preference was to maintain a formal inspectorate structure and an annual risk assessed work programme of inspections

8. The Approach to Success
Scottish Government FRS Policy Unit
Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland

9. Role – Inspection, Advisor, Fire Safety Determinations
HMFSI – Who we are
Independent from Scottish Government and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Role – Inspection, Advisor, Fire Safety Determinations
Core Team of 7 people (plus 2 Secondees)
Team Make Up
Chief H.M. Fire Service Inspector
3 x Assistant HMIs
1 x Inspection Officer/Department Manager
2 x Corporate Administration Staff
2 x SFRS Secondee Staff
Specialist Staff (as required)
& ‘Razor’ the dog

10. The Role of the Secondee
Integral member of the Inspectorate
Provide Service knowledge and Data Info for Reviews
Provide specialist knowledge to functions within Service
PLUS:-
Assist those ‘South of the Border’!!
Airson a h-uile luchd-obrach
Déan nuashonrú ar do chuid taifead go léir agus glan an stáisiún - tabhair cuairt ar Chigireacht na Seirbhíse Dóiteáin

11. Role of the inspectorate
Auditor or Inspectorate and a Critical Friend

12. HMFSI Guiding Principles
Independent, Proportionate and risk-based inspections
Statutory reporting requirements apply to our inspections
Business Plan is a public document
Different identified National Priorities

13. What HMFSI does Provide Independent Assurance & Advice
Core Values – Integrity, Objectivity, and Fairness
Working with Others
Inspection regime
Area Based Inspections
Thematic Reviews
Significant Incidents
Incidents of Special Interest
Operational Assurance
Determination on Fire Safety Disputes
Provide Support and Advice to N.I. Administration
Report Publication

14. Aligning our Work with others
Bilateral Memorandum of Understandings:-
Audit Scotland
The Ombudsman
Health & Safety Executive
The Crown Office
The Procurator Fiscal Services

15. Complementary scrutiny framework
Proportionate and risk based best value audit and inspection activity covering:
Outcomes
Service performance
Continuous improvement
Partnership working
Performance management
Use of resources
Governance and accountability
Community planning
Audit Scotland on behalf of the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Areas of shared interest
Operational inspection, including:
Policies and practices
Operational guidance
Firefighter Safety
Staff learning and development
Legislative fire safety enforcement
Community safety engagement
Financial audit
Value for money performance audit

16. Safe Firefighter Concept
Command & Control
Organisational Responsibilities
Managing Incidents
Command Training
Operational Tactics
Command structure
Weight of Response
The Inspection Criteria
Health & Safety
Operational Risk Information
Fire safety Legislation
Training
Wholetime
Retained Duty System (RDS)
Officer
Recruitment
Safe Firefighter Concept
Operational Assurance
Community Safety
Resources
National assets
Equipment
Fleet
PPE
Property
Shared Assets & Resources
Resources
Training
Command & Control
Accident Reporting
Accident Reporting
Vehicles
Near Misses
Individual
Safe Firefighter Concept

17. Governance Health & Safety Partnership Working Use of Resources
Service Performance
SFRS Governance
Performance Management
Community Planning
Individual Performance Management
Organisational Learning
Transformational Governance
Procurement
Organisational Governance & Accountability
Environmental Protection

18. HM Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland Chief Inspector’s work plan
Currently 3 Area Based inspections per year
Six month follow-up on local inspections
Identified Thematic Reviews from Local Area Inspections
Current Thematic Work, e.g. Fleet, RDS Training, O.R.I.
2019 Programme – Organisational Learning
– Command Role for Operational incidents
Can be directed by Ministers or Self-Determined
Specific Incidents of Significant interest
Statutory publication process, laid in Parliament or publish on web pages

19. Strategic Priorities - Fire Framework 2016
Performance Measures
Safety, Well-being & Prevention
Response & Resilience - (Response)
Response & Resilience - (Resilience)
Partnership
Service Transformation
Modernising Response
Unwanted Fire Signals
Effective Governance & Performance
People

20. The Scottish Model on Standards
Due to differing standards across the 45 FRS within England, a new suite of professional standards is being developed to enable a consistent platform for HMICFRS to be measure against
Within Scotland, there is a different approach to Standards due to there being:
Single Fire and Recue Service
Separate Legislation
Separate National Framework Document – 2016
Different identified National Priorities

21. Standards
Scotland has not committed to taking on the full range of professional standards being developed in England but is likely to adopt those that it deems to be of benefit to it whilst maintaining optimum Scottish decision making and flexibility

22. Scottish Standards will be developed from:
National Framework for Scotland Priorities
Assurance & Governance
SFRS Performance Management Framework
Transformational Agenda
Culture & Ethics
SFRS Strategic Plan
Professional Standards where applicable

23. The Importance to be Externally Assessed

24. The Same but slightly Different

25. 7 key Areas to assess evidence about the delivery of an FRS
Peer Review
7 key Areas to assess evidence about the delivery of an FRS
Community Risk Management 
Prevention
Protection
 Response
 Health and Safety
 Training and Development
 Call Management and Incident Support

26. And Finally
In conclusion, external inspection of an organisation is essential in order for that organisation to develop and flourish
An organisation can easily see the ‘low hanging fruit’ to improve and rectify. It is when the more detailed and fundamental issues need to be reviewed that an independent eye is critical
Should not take a defensive approach - when you look in a mirror you don’t always see and recognise what is reflecting back at you.

27. Questions Simon Routh-Jones QFSM