HMICFRS has today (Friday 8 November 2024) published an update on its findings, following its latest checkpoint visit on 22 October 2024, in which it closes its concern relating to Prevention.
We are pleased to share the letter received, in which the Inspectorate recognises the significant progress we have made on its key areas of concern; Prevention, Protection and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
The key highlights are:
Prevention:
- We have made substantial improvements in identifying and prioritising those most at risk of fire and other emergencies. Our risk-based triage and prioritisation process for referrals now evidences how we ensure those in greatest need receive timely support.
- We have successfully completed work on all recommendations related to prevention with HMICFRS closing this cause of concern.
Protection:
- We have made good progress on how we prioritise risk within our protection activities.
- We have increased our fire safety audits and have a clear plan to audit both very high and high-risk premises.
- We have introduced a new role in the Protection team to support training and policy development, enhancing our overall effectiveness.
EDI:
- We have made good progress in promoting EDI within our service. The introduction of a People and Culture Officer and a Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development are helping to coordinate these efforts across all departments.
- Ambitious plans to further promote EDI are well underway, and we are looking forward to continuing this important work.
On reviewing the letter, Chief Fire Officer Louise Harrison said:
“In his letter, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher OBE QFSM, recognises the significant steps we have taken in response to the causes of concern the Inspectorate raised in October 2023.
“The inspectors have noted the robust governance arrangements we have in place to monitor our progress, and have also acknowledged our comprehensive action plan, which includes clear responsibilities, deadlines, and progress updates for each task.
“I am especially pleased that they have closed the cause for concern around Prevention, recognising the hard work and dedication of BFRS staff in implementing measures to support their recommendations, and evidence that our approach to offering Home Fire Safety Visits prioritises those most at risk of fire.
“I look forward to the virtual revisit that the inspection team have planned for January and hope they will find the reassurance and satisfaction they are seeking on the sustainability and embedding of our implemented measures in relation to Protection and EDI.”
As a Service, we remain committed to continuous improvement and ensuring the safety of everyone in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
We will continue to monitor progress on our action plan through our governance arrangements and remain in contact with the HMICFRS inspection team, which will carry out a virtual revisit in January 2025 to assess the impact of the changes we have implemented.
