In July 2017, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s remit was extended to include inspections of Fire and Rescue Services in England, and was renamed Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
As a result of this inspection, HMICFRS will assess and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of the 45 Fire and Rescue Services in England.
Ahead of the inspections, HMICFRS has launched a consultation and the responses will be used to develop a programme and framework, and methodology for the inspections. This consultation seeks responses to seven questions about how the inspection of Fire and Rescue Services should be carried out.
The questions are:
What do you think of the proposed approach to FRS inspection that HMICFRS proposes to conduct in 2018/19? How could this be improved?
Do you agree that an integrated inspection of fire and rescue services’ effectiveness and efficiency, and how they look after their people, is better than separate thematic inspections?
Are there any other areas of fire and rescue services’ activity that should be included in the integrated inspections?
Does the draft inspection methodology include the right questions to gather evidence for a rounded assessment of fire and rescue services? How could this be improved?
How else could HMICFRS adapt the way in which it acquires information to take full account of the circumstances of fire and rescue services and of risks to public safety?
What, if any, new or emerging problems for fire and rescue services should HMICFRS take into account in its inspections?
What else should HMICFRS consider doing to make its fire and rescue service assessments as fair as they can be?
The consultation will close by 5pm on Monday 19 February 2018.For further information and to take part in the consultation, please click here