Quality and Standard of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service - Case Study Example

Quality and Standard of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service Introduction The main aim of the North Wales FRS is to protect communities prior to occurrence of emergencies and provision of professional, efficient and effective fire and rescue for all people living, working and travelling in North Wales (North Wales FRS, 2011). Quality assurance is a method of provision of evidence required for establishing quality in work and those activities, which need good quality, are being carried out effectively (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Quality assurance constitutes all planned or systematic activities or actions, which provide confidence that a product or activity being undertaken will satisfy the given requirements for quality (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, 2007). In UK the examination of a number of areas of performance which underpin the operational services directly such as performance management and quality assurance processes, community fire safety and the implementation of integrated management plans (IRMP) and Integrated Personal development systems (IPDS) is carried out by the Audit Commission’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) of fire and rescue authorities. The Quality Assurance (QA) systems used by the North Wales FRS pre-government change Like other fire and rescue services, North Wales fire and rescue service uses the Incident Recording System (IRS) to log, store and disseminate incident data that has been attended to (Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, 2010). The IRS was developed by Informed Solution in conjunction with Communities and Local Government (CLG). The system is fully automated which captures and shares data enabling data from all incidents attended by any FRS within UK to be collected electronically and to be verified at the source (North Wales FRS, 2011). The system is beneficial since it increases the volume, timeliness and accuracy of incident data available to CLG. This helps in analysis of the data and formulation of policies. As a result the system facilitates progress towards targets aimed at reduction of accidental fire related deaths and deliberate fires (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, 2007). The IRS has enabled the North Wales fire and rescue service to transform its previous paper based process to an innovative strategy (Merseyside Fire & Rescue, 2010). The IRS enables the North Wales FRS to collect a wide range of information on full scope of all incidents attended to. This will in the long run provide North Wales FRS with a rich picture of its operational activities that it could base on when making decisions and in provision of vital resources (North Wales FRS, 2011). The system will allow reduced use of paper work hence reducing its impact on the environment (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). The quality of data collected is also assured by the business excellence directorate, which ensures the accuracy of the data held in the database (Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, 2010). The system has also improved the reporting capability of North Wales FRS through ensuring that data collected is consistent against the predefined fields (Merseyside Fire & Rescue, 2010). The system also allows cleansing of incident data prior to being used in others systems such as performance management. The North Wales FRS also has a personal development record (PDR) system in place, which is used to record skills and competencies of its employees. This ensures that the service has competent employees always to carry out its duties (Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, 2010). The firm is contemplating introduction of PDR pro system due to some resistance that have been witnessed among some workers on the use of PDR system (North Wales FRS, 2011). The firm is also moving toward mobile data terminals (MDT) which are expected to improve communication of key operational information to the end user (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). This move is expected to result in increased sources of information feeding into the Risk management system, which will include information from operations and fire safety departments. The system will enable communication between North Wales FRS and other FRS and other external agencies (North Wales FRS, 2011). The 2008/20111 workforce strategy main aims and objectives are organizational development, workplace assessment, workplace development and operational competencies development and maintenance (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, 2007). The skills, learning and development centre (SLDC) is actively involved in monitoring training delivery at the service and station level through instructional development and facilitation officers (IDFO) (Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, 2010). There is also peer review of training activities, which provide indication of the position of North Wales FRS in relation to agreed delivery of agreed standards. In spite the presence of IDFO, most employees feel that they do not have access to it and the firm has been forced to have additional instructors to complement the IDFO (North Wales FRS, 2011). The firm also has employees on retained duty system. These employees are employed elsewhere but near the North Wales FRS fire station so that they can respond to a fire station, provide a full range fire, and rescue responses to emergencies (Cote, 2003). These on call fire fighters are essential in helping the North Wales FRS in keeping the community they serve safe. They comprise of well trained professionals who have same standard of training like full time fire-fighters. They assist North Wales FRS to provide emergency response and fire safety advice to the community served by the service. Appropriateness of available QA systems that relate to the Key strategic objectives of North Wales FRS The Incident Recording System (IRS) is appropriate for North Wales FRS since it supports its strategic objective of protecting communities prior to occurrence of emergencies and provision of professional, efficient and effective fire and rescue for all people living, working and travelling in North Wales. The system supports this through increasing the volume, timeliness and accuracy of incident data available to CLG (Cote, 2003). This is essential as it helps in the analysis of the data and formulation of policies that can help in reduction of accidental fire related deaths and deliberate fires (North Wales FRS, 2011). The personal development record (PDR) system at North Wales FRS is also appropriate since it helps the firm to record skills and competencies of its employees (North Wales FRS, 2011). In support of its main aim of protecting communities, this system ensures that the service has competent employees who can serve the community effectively and efficiently (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006). The system also enables the firm to know where there are shortages and need for training in order to offer the training to employees to be up to date in technology of fire fighting (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). However, due to non compliant by some employees to fill in data concerning their personal data on development record the system does not meet its objectives. Thus, the firm is contemplating introduction of PDR pro system (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, 2007). The adoption of mobile data terminals (MDT) by the service is commendable since information is vital in addressing emergencies (Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, 2010). Since MDT will improve communication of key operational information to the end user the risk management system will be efficient since there will be increased sources of information feeding into the Risk management system, which will include information from operations and fire safety departments (Cote, 2003). In addition, the system will enable sharing of information between North Wales FRS and other fire fighting agencies in order to improve service provision to the communities living and working within North Wales (North Wales FRS, 2011). The service offers training to its employees and the personal competence development is monitored by the skills, learning and development centre (SLDC at the service and station level through instructional development and facilitation officers (IDFO) (Books, LLC. 21010). There is also peer review of training activities, which provide indication of the position of North Wales FRS in relation to agreed delivery of agreed standards. This ensures that skills and techniques acquired during training can be applied in the service delivery to community to reduce fire outbreaks and protect the community in case of any fire outbreak (Cote, 2003). However, most the IDFO is not accessible to all employees according to a survey conducted at the firm (House of Commons, 2006). This implies that the training and quality assurance of training at the firm is wanting. The retained duty system is appropriate to the service since it complements response by the firm to emergencies through call fire fighters who are professionals but do not want to be engaged in full time job (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006). Thus, the system enables the service to offer professional service to the community through provision of emergence service and fire safety advice to the community served by the service (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Suggested QA systems for North Wales FRS post government change Given that, the North Wales FRS is benefiting from some of the QA systems in place we recommend retaining of the incident recording system (IRS) and the retained duty system in addition to mobile data terminals in the risk management system. The firm needs to introduce integrated personal development system (IPDS) and Personal development Record (PDR) pro system (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, 2007). Application of the recommended QA systems Given that, North Wales FRS serves considerably large population, the IRS need to be applied in the collection of data and its verification electronically. This will ensure that the data collection is of high quality and is accurate (North Wales FRS, 2011). Since the system allows collection of large volume, timeliness and accuracy of incident data available to CLG, the service will be able to serve its community effectively and efficiently. This will also enable easy analysis of the data and formulation of policies by the service in order reduce accidental fire related deaths and deliberate fires. The system will be able to deliver substantial efficiencies at all stages of data collection, recording, validation and out puts (Cote, 2003). To allow efficient recording of data, key data in the IRS will be assisted by the automated pre population of mobilization details coming from the FRS command and control systems (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006). Through well training of all users of IRS, the system will ensure quality service provision to the communities served by the North Wales FRS. Thus, the North Wales FRS integrated risk management plan will have better data and future data requirements will be received by the North Wales FRS. Since most professional fire-fighters are not interested in permanent jobs at fire and rescue service, the firm should maintain the retained duty system (Cote, 2003). This will allow the firm to benefit from professional service of such employees who will be available on call during emergence period (House of Commons, 2006). As a result, North Wales FRS will maintain high quality service provision to its clients and reduce fire outbreaks through response to emergences and provision of advice to the community by these on call fire-fighters (North Wales FRS, 2011). Improved communication within key operational sectors in FRS is essential for risk management system (Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Thus, adoption of mobile data terminals will facilitate communication to enhance risk management at the firm and thus ought to be maintained to ensure that the quality of risk management is high. It is apparent that the current PDR system at the firm has not been well received by the employees of the North Wales FRS (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006). Thus, the firm ought to implement the proposed PDR pro system. PDR pro system is an electronic web based personal development record system, which is specially designed by the Fire and Rescue service (North Wales FRS, 2011). The system will enable the North Wales FRS to record and manage the acquisition, application and maintenance of skills. The system will provide a full audit trail with a matrix for analysis. This will be used for both retained and fully employed workers for the service. The system will allow the North Wales FRS to respond to change by ensuring that measurement, tracking of competence is done against work based development plans, and that reports for all levels of employees is provided to enable monitoring of personal and organizational attainment (Cote, 2003). The system is compliant to IPDS and is individually owned. In addition, the system is easy to use and can be accessed by both full time and retained employees and is aligned to workforce and watch development plans (House of Commons, 2006). Thus, implementation of the system will ensure that the firm provides training in accordance to the needs of employees to meet changing challenges facing fire-fighters. In addition, since system is easy to use and user owned there would be little resistance as the one experienced at the North Wales FRS when PDR system was implemented. The training and development system at North Wales FRS as seen in the discussion above is faced with several challenges and thus IPDS will need to be applied at the firm. IPDS is an over arching development strategy used by FRS staff at each career stage ranging from attraction, service and to the retirement stage. The system will enable staff at North Wales FRS to attain and maintain competency level required to accomplish fully the demands of their role as specified in the national occupational standards (NOS). Thus North Wales FRS will be able to develop a better, safer, more effective and proficient workforce which will be able to deliver an improved quality of service to all their customers. The IPDS has eight components. These includes national occupational standards, systems to asses potential, systems to asses workplace performance, provision of personal development records, access to continuous personal development, access to vocational qualifications and quality assurance mechanisms. With these components, North Wales FRS will be able to mitigate risk, provide a unified training strategy that serve entire fire industry sector, develop people in a clear context, which has an open and transparent criteria. This means it produce fairness and equality of opportunity and at the same time embrace and facilitate diversity, be fully inclusive and cater for all employees in the service and be compliant with the best value principles (North Wales FRS, 2011). The system will also enable North Wales FRS to rationalize training expenditure and cater for the local needs (Communities and Local Government, 2008). Furthermore, the system will ensure that the qualifications of North Wales FRS employees are nationally recognized (House of Commons, 2006). Thus, the system will ensure that the employees of North Wales FRS are developed in their role and in their workplace so that they can be able to demonstrate competence (Merseyside Fire & Rescue, 2010). The system will allow employees to assume ownership of their own training and development and it will allow employees to get assistance from their line managers. Conclusion The main aim of the North Wales FRS is to protect communities prior to occurrence of emergencies and provision of professional, efficient and effective fire and rescue for all people living, working and travelling in North Wales. Quality assurance is a method of provision of evidence required for establishing quality in work and that activities which need good quality are being carried out effectively. Like other fire and rescue services, North Wales fire and rescue service uses the Incident Recording System (IRS) to log, store and disseminate incident data that has been attended to. This has brought several benefits to the firm and the service need to maintain this system for collecting and recording quality data. The North Wales FRS also has PDR system that has not been received well by most employees and hence will need to implement PDR pro system, which will be easily received and owned by most employees. The training system at the firm is not also perfect and hence North Wales FRS need to implement IPDS to ensure training and development of employees at the firm is qualitative. The firm will also need to maintain retained duty system which will enable the firm enjoy the service of professional fire fighters. The adoption of mobile data terminals is vital for risk management of North Wales FRS hence the firm will need to maintain it. Reference Books, LLC. 21010. Fire and Rescue Services of Wales: Mountain Rescue in England and Wales, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. London: General Books. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service. 2011. Service Improvement Plan 2009/2010. Available from http://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/ [accessed 10 January 2011] Communities and Local Government. 2008. Fire and Rescue Service National Framework 2008-11. Available from http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/nationalframework200811.pdf [accessed 9 January 2011] Cote, A. 2003. Organising for Fire and Rescue Services. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Department for Communities and Local Government. 2006. Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Educational Premises. London: The Stationery Office. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority. 2007. Integrated Risk Management Plan 2007-2010. Available from http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/ [accessed 10 January 2011] House of Commons. 2006. The Fire and Rescue Service: Session 2005-06. London: The Stationery Office. Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue. 2011. Performance Information. Available from http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lfr/section.asp?catid=12781 [accessed 10 January 20110] Merseyside Fire & Rescue. 2011. Integrated risk Management Plan. Available from http://www.merseyfire.gov.uk/aspx/pages/IRMP/irmp.aspx [accessed 9 January 2011] North Wales FRS. 2011. Home. Available at http://www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk/ [accessed 10 January 2011] Read More