Recommendation 15
Recommendation 15:
By 1 June 2023, chief fire officers should make sure they provide accessible information for all staff and members of the public on how they can raise concerns and access confidential support (including through external agencies). Chief fire officers should also make sure accessible information is provided on how concerns and allegations will be investigated in a way that ensures confidentiality and is independent of the alleged perpetrator.
ECFRS action:
April 2023:
Information is available for all staff about how they raise concerns and access confidential support
The Service has multiple ways to raise concerns. These include:
- A confidential and independent whistleblowing helpline, ‘Protect’,
- A newly launched (16th January 2023) helpline, ‘Safe Share’ (see appendix A).
Since January 2023, awareness of how to share concerns has been highlighted to staff on several occasions:
- Desktop ‘wallpaper’ since January 2023
- 27 April 2023 – e-letter from CFO to all staff
- 31 March 2023 – e-letter from CFO to all staff
- Various dates – CFO included in ‘Ask me Anything’ sessions
- 27 March 2023 – included in Leaders Conference
- 16 January 2023 – presentation at Managers Briefing for cascade to all staff
Information is available for the public on how they can raise concerns – information is accessible and ‘two clicks’ from the main ECFRS webpage. This includes a statement about confidentiality. Our annual report also details how concerns can be raised.
October 2023
Further development - information about how to raise a compliment or complaint re ECFRS has been added to the PFCC website https://www.essex.pfcc.police.uk/compliments-and-complaints
January 2024
In place.