Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
Annual statement of assurance 2023 - 2024

Strategic Goal 4: We will continue to support and develop our workforce and promote an inclusive Service

This goal focuses on inclusion and the development and wellbeing of our workforce.

In 2023/24 our key objectives were:

  • Welcome two cohorts of wholetime apprentice firefighters, to begin training in April and September
  • Undertake community engagement and positive action to improve the diversity of applicants and appointees for roles at all levels of the service
  • Promote employee health and wellbeing
  • Deliver a range of learning opportunities to increase understanding of inclusion issues across our workforce
  • Embed the Core Code of Ethics into our service values and behaviours, and act on the relevant learning from reports across the sector in relation to improving our culture

Our focus for improvements included:

  • Review our leadership development programmes
  • Introduce new uniform following the review of our service’s standards of dress
  • Streamline our recruitment processes to make them more efficient and reduce vacancy times

During 2023/24:

  • 23 new wholetime apprentice firefighters began their initial training on two recruit courses held at our Service Development Centre
  • We have continued to engage with a broad range of under-represented communities across the county to promote the service as an employer of choice
  • We have made improvements to the way we signpost and promote the wide range of health and wellbeing support available to staff and continue to seek ways of enhancing our provision
  • We have delivered inclusive leadership training to all middle and senior leaders and delivered a pilot course to supervisory managers
  • We have delivered inter-faith awareness sessions at places of worship across the city
  • We have delivered neurodiversity training aimed at employees and managers
  • We have developed a plan for CPD sessions for our operational training team at our Service Development Centre. This includes neurodiversity, menopause awareness and coaching skills
  • We have been developing a new Leadership Framework which will enable the service to manage talent and allow a more inclusive workplace. The new framework is aligned to the NFCC Leadership guidance and will assist us in developing leaders who are able to meet the changing roles across the organisation
  • We have been implemented the recommendations from the recruitment review of 2022 to improve our recruitment processes. As a result of the actions it is anticipated that the appointment process will be speeded up, we will have more time to recruit to a vacancy, retention and development of staff will improve and there will be a reduction in agency costs

Other Highlights

Our people are at the heart of what we do, and ensuring their wellbeing, engagement and motivation strengthens the service that we provide to you. We are also focused on being an inclusive service, both in the services that we provide to you and within our own workplace.

Workforce and recruitment

At the end of 2023/24 we had a workforce of 826 people, compared to 812 in 2022/23. This is made up of 658 staff in operational roles and 168 staff in support roles. A total of 81 people left the service during the year, of whom 33 were wholetime firefighters, 25 were on-call firefighters and 23 were support staff.

During 2023/24, we recruited to 93 roles: 39 wholetime firefighters, 25 on-call firefighters and 29 support staff roles.

The number of female firefighters within the service increased from 43 to 55 (across both on-call and wholetime), an increase of 27%. Firefighters from racially marginalised groups increased from 30 to 34 (an increase of 13%).

We recognise, however, that our current workforce is not representative of the population of Nottinghamshire as reflected in local census figures, and more progress needs to be made in the long-term.

We are committed to improving the diversity of applicants for roles at all levels within the service, particularly for operational roles. We continue to engage in positive action activities within our communities, encouraging people to apply for a career as a Firefighter and supporting them through the application process.

During 2023/24 we undertook a number of activities with groups who are under-represented in our workforce across the county including:

  • Nergiz, Kurdish Womens group
  • Heya, Arab Womens group
  • Her lohri Project
  • Mojatu
  • Hindu temple
  • Ramgharia Sikh Gurudwara
  • Refugee Forum, Homes for Ukraine

We also participated in a 6-week fire safety programme with Pythian Club where we engaged with young people from a number of faiths and cultural backgrounds.

While providing opportunities to improve the diversity of our workforce, these events also provide opportunities to deliver a community safety message whilst improving our own understanding of the faiths and diversity of the communities we serve.

During the 2023/24 recruitment campaign:

  • There were 34 successful applicants
  • 5 of the successful applicants were women
  • 8 were from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds

We have commissioned an external agency, IN2PEOPLE to undertake an in-depth analysis of the individual, systemic, community and cultural barriers to recruitment and engagement from under-represented groups across the county.

From April 2024 the agency will be running focus groups, surveys and interviews to understand and recommend how the service can improve the diversity of our workforce.

Health & wellbeing

We promote employee health and wellbeing through a dedicated Occupational Health team, including a fitness advisor who provides fitness testing and rehabilitation programmes to maintain fitness and support those recovering from injury or illness. We also offer workplace gyms, on-line fitness programmes and access to counselling support. All of our operational staff are required to undertake annual fitness tests.

In 2023/24:

  • 99.2% of our operational personnel passed their annual fitness test
  • 43 accidents were reported in the workplace, compared with 35 in 2022/23
  • 47 near misses were reported, compared to 38 in 2022/23
  • Sickness absence accounted for the loss of 5.30% of working time for wholetime operational staff, which is below the national sector average of 6.16%. Sickness absence within support roles equated to 5.87% of working time, which was higher than the national sector average of 3.74%

All staff have access to an Employee Assistance Programme, including a 24/7 helpline and a cash-back plan to help toward the cost of routine health screening, treatments and consultancy and therapy fees.

Our staff also have access to post incident trauma-based therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for those experiencing mental health difficulties. A Peer Support scheme is also available to employees through a network of trained facilitators.

As part of a wider project of employers in the midlands, we conducted a staff survey in association with Mind, to review mental health in the workplace. The survey provided a wide range of data which we are using to improve mental health awareness and culture with support from a team at The University of Derby.

Values & culture

Our service values are clearly defined and well understood by staff. They ensure that our staff put communities first and at the heart of what we do, and they are aligned to the Core Code of Ethics for Fire and Rescue Services in England.

During the last year we have continued to embed the Core Code of Ethics fire standard into our ways of working and behavioural framework, which underpins our values and sets out expectations about conduct.

In recent years, values and culture within the fire sector, and the wider public sector, have become topics of national debate and concern. In March 2023 HMICFRS presented its own assessment of values and culture across all the fire services in England, based on evidence collected from inspections since 2018.

The report highlighted examples of unacceptable behaviours in some services. It made 34 recommendations, 20 of which were tasked to Chief Fire Officers to implement within their services. By April, we had implemented 12 and were progressing the other 8.

During 2023/24 we launched ‘Say So’, an independent reporting tool to supplement and strengthen our existing reporting approach and support our commitment to improving culture.

Our 2021/22 inspection report from HMICFRS found that we had improved in all areas related to our people, however, we recognise that there is no place for complacency, and we await the report from our 2024 inspection to identify areas where we can improve further.

Following an EDI review which we commissioned in 2021, we have welcomed the return of the external adviser to assess our progress against the original recommendations and identify further areas for improvement. Of the 47 recommendations, the report highlighted that we had completed or made good progress against most of the actions.

We are strongly committed to maintaining a positive, inclusive workplace and ensuring our staff have the skills to meet the needs of our community when delivering services.

We continue to deliver a range of EDI training and e-learning including:

  • Introduction to EDI
  • Disability Awareness
  • Learning Differences (neurodiversity)
  • Religion and Faith training
  • Diversity in Employment
  • Working with Vulnerable People
  • Equality Impact Assessment
  • Deaf Awareness
  • Trans awareness
  • Unconscious bias
  • EDI best practice and legislation

New Uniform

Following a review of our duty uniform in 2022/23 we have conducted trials and procurement of new workwear during this year. The new uniform is designed to be more inclusive and better value for money and is expected to be in use during 2024/25.

Employee networks

Supporting our employees and promoting a positive workplace culture is central to our ambitions of being an employer of choice and becoming a more inclusive service. Our employee groups and networks provide a voice for those who are under-represented in our workforce and the fire sector as a whole.

Women’s Network

This year our Women’s network celebrated its second anniversary. In an eventful year the network has made great strides in promoting and celebrating the role women play within the service. Regular meetings and events have contributed to our commitment to improving the representation of women in our workforce. These have included involvement in the uniform review process and inviting guest speakers who are role models within the sector to network meetings.

LGBT+ Network

The LGBT+ Proud Friends Network is open to all members of staff who are part of the LGBT+ community and people who are allies. The Network is a space for people to get support and learn more about different aspects of the LGBT+ community. We attended Worksop Pride and were once again honoured to lead the Notts Pride parade, with the biggest turnout of staff that we’ve ever had marching at the event.

Ethnic Minority Alliance Network (EMA)

Our EMA provides a platform for open, confidential and supportive discussions, for all employees. The alliance helps to create and support a culture where all members can participate and feel valued. This year we have employed the Human Library concept to help inform the service’s approach to ethnic minority issues. Throughout the year we have provided opportunities for networking and support through a variety of multi-cultural initiatives. These have included Eid ul-Fitr, Easter, Vaisakhi, Eid-Al-Adha, Black History Month, Diwali/Bandi Chhor and Lunar New year. The network has been instrumental in the provision of culturally appropriate uniform options including bandanas and scarves for use during religious focused engagement.

Disability Matters Network

Our Disability Matters Network contributes to all disability related outcomes within the service and plays a significant role in helping to achieve an inclusive workplace. Our members and allies have continued to influence delivery of service and promote disability confidence amongst the workforce.

Healthy Minds Network

To support our employees with mental health and wellbeing, this year, we have launched our ‘Healthy Minds’ network. The aim is to promote positive mental wellbeing through organised events and meetings, which lessen the stigma surrounding mental health while encouraging people to speak out about emotional matters and mental struggles more openly.