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Opportunity to input into open consultation on closer working between the Emergency Services

Ahead of the upcoming spending review, David Cameron set out his post-election vision for a 'smarter state', in a speech made on the 11th of September, addressing themes of public sector reform, localism and government efficiency. As part of this agenda, proposals were announced that will enable Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to take on control of the fire and rescue services, including in London (and later Manchester) where the power will be vested in the Mayor.

The government will now undergo an open consultation on the following proposals:

• The introduction of a new statutory duty on all three emergency service providers to look at opportunities to collaborate better in order to drive efficiency and ensure quality.
• Where local cases are made, PCCs will assume the duties and responsibilities of fire and rescue authorities (FRAs).
• When a PCC expands its remit to fire and rescue they will be allowed to create a single employer for police and fire staff to streamline management through shared services.
• The abolition of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and assignment to the Mayor of London the direct responsibility for the fire and rescue service in London, as will be the case for the new Mayor of Greater Manchester.
• Encouragement of NHS ambulance foundation trusts to consider PCC representation on their councils of governors.

The proposals hint towards the emergence of 'Bluelight commissioners', playing to the government's programme of devolution and its drive owards efficiency via the streamlining of IT, procurement and back office functions. This is a great opportunity to feed in to the government's thinking as techUK envisages a key role for technology both in enabling shared services and interoperability between emergency services providers.

The consultation document contains a detailed set of guiding questions, based largely on the proposed legislation's statutory implications. techUK does not wish to pass judgement on the structural make-up of the emergency services landscape; it will rather seek to champion technology as an enabler, both to the efficiency gains derived from shared services and its power to transform operations through disruptive technology.

techUK will therefore structure its response along these lines, targeting two of the following questions from the consultation document:

1. How do you think this new duty would help drive collaboration between the emergency services?

Given this upcoming legislation, coupled with the Autumn spending review, it is clear that local consolidation will prove imperative. techUK would be grateful for submissions here as to how local providers should best go around merging operational functions. If a response can also incorporate concrete data around efficiency in support of the government's position, this may achieve buy-in.

Going further, there is no reason to suggest that consolidation is limited to fire and rescue. Indeed, the proposals listed here also hint towards NHS ambulance services. A response could construct an argument grounded in Government Digital Service's 'government as a platform' agenda.

15. Are there are any other views or comments that you would like to add in relation to emergency services collaboration that were not covered by the other questions in this consultation?

Although it contains no reference in the questions, the consultation document does make note of the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) in its preamble. The ESMCP will provide the next generation communication system for the three emergency services and other public safety users. This system will be called the emergency services network and will provide the next generation of integrated critical voice and broadband data for the emergency services. If you wish to feedback to government on the progress of the ESMCP you can do so via this response.

As highlighted, techUK will also use this consultation as an opportunity to champion technology (disruptive in particular), as a key enabler in enabling interoperability and enhancing the response of emergency services providers. The Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore's Government Digital Services unit has launched a mobile app called 'myResponder', for example, which uses crowdsourcing to alert nearby users of possible cardiac arrest emergencies that they can assist with. techUK will strongly advocate innovation in emergency response and will accept submissions on the potential that SMAC (Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud) yields for provision. A response could support the formulation of a BlueLight innovation fund similar to that of the Home Office's police innovation fund, but in support of cross-service collaboration.

If you would like to take the opportunity to input, please can you direct your submissions to james.lee@techuk.org by Monday 12th October. 

James Lee, Programme Executive Cyber, National Security & Criminal Justice

T:  020 7331 2054

E: jame.lee@techuk.org