Agenda item

(To receive a report from Simon York, Area Manager Planning, Prevention & Protection, which seeks to inform committee members of the key changes to our Home Safety Check service delivery strategy and provide an understanding of the new Safe and Well Check that is currently being piloted)

Consideration was given to a report which informed committee members of the key changes to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue's Home Safety Check service delivery and provided an understanding of the new safe and well checks that were being piloted.

It was reported that Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue had delivered Home Fire Safety Checks for in excess of 15 years and had fitted many thousands of smoke alarms in people's homes, and the number of serious dwelling fires had fallen whilst the rate of ownership of working smoke alarms had risen to an all-time high.  However, despite these trends, people continued to lose their lives to fire, and this, as well as the national drive to promote fire and rescue services as a health asset had brought about a change in service delivery strategy, to focus resources on the most vulnerable.  Members were informed that the popular 'Home Safety Check' was being developed into a more holistic 'Safe and Well' visit as the range of issues tackled had expanded over the years from purely a fire safety check, into a broader home safety check.  Whilst fire safety remained hugely important, it was considered that now was a time to broaden the check to incorporate a wider range of issues while still recognising the effectiveness of the fire services' preventative work.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was commented that whole time fire fighters were being trained as advocates, but it was queried whether retained fire fighters would also be carrying out this role.  Members were advised that it was not currently planned to bring retained staff in to deliver this service, but if retained crews responded to a fire incident and came across these issues they would provide information to the vulnerable person and report it back into the system so they would be contacted by an advocate.

·         Concerns were raised regarding whether this was just about saving money, and members were advised that it was more about formalising processes which were already carried out and from a fire and rescue perspective, there was no intention to save money, and if possible would like to put more resources into this activity.

·         Members commented that they fully supported Fire and Rescue in this activity and queried whether there were enough staff to carry out this work.  It was noted that the most vulnerable groups of people would be targeted for these checks, and was again highlighted that these activities were already taking place and the changes were a way to formally capture this information.  Additional support would only be required in relation to business support activity.

·         The joined up nature of this approach between the agencies was welcomed, as there were people with multiple risk factors.  There was also the issue of those people who would only tell someone what had happened (e.g. door step fraud) on the provision that they did not tell anyone else.

·         It was noted that the Health and Wellbeing Board at east Lindsey District Council had held a discussion on the role of Fire and Rescue with the Wellbeing Service.  The representatives from Fire and Rescue confirmed that they wanted to be part of any future Wellbeing Service.

·         Some good informal networks were being developed in the east Lindsey area.

·         Members sought reassurance that Fire and Rescue were not 'stepping on anyone's toes' by providing this service, but officers advised that they did not think this activity would be perceived that way.  A lot of agencies had capacity issues and were not able to see everyone to identify those that needed help.  it was hoped that advocates would be able to offer some low level interventions.  There were no plans for fire fighters to become social workers, the priority would remain to make people safe from fire, but if they could identify vulnerabilities then these would be highlighted to other agencies.

·         It was noted that Fire and Rescue had informally developed networks over the last several years, which had been a natural process.  If someone had needed help from social services then fire and rescue would contact them.  These safe and well visits were a formalisation of this process.

RESOLVED

            That the change in service delivery strategy and transition from Home safety Checks to safe and Well Visits be supported.