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Leading the Retained Duty System |
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Martin Henderson outlines changes made to the RDS in South Wales in recent years, and considers what more could have been achieved
THE RETAINED DUTY SYSTEM (RDS) seminar held in Leicester on September 25 and 26 2006 proved that there are many different ways to manage, support and lead the retained duty system function. In light of this, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has been asked many times, not just at the Leicester Seminar, ‘what has happened since the introduction of the RDS salary scheme’ and more importantly ‘would we do things differently now?’
In answering these questions, the journey began with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service introducing an alternative remuneration system for RDS personnel. Over time, it has proved to have made a significant contribution to resolving recruitment and retention difficulties in the Service. The alteration of the remuneration package also placed an implicit expectation for an improvement in appliance availability, community fire safety initiatives as core activity and the raising of standards in training and development, to name but a few.
Allocation of Resources
On the surface, these alterations may be seen as the panacea for solving RDS recruitment and retention. Conversely, alternative remuneration may be viewed as unnecessary if recruitment and retention problems are not present in any particular service. However, as a fire and rescue service that has resourced an entire department responsible for supporting the RDS function, we soon learned of the potential that a properly supported RDS station actually had.
As part of a service wide restructure, resources were allocated to a newly formed RDS management team, encompassing 26 admin assistants (one per RDS station), an Administration Officer, six Watch Managers (as support and liaison officers), a Station Manager, two Group Managers and an Area Manager as departmental head. With this structure in place, station business plans with inherent performance targets were agreed and implemented. With the watch managers at hand to advise and guide a cohort of stations, we anticipated tangible results. At a higher level, recruitment systems were modified, recruitment initiatives launched, the training and development function engaged in discussing real needs and attention paid to improved appliance availability.
This direction of travel revealed some interesting issues about internal culture and perceptions held about the Retained Duty System. This presented itself through an examination of existing policies and practices that showed, all too clearly, that the impact and ‘fit’ with the Retained Duty System had not been considered at design stage. This was broadly attributed to our historic organisational design, with only a few middle managers having a part reference for RDS issues operating within a divisional structure.
A split of 24 wholetime and 26 RDS stations should have reflected a balance of resource allocation, but the simple truth was that it did not. The new structure addressed that imbalance and we no longer stood alone chanting the RDS mantra of ‘have you considered the RDS in this proposal?’ What about results? Prior to the salary scheme and the newly created Retained Management Team, significant numbers of appliances were ‘off the run’. Today, some still have some appliances ‘off the run’ for a couple of hours during weekdays. The vision of 100 per cent, 24/7 cover remains tentatively close with current figures holding at 95 per cent, with a high proportion of stations maintaining 100 per cent availability. It is important to note that this has been achieved with a minimum of four riders at all times and without detaching a single wholetime member of staff to an RDS station to supplement the ridership. All stations are committed to CFS activity with one RDS station completing over 80 home fire safety checks in one month alone. Station personnel know the station demographics, the people, the places and the target groups. In short, the majority of stations have exceeded expectations. This was borne primarily from them knowing what was needed and expected and providing them with the time, resources and support they needed.
The ‘Too Hard Tray’
There were a few issues that had remained in the ‘too hard tray’ for too long that needed to be tackled. A difference in initial and continuation training between WDS and RDS personnel was one. The ‘Wholetime’ recruit course was broken down into specific modules and made accessible to RDS new entrants. The new ‘phase 1’ course is now attended by both RDS and WDS personnel, with WDS personnel attending the full 12 weeks as a front-loaded programme and RDS staff attending all modules over a longer period.
Depending on primary employment commitments, we have had some RDS firefighters complete the full 12 weeks initial course in one go. The Level 3 NVQ – Operations in the Community has been used as ‘phase 2’ development for WDS staff for some time and a commitment has been given to mirror this approach for RDS staff. Indeed, personal development records now exist for WDS and RDS staff with no inherent differences in performance requirements.
The ‘RDS mantra’ was heard and repeated by Training and Development and now informs every decision over training and development activities provided by that function. Despite initial reservations that the issue was too difficult or RDS staff did not have (or need) the necessary competencies, a brief referral to the Health and Safety Act 1974 reinforced the need to take the issue out of the ‘too hard tray’.
A recent addition to the management team has been the creation of a Business Engagement Officer. This post seeks to improve local business relationships by recognising the contribution businesses have to play in local communities by releasing staff to undertake RDS firefighting duties. Links with major employers have already been made and contacts established in local chambers of commerce. Links to the Welsh Assembly for the purposes of engaging with the public sector are also well advanced.
The financial business case for RDS crewing is all too clear, as is the call for equitable treatment and recognition for RDS staff. Our own resource allocation in support of the Retained Duty System may appear, to some, as a resource rich indulgence. However, with an RDS workforce of over 550 staff at 35 stations, it compares favourably with WDS support structures and has realised tangible benefits in a cost-effective manner.
Thinking Differently
What we would change? On reflection, it is important to change more than just the employment contract, as there is also a need to think differently about the way we lead, support and manage the RDS workforce. The Retained Review report of 2005 underlined this and reiterated a need to focus on RDS issues as an important aspect of the wider modernisation agenda.
Leading the RDS function through a fully resourced department presents unique HR issues that would never be encountered in the management of a wholetime duty system workforce. The remuneration package we developed in 2002 has undergone some minor changes and, given the opportunity for a fundamental re-write, some significant changes would be incorporated. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service made a commitment to change the nature of the RDS employment contract and however innovative this may have been viewed it merely opened the door to the more important issue of leading the Retained Duty System into something fit for 2007. More pumps are ‘on the run’ than has ever been the case previously.
The RDS workforce has dedicated middle and senior managers addressing the long-term problems that were confined to the ‘too hard’ or ‘can’t do’ trays. More importantly the Retained Review has moved beyond review into tangible progress and emergent results. The opportunity to exchange ideas, systems and approaches was facilitated at the Leicester seminar and hopefully indicates an intention to raise the profile on RDS issues in the future.
About the Author:
Martin is Senior Divisional Officer (Area Manager) for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Martin is 41 years of age and joined the Service in 1983. He is currently responsible for the RDS operations function within the Intervention Directorate of the Service. Martin's previous role was that of Head of Training and Development until mid 2006. He is also currently involved with RDS/IPDS National Working Group, due to his areas of exposure in the Training and Development and RDS arenas. |
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