Skip to content

The Service

Corporate Planning Process

Start of main content

Consultation strategy

 

This is where you will find full details on how we go about consulting our various stakeholders. Where appropriate we engage external help and support from Opinion Research Services (ORS) to ensure that our processes and methods are valid and as objective as possible.

This consultation strategy will determine the views and opinions of stakeholders on all areas within which the Service operates in order to determine levels of service provided, areas of risk and financial efficiency.

The purpose of the consultation outlined in this document is to allow the Service to make a number of assumptions and decisions in order to implement new measures towards improvement in these areas.

Drawing on the widest possible range of data and views available will enable the Service to make informed decisions, requisite in providing the best possible response, and fulfilling the needs of the community which it serves.

A major component of the Integrated Risk Management Plan Year 2 (IRMP) is consultation with the community, employees and other interested parties. Failure to carry out consultation would result in the Service failing to fulfil its legal requirement. Additionally, the lack of information may lead to a service which does not reflect the needs of the community and it is therefore likely that the perception of the service users would fall. For this reason it is essential that the service adopts a flexible and consistent consultation strategy in order to satisfy its obligations.

We continue to engage the services of Opinion Research Services (ORS) of Swansea, who currently provide consultation advice and expertise to 44 brigades in England and Wales.

ORS provide a range of 'off-the-shelf' generic customer surveys which can be tailored to meet specific user requirements if necessary. They offer advice and possess the expertise to plan and schedule the most appropriate form of consultation for specific areas of review.

ORS and client brigades have formed a user group called Fire Services Consultation Association (FSCA). To find out more about FSCA please access their website www.fsca.org.uk

With one opinion research organisation representing over 90% of English and Welsh fire brigades there is real scope for focused and accurate benchmarking of performance.

up top

Other useful methods of consultation include:

This year we have carried out consultation in line with our Consultation Strategy which forms part of the Integrated Risk Management Plan.

Quality of service - 'After the Fire'

Every time we attend a fire or special service call, eg. flooding, we will provide the occupier with an 'After the Fire PDF 3Mb' advice booklet which contains a Quality of Service survey form for completion. Completed forms can be sent via the freepost envelope included to Opinion Research Services (ORS) who will collate the findings and produce a management report for any necessary action by HFRS. All occupier correspondence will remain anonymous unless the occupier wishes to discuss the issues further.

National public opinion survey

Opinion Research Services (ORS) undertake a survey of Hampshire residents under the remit of the National Public Opinion Survey (NPOS) approximately every three years.

NPOS 2003 - Report of Findings for Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service PDF 2Mb

Citizens focus groups

We view citizen focus groups as an opportunity for two-way communication. Not only do we gain valuable information from focus group members, but we also use these occasions to promote fire safety and provide those attending with an overview of our operational capability.

We continued this very useful face-to-face consultation exercise with focus groups in Lyndhurst and Andover. Subjects for discussion included: