Update on MPA/MPS assurance process

Report: 7
Date: 14 September 2009
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

Central Operations (CO) and the Directorate of Resources (DoR) are the first Business Groups to prepare assurance letters to the Commissioner. These assurance letters have been drafted and are awaiting final approval before submission to the Commissioner’s Office.

It is envisaged that a further selected number of Business Groups and their (Borough) Operational Command Units ((B)OCUs)/departments will provide assurance letters at the end of this Financial Year. It is anticipated that all Business Groups will be part of the ongoing annual assurance process by 2012.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The MPA Corporate Governance Committee (CGC) and MPS Management Board have endorsed the requirement for a health and safety assurance process. The process requires Management Board Members to provide a letter of assurance to the Commissioner who will subsequently provide a similar letter to the MPA; these letters of assurance are required to detail the MPS compliance with health and safety. This assurance process is enshrined in the MPA/MPS Corporate Health and Safety Policy.

2. The first stage of this process is for Management Board Members to give assurance to the Commissioner concerning their business activities. This will entail individual (B)OCU Commanders and Heads of Department (HoD) providing similar assurance to their relevant Assistant Commissioner (AC) or Business Group Director (BGD) on their level of health and safety compliance.

3. Owing to resource constraints, agreement was reached with the MPA for a staged implementation programme. The first Business Groups to submit assurance letters to the Commissioner for financial year 2008/09 are Central Operations (CO) and the Directorate of Resources (DoR).

4. The MPS Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT) are co-ordinating this process for the MPA and Commissioner. The SHRMT have the role of safety advisor and verifier to this process (supported on property related matters by the Property Services Compliance Team). The responsibility for achieving and reporting compliance and providing assurance rests with the (B)OCU Commanders, HoDs, ACs, BGDs and ultimately the Commissioner.

Assurance standard

5. All health & safety compliance in the MPS is measured in terms of adherence to the MPA/MPS Corporate Health & Safety Policy including the implementation of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recommended safety management system; more commonly referred to as HS(G)65. Business Groups, (B)OCUs and Departments will be required to report on their compliance with both corporate and their specific local policies including the five broad elements of HS(G)65 (Policy, Organising, Planning, Monitoring, Audit and Review). For example (B)OCUs and departments will be expected to provide assurance that there is a current local safety policy, hold regular health and safety committees chaired by the (B)OCU Commander or HoD, evidence that staff have or are in the process of completing mandatory safety training. Additionally, that all activities are risk assessed and suitable controls have been implemented to reduce the risk to acceptable levels, all accidents and near misses are reported, investigated, trends identified, and local safety reviews are undertaken etc.

6. The assurance process will take the form of assurance letters detailing the levels of compliance, as well as any shortfalls or concerns that the (B)OCU, departments or business groups may be experiencing; including any work-in-progress and/or action plans drawn up to address shortfalls.

7. The assurance standards have been kept deliberately simple in this initial rollout phase and will evolve as the process matures. In addition, no opportunity was given to pilot this assurance process therefore the initial rollout phase is also being used to learn and improve the overall process.

Assurance process

8. Central Operations (CO) and Directorate of Resources (DoR) will be the first Business Groups to submit assurance letters to the Commissioner. The process is as follows:

• (B)OCUs and departments under CO and DoR have reviewed their compliance in accordance with the MPA/MPS Corporate and local Health and Safety Policies. Any local shortfalls in compliance or work-in-progress has, where appropriate also been identified. OCU Commanders and HoDs for CO and DoR have submitted their statements of assurance.
• AC CO and DoR have reviewed (B)OCU/department assurance letters and draft business group assurance letters have been prepared. The Safety and Health Risk Management Team (SHRMT) and Property Services Compliance Team for DoR have supported Assistant Commissioner Central Operations/Director of Resources in the verification of (B)OCU and Department assurance statements.
• At the time of producing this report draft letters of assurance from AC CO and DoR are awaiting final approval and signature prior to submission to the Commissioner’s Office. Once this is complete the Commissioner’s Office will then submit the first health and safety letter of assurance to the MPA.

Organisational learning

9. The assurance process has promoted and improved focus regarding health, safety and compliance issues. The process has also enhanced the local and Business Group processes for identifying, monitoring and closing out these issues within agreed time scales. The assurance process is still in its infancy but as it matures it should prove to be a valuable tool in identifying, controlling and minimising safety related risks across the organisation.

10. Owing to the resources constraints of rolling out this assurance process normal annual safety auditing was suspended in order that the SHRMT could support the rollout process. SHRMT will now recommence auditing during the remainder of this Financial Year in consultation with Property Services Compliance Team on their Property related audits.

Next stage of rollout

11. It is envisaged that a further selected number of Business Groups and their (B)OCUs/departments will provide assurance letters at the end of this Financial Year. It is anticipated that all Business Groups will be part of the ongoing annual assurance process by 2012. However, urgent operational work will continue to take primacy and, in the event of a protracted major incident, the implementation of this process may be delayed.

Consultation

12. This report was produced in consultation with CO and DoR.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no immediate implications on equality and diversity arising from this report.

D. Financial implications

1. There are no immediate financial implications from this report. Although there are no direct financial implications this process will increase the reporting burden on (B)OCUs, Departments and Business Groups. This assurance process is resource intensive for the SHRMT and further work prioritisation may be required. The current costs associated with the delivery of this process, at this stage, are being contained within existing central and local budgets.

2. Costs associated with any additional work arising out of the assurance process will be subject to a business case and submitted via the appropriate approval channel for consideration as part of the budget planning process.

E. Legal implications

The information in this report assists the Authority in the performance of its duties under Health and Safety legislation and of its strategic oversight role as set out in the joint MPA/MPS Corporate Health and Safety Policy.

F. Background papers

None

G. Contact details

Report author: Nick Kettle, Head of Safety and Health Risk Management, MPS

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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