Emergency services - Public respect for some of our public services is a great asset for public engagement and consultation

It only needs a quick look at the public response to a tragedy such as that which occurred in Glasgow a few days ago to appreciate the amazing public esteem with which we view our emergency services. Tributes to brave individuals in or out of uniform almost always follow significant incidents. Major accidents always seem to bring out the best in people, and mercifully they are few and far between.

We are not just thinking of Fire & Rescue organisations; major trauma centres in large NHS hospitals are designated as receiving points when something dreadful happens. The Police and the Armed forces can also be involved. Even when things do not go perfectly – and there are lessons to be learnt, the general public reaction is very positive.

Which brings us to an important conclusion. At a time when trust in national institutions and public bodies overall has declined, our favourable opinions of emergency services have not changed. There are exceptions. The Police have suffered mightily from the aftermath of Hillsborough; the recent Plebgate shenanigans have eroded public confidence; and Police and Crime Commissioners are yet to establish themselves in England and Wales. The NHS in general has huge problems of credibility in the face of demographic challenges and financial pressures, but seems to have avoided criticism of its response to major emergencies. Ditto the Ambulance service.

But beyond these issues, the emergency response infrastructure as a whole continues to enjoy a benign level of public support. This has important consequences for engagement and consultation:

1. Part of the reason for favourable attitudes is that many organisations have invested well and wisely in community relations – working with local councils, with schools, with the voluntary and community sectors etc. It is important that such initiatives are maintained, lest the benefits erode.
2. These services will NOT be immune from significant expenditure cuts. Rationalisations or (per NHS) ‘re-configurations’ are inevitable and the public expects to be consulted. No amount of public respect removes this obligation.
3. For significant service changes, the bar has been raised – notably by the Courts. Satisfying the ‘Gunning Principles’ is now a clear requirement, but it is not obvious that all emergency organisations have received the right legal and professional advice regarding their applicability.
4. The Sector needs to be alive to important developments such as co-production in developing their forward plans. These involve a culture shift away from “We know best” to “Help us work out the best way forward.”

The political nature of some service change proposals inevitably attract controversy – witness the tussle between the Mayor of London and the London Fire Authority over recent proposals to close fire stations in the capital. However, this did not prevent the consultation itself from satisfying demanding standards of best practice, and the Institute was able to endorse the process. Contentious or acrimonious debate can generate fierce argument. If the process is sound, it should be possible to retain the all-important element of trust.

There may, however, be a wider lesson – something that applies to other public bodies or organisations working in the public realm. Trust may arise in part because communities perceive the service to be valuable. Rescuing people from burning buildings is naturally popular. So also is attending to car accidents or worse. There are plenty of organisations performing less glamorous or headline-grabbing services and for whom it is more difficult to garner public sympathy.

For these, there is the challenge of telling a better story about the value of the services they provide. There is an old adage that we reap what we sow and in the case of public engagement, we work hard in the good days of minor changes to establish relationships and build credibility that enables effective dialogue when times get tough.

For the emergency services, there is ample evidence that patient local participation has maintained a high level of trust and confidence. They must now leverage this excellent starting-point as a foundation for high-quality engagement in the future. If they then have to manage unpopular change, they stand every chance of taking their communities with them. That’s a result!

TRIGGER POINTS

• How much public trust is there in your organisation?
• What is the reputation of the local Fire & Rescue organisation in your area?
• The Gunning Principles are covered in the depth at the Institute’s Law of Consultation training course; next at Bristol on 11th December; an update session is available for those who have attended the Law course – as a Breakfast Briefing on 16th January in London.
• If you enjoyed this Topic, you may also enjoy:-
• – Topic 244 Had Mrs Nash been quicker?
• – Topic 220 Hillsborough – would elected Police Commissioners have helped?
• – Topic 213: Managing change fairly
• – Topic 205: Change agent

This is the 250th Tuesday Topic; a full list of subjects covered is available for Institute members and is a valuable resource covering so many aspects of consultation and engagement