25671 - Tees and Wear Prisons Safety Lead

Post can be Operational or Non Operational depending on successful candidate

Overview of the job

Improving safety in prisons is a top priority for HMPPS. Those working in the Group Safety Teams play a significant role in making prisons safer for all those who live and work in them by reducing deaths, self-harm and violence.

This is a strategic management role located within each Prison Group, reporting to the Prison Group Director (PGD) and delivering work consistent to the direction set out by HQ. The post will provide direct support to establishments to deliver prison safety. They will be the integral link for establishments, the PGD and HQ in all matters associated with this essential work.  

The Group Safety Lead (GSL) role is located within the Prisons Directorate and post holders will serve a number of establishments in accordance with these structures. It can be based anywhere geographically therefore a willingness to travel is required. In the interests of promoting safety outcomes for all, support from GSLs is also available to privately managed prisons.

Summary

The role is to work collaboratively with establishments on behalf of PGDs and HQ to ensure the best possible delivery of prison safety policies and practice. This includes oversight and assurance on delivery to the respective Governors, PGD and to HQ.  

In summary the post holder will:

• Provide support directly to their allocated establishments on prison safety (preventing and reducing deaths, self-harm and violence in prisons) as well as supporting colleagues across the groups.
• Identify good practice and share learning across establishments and the group and HQ.
• Make relevant links and inform policy.
• Support PDGs and HQ in improving service delivery, and compliance with safety and other relevant polices.
• Promote and implement HMPPS strategic aims with regards to safety.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to ensure joined up effective working.

The post holder may be either non-operational or an operational member of staff dependant on the group’s need. The post will carry line management responsibilities.

The role may be in receipt of RHA

• RHA will apply where the role requires the incumbent to regularly work unpredictable and unsocial hours, and be on call to attend their office/ establishment at any time when required.
• With the role having a commitment to remain continuously and immediately available outside normal work hours for a period of more than 12 hours and is specifically required to be on call when an operational need arises.
• Subject to regular assurance checks by the JES Team of unsocial hours being carried out, annual/bi-annual reviews must be carried out locally to assess whether there is a continued entitlement to the allowance. In line with HMPPS policies as a guide, unsocial hours should amount to around 17-20% of an individual’s working hours over a three month period.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

Establishment Safety Delivery & Planning

In the interests of promoting safety outcomes for all, support from GSLs is available to privately managed prisons. GSLs s will:

• Establish influential working relationships with establishment staff responsible for the delivery of prison safety.
• Provide support to Governors on improving safety (reducing and preventing deaths, self-harm and violence).
• Support establishments to identify, capture and share good practice, learning (from deaths in custody and serious incidents) and operational experience within the group and nationally as required.
• Ensure establishments take timely and effective action on recommendations from internal reviews, HMIP, PPO and internal audit reports whilst providing assurance to PGDs and Governors on quality.
• Provide establishments with helpful and constructive challenge and support on the effective application of policy and defensible decisions taken by establishments.
• To utilise agreed monitoring tools to enable establishments to understand how effective their safety arrangements are and what further support is required.   Measuring outcomes against local plans such as each prison’s Violence Reduction strategy. This will be prioritised according to the assessed levels of risk of self-harm, deaths in custody and violence. A quarterly reporting system on these plans to be provided to PGDs and HQ.
• Provide the PGD, HQ and Governors with clear evidence of how effectively governance, safety initiatives and practice is managed within each establishment.  
• Where required undertake operational assessments with PGDs of the effectiveness of safer custody arrangements within establishments.
• Assist establishments in strengthening effective collaborative working with their local Healthcare providers and all other external providers in order to take a whole prison approach to improving safety. Where required contribute to the partnership arrangements for the delivery of this service in support of prison safety outcomes.
• Be responsible for the co-ordination of information linked to the mitigation of risks and issues arising from deaths and incidents of serious assault and serious self-harm. This analysis should capture quick learning and be disseminated to the PGD, HQ, Governing Governor and Head of Functions as required to develop better understanding and good practice and should form part of the group safety delivery plans.
• Be responsible for ensuring that local protocols are in place at each establishment for learning from deaths and incidents of serious assault and serious self-harm, and that action is being taken to respond to recommendations from internal reviews, HMIP, PPO and Audit reports.

Policy Implementation and Assurance

GSLs play a key role in providing assurance on the delivery of safety, working closely with the PGD and HQ, and will:

• Promote and implement prison safety strategic aims to prevent and reduce deaths, self-harm and violence in prisons. Work with HQ to contribute to and support on-going safety project work.
• Support delivery of HMPPS and Prisons Directorate priorities and servicewide activities on prison safety.  
• Manage and be responsible for the group safety risk register.
• Chair group safety meetings to discuss issues, trends and learning.
• Attend and contribute to GSL meetings with HQ to discuss issues, trends and where relevant help shape and inform safer prisons policy.
• Provide Governors, the PGD and HQ detailed and accurate briefing, analysis and reports on safety in prisons.
• Support and promote the training of staff within the group on prison safety and assist the development of the training needs analysis for each establishment.
• Liaise with stakeholders which are expected to include Police, CPS, Courts, Coroner’s Office, Health boards where necessary. Attend Community Steering Groups meetings (Ambulance, local council suicide prevention groups, and adult safeguarding meetings) where practicable from a group perspective.

Undertake other management tasks including:

• Conduct investigations internally and externally at the request of the PGD and Governing Governors.
• Promotes HMPPS policy in all activities and behaviours e.g. promotes diversity, decency, safety and reducing re-offending agendas.
• Attend as directed any relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute, either as chair or team member.
• Provide leadership and direction to managers and staff within their defined work area through briefings, building informal and formal relationships and effective communication.
• Produce relevant reports as required and ensure all correspondence is replied to within agreed timescales.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

Competencies

For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:

• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Leading and Communicating
• Collaborating and Partnering
• Showing Drive and Resilience
• Persuading and Influencing
• Achieving a Safe and Secure Environment

Essential Skills Qualifications,Accreditation & Registration  

• Knowledge or experience of prison safety working within prisons.
• When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.

If Operational

• Must be successfully accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5 prior to 1999).

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

37 hour week