Scottish Fire and Rescue paying 'buckets of money' to private company due to staff sickness
Scotland's Fire and Rescue Service is paying 'buckets of money' to a private company to run its wellbeing department – because so many staff members are off sick or have quit.
ITV Border can reveal that Heales Medical is providing key services because of absences and resignation.
It follows our investigation earlier this year, which revealed that one in five people working for the fire service had either experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment.
Simon Macfarlane, of the trade union Unison, said: 'We know there's a real issue with the culture in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and that's evident in the wellbeing department because it's certainly not living up to his name.
'Our members have taken tribunals, they've left employment and they've put in a collective grievance.'
He said an internal investigation had been carried out into how wellbeing service was run and making changes to service as a result.
Heales were initially brought in to help deal with firefighters and staff members' records failing to meet 'the required standard'.
This was in November and the firm's remit has expanded significantly as workers in the occupational health department were signed off or quit altogether.
Macfarlane added: 'We're meeting the service [on Thursday] to discuss pay and I can anticipate they'll be telling us they don't have enough money.
'Yet there's buckets of money going out the door to Heales to provide a service that there are staff – our members – trained and well equipped to do.
'If we want to keep firefighters safe, it's better having staff who are motivated by public service than private profit to do that work.'
In April, an ITV Border investigation uncovered a 'toxic' culture and a series of concerns around discrimination and harassment which has worsened in recent years.
Multiple frontline firefighters and civilian staff have raised concerns internally either through formal grievance procedures, informally notifying managers or in some cases submitting dossiers chronicling instances of individuals being targeted in ways that were perceived as being unfair.
At that time, first minister John Swinney said he was 'concerned' by the report and urged the fire service to address the concerns.
A report was published on Wednesday by HM Fire Inspectorate in Scotland about the service's culture.
It made a series of recommendations and 'areas for consideration' and finished by saying: 'We would encourage the service, its managers and commanders to consider clearly articulating and acknowledging, through relevant communication, that everyone's contribution is equally important and valued.'
Brian Whittle, the South Scotland MSP and Conservative public health spokesman, said: 'There's a certain irony that the people who are supposed to keep people in the fire and rescue safe are the ones that are off ill at the moment.
'It is a worry. It speaks to a wider problem, it speaks to stress, it speaks to strain on the system, it speaks to the cuts that have been made to the system over a period of time by the SNP.'
Fiona Ross, the fire service's director of people said: 'During an audit of our health assessment records, we identified a number of records which did not meet the required standard.
'We have notified all colleagues whose records are impacted. An in-depth recovery plan is being implemented, and we are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.
'This includes moving all records to an electronic system and a review of our governance and auditing processes.
'The health and safety of our employees is the utmost priority. We have contacted the Health and Safety Executive and aim to resolve the situation as quickly and effectively as practicable, while ensuring we continue to deliver our emergency response.'
She added: 'We have built upon an existing working relationship with Heales Medical to assist us in this process.
'We explored options with other external providers. However, due to the vast size of the SFRS and geographical spread, it has been difficult to find providers to support the full extent we require.'
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