Latest news with #FireandRescueService
ITV News
2 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
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.'
ITV News
4 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Fire safety inspection finds ‘substantial risk' at two RVH wards
Our Health Correspondent Deborah McAleese unpacks issues raised during ministerial questions. A fire safety inspection found a 'substantial risk' at two wards in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has minister has said the revelation will do 'nothing to try and restore public and political confidence' in the beleaguered Belfast ministerial questions on Monday, DUP MLA Diane Dodds asked Mr Nesbitt to explain what significant concerns the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service have about the hospital. She said: 'Do you know when the trust was first advised about these concerns and can you confirm that the Fire and Rescue Service is pursuing an enforcement notice in relation to this?'Mr Nesbitt told MLAs: 'A fire safety audit was carried out at the Royal Victoria Hospital on June 4.'That was by personnel from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.'They did so under the Fire and Rescue Service's Northern Ireland Order 2006.'The outcome of the audit found a substantial risk at Ward 4 and Ward 7 with a score rating that falls within the enforcement notice category.'The minister said a follow-up meeting had taken place on June 11 to assist the Belfast Trust in making the 'necessary improvements' with another planned for Tuesday added: 'I appreciate the pragmatic approach the Fire and Rescue Service takes to working with responsible persons and audited premises to mitigate risk.'In this case the Fire and Rescue Service inspection officers continued to do so with the Belfast Trust officials.'I accept the point that this does nothing to try and restore public and political confidence in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.'Earlier this month, Mr Nesbitt confirmed the trust is facing the highest-level accountability process following a critical report into the staff culture at the cardiac surgery unit in the Royal Victoria a meeting of the Stormont Health Committee it was stated that the report contained allegations of bullying of junior staff by more senior staff, heart surgeons working from home and the throwing of medical instruments during trust has also faced criticism for delays in the opening of the new maternity and children's hospitals on the Royal Unionist MLA Alan Chambers asked the minister if he was satisfied works were now progressing satisfactorily on the new children's Nesbitt said: 'I can say that I am satisfied with the verbal assurance I got as recently as yesterday that work is progressing on the children's hospital on time and to budget.'That said, we are in the foothills of a very long building works campaign.'I am happy to report the Falls Road has not collapsed.'I don't say that flippantly, but there has to be work carried out in the first instance to ensure that road is shored up and that appears to have been done successfully.'
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- South Wales Guardian
Parade at Amman Valley Fire Station for fire cadets
On Thursday, June 12, a Pass Out Parade was hosted to mark the achievements of the latest group of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Fire Cadets. The cadets have gained a Fire Cadets qualification and were presented with an achievement certificate from Area Manager Geraint Thomas. The event marked the achievements of the latest group of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Fire Cadets. (Image: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service) Fire Cadets Co-Ordinator Karen Mayze said: 'It was a proud milestone for the Amman Valley Fire Cadets as they officially passed out after successfully completing their two-year Fire Cadet programme. 'Throughout their journey they have shown incredible commitment, grown in confidence, and are actively involved in their community. 'They should be immensely proud of their achievements, well done Amman Valley Cadets. Also, a massive thank you to all the instructors who have supported these young people.' The young people learned a wide range of skills from the program. (Image: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service) Over the course of the last two-years these dedicated young people have learnt a wide range of valuable skills and techniques through Fire Station ground training and education in the classroom. Fire Cadets is a national uniformed youth organisation supported by the National Fire Chiefs Council and run by individual Fire and Rescue Services throughout the UK. Fire Cadets is run by individual Fire and Rescue Services throughout the UK. (Image: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service) The aim of the Fire Cadets Programme is to create safer communities through developing young people's knowledge and skills of the Fire and Rescue Service. This helps raise awareness of the importance of keeping safe from fire in a fun, safe and secure environment.
Sydney Morning Herald
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Iran hits back: Missiles pound Israel as crisis grows
'In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted,' it said, adding that rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. A hospital in Tel Aviv treated seven people wounded in the second Iranian barrage; all but one of them had light injuries. Israel's Fire and Rescue Services said they were injured when a projectile hit a building in the city. A spokesperson for Beilinson Hospital said one woman was killed. Australian Olympic medallist and former Labor senator Nova Peris posted on social media from Tel Aviv, calling the experience 'extremely frightening and distressing'. 'It's after 2am here in Israel. I'm with 11 other Australians, including several First Nations brothers and sisters,' wrote Peris, who has been outspoken in her support of Israel and received an award for opposition to antisemitism from an Israeli university last week. 'Like so many here, we're just doing what Israelis do every day, seeking shelter, staying strong, and praying for peace,' she said. Hours later, an Iranian missile struck near homes in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion, killing two people and injuring 19, according to Israel's paramedic service Magen David Adom. Israel's Fire and Rescue Service said four homes were severely damaged. Israeli strikes continued in Iran, where sirens and several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The sound of explosions and Iranian air defence systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran shortly after midnight on Saturday. The Fars news agency, which is linked to the Iranian Republican Guard, said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, with flames reported there. The airport is close to Iranian leadership sites and hosts an air force base with fighter jets and transport aircraft. Iran's UN ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on Friday that Israel's attacks killed 78 people and injured more than 320 others. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced the start of the retaliatory attack in a recorded message carried by state television. 'We will not allow them to get away with this great crime they committed,' he said. 'The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will deal heavy blows to this enemy.' Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, although Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium there to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. Threat of war escalates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack had been planned since November and strikes would continue until the nuclear threat posed by Iran was removed. Israel's operation 'will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat', he said in a TV address. 'Generations from now, history will record our generation stood its ground, acted in time and secured our common future.' He called for regime change in Iran. 'As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom,' adding: 'Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Iran to halt their attacks on one another, while calling for diplomacy. Loading 'Israeli bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian missile strikes in Tel Aviv. Enough escalation. Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail,' Guterres wrote on X on Saturday. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday the government had confirmed Australia's officials and small number of military staff in Iran and Israel were all safe at present. He called for de-escalation from all sides of the conflict in the Middle East and made a direct plea to Iran to temper its actions. 'The government is deeply concerned about events which are unfolding in the Middle East and specifically, we are concerned about the risks of escalation,' he said. 'We specifically call on Iran to exercise restraint in their actions so as not to risk any broader conflict.' US military defends Israel from missiles American air defence systems and a Navy destroyer helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles on Friday, US officials said. The US has both ground-based Patriot missile defence systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defence systems in the Middle East that are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. A Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea also shot down Iranian missiles heading towards Israel, one official said. The United States is also shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes. US President Donald Trump said Iran has a second chance to negotiate a nuclear deal and stave off 'even more brutal' attacks being planned by Israel in coming days. In a series of short phone interviews with US media, Trump indicated he was fully aware of Israel's operations in advance, and said that Iran must make a deal that forbids it from developing a nuclear weapon 'before there is nothing left'. 'We knew everything,' Trump told Reuters of Israel's attack plans. 'I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out. They can still work out a deal, however. It's not too late.' The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, though Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Ayatollah Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war. A senior Iranian official said nowhere in Israel would be safe and revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Iravani accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Loading Israel's UN envoy, Danny Danon, said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for several bombs. He called Israel's operation 'an act of national preservation'. Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. Tehran had been engaged in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer.
The Age
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Iran hits back: Missiles pound Israel as crisis grows
'In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted,' it said, adding that rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. A hospital in Tel Aviv treated seven people wounded in the second Iranian barrage; all but one of them had light injuries. Israel's Fire and Rescue Services said they were injured when a projectile hit a building in the city. A spokesperson for Beilinson Hospital said one woman was killed. Australian Olympic medallist and former Labor senator Nova Peris posted on social media from Tel Aviv, calling the experience 'extremely frightening and distressing'. 'It's after 2am here in Israel. I'm with 11 other Australians, including several First Nations brothers and sisters,' wrote Peris, who has been outspoken in her support of Israel and received an award for opposition to antisemitism from an Israeli university last week. 'Like so many here, we're just doing what Israelis do every day, seeking shelter, staying strong, and praying for peace,' she said. Hours later, an Iranian missile struck near homes in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion, killing two people and injuring 19, according to Israel's paramedic service Magen David Adom. Israel's Fire and Rescue Service said four homes were severely damaged. Israeli strikes continued in Iran, where sirens and several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The sound of explosions and Iranian air defence systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran shortly after midnight on Saturday. The Fars news agency, which is linked to the Iranian Republican Guard, said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, with flames reported there. The airport is close to Iranian leadership sites and hosts an air force base with fighter jets and transport aircraft. Iran's UN ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on Friday that Israel's attacks killed 78 people and injured more than 320 others. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced the start of the retaliatory attack in a recorded message carried by state television. 'We will not allow them to get away with this great crime they committed,' he said. 'The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will deal heavy blows to this enemy.' Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, although Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium there to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. Threat of war escalates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack had been planned since November and strikes would continue until the nuclear threat posed by Iran was removed. Israel's operation 'will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat', he said in a TV address. 'Generations from now, history will record our generation stood its ground, acted in time and secured our common future.' He called for regime change in Iran. 'As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom,' adding: 'Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Iran to halt their attacks on one another, while calling for diplomacy. Loading 'Israeli bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian missile strikes in Tel Aviv. Enough escalation. Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail,' Guterres wrote on X on Saturday. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday the government had confirmed Australia's officials and small number of military staff in Iran and Israel were all safe at present. He called for de-escalation from all sides of the conflict in the Middle East and made a direct plea to Iran to temper its actions. 'The government is deeply concerned about events which are unfolding in the Middle East and specifically, we are concerned about the risks of escalation,' he said. 'We specifically call on Iran to exercise restraint in their actions so as not to risk any broader conflict.' US military defends Israel from missiles American air defence systems and a Navy destroyer helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles on Friday, US officials said. The US has both ground-based Patriot missile defence systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defence systems in the Middle East that are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. A Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea also shot down Iranian missiles heading towards Israel, one official said. The United States is also shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes. US President Donald Trump said Iran has a second chance to negotiate a nuclear deal and stave off 'even more brutal' attacks being planned by Israel in coming days. In a series of short phone interviews with US media, Trump indicated he was fully aware of Israel's operations in advance, and said that Iran must make a deal that forbids it from developing a nuclear weapon 'before there is nothing left'. 'We knew everything,' Trump told Reuters of Israel's attack plans. 'I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out. They can still work out a deal, however. It's not too late.' The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, though Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Ayatollah Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war. A senior Iranian official said nowhere in Israel would be safe and revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Iravani accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Loading Israel's UN envoy, Danny Danon, said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for several bombs. He called Israel's operation 'an act of national preservation'. Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. Tehran had been engaged in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer.
