HSE News

Dr Roger Rawbone, Head of HSE’s Corporate Medical Unit which incorporates the First Aid Approval and Monitoring Section (FAAMS), has approved publication of the following note.

In recent weeks HSE has met with members of the First Aid at Work Council (FWC) and separately with several individuals from small independent first aid at work (FAW) training organisations (these individuals also acted as Regional Coordinators in a recent HSE consultation exercise). This note provides a brief overview of these meetings which have been valuable in helping HSE understand the views of all sections of the FAW training industry – the Voluntary Aid Societies, large independent training providers and smaller independent training providers.

Most of the discussion at these meetings centred around the establishment of an industry body to represent the FAW training industry. HSE is keen to explore this further in relation to the review of the first aid regulations. In particular, an independent body appointed from within the industry itself may in time be able to take over the current role of HSE’s First Aid Approval and Monitoring Section (FAAMS), in ensuring appropriate standards of FAW training are maintained.

It was encouraging that all sections of the training industry agreed that fragmentation of the industry was undesirable and potentially damaging in the context of training standards, and that any industry body would need to be all inclusive and fully representative of the FAW training industry as a whole.

While there may be a number of difficult issues to resolve, HSE believes that by fostering a spirit of openness, impartiality, flexibility and compromise across the industry, the FWC offers a foundation from which a fully inclusive industry body could be established. Current founding members of the FWC have made provision within a draft constitution for representatives of smaller independent training providers to be elected on to the Council’s Management Committee. To help facilitate this process, HSE intends to utilise the system of Regional Coordinators initially set up to provide feedback from training providers on the HSE review of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. At the earliest opportunity, HSE will set up meetings designed to bring all the Regional Coordinators together. This network will ultimately be used to facilitate democratic election of representatives on to the FWC Management Committee. HSE will not be involved in any decisions in relation to which individuals are subsequently elected.

It is hoped that the FWC Management Committee will subsequently comprise a group of voting members from across all sections of the industry as well as a small number of non-voting members. The ultimate aim is to establish a representative body that has a large majority support of FAW training providers. HSE would expect to have close involvement with such an industry body and before handing over the current role of FAAMS, HSE would need to be certain that the body has demonstrated its independence and competence to take on such a function.

ISRM News

One New Professional Body

One of the most exciting challenges coming to our industry in recent times is the proposed formation of a new professional body out of a merger of NASD, ISRM and ILAM, a proposal, of which by now, most people will be aware.

At a time of change it is important to ensure that messages to those affected are clear and consistent and it is with that in mind that the three Chairs of the organisations concerned have jointly prepared this article. We are acutely aware of the dangers of conflicting messages, from supposedly good sources, which may only serve to fuel ambiguity and are anxious to avoid this situation. Communicating jointly is, therefore, a practical solution and a method we intend to employ as and when necessary throughout the process.

Following the latest meeting of the Development Board on the 18 July, the three organisations reaffirmed their commitment to the statements previously agreed.

• "NASD, ISRM and ILAM have agreed to come together to form a new professional body. By nature of its constituents, it will have a cross-sector focus reflecting the needs of its members which will in the main come from sport, physical activity, leisure, play, parks and open space and fitness".
• "We do not forsee any problems in calling for the full support of our Members. The Trustees and Board Members will seek to assure their membership that the affairs of the constituent bodies are in order and that there are no legal reasons why the organisations should not complete the process of due diligence, feasibility and therefore merge."

In making these statements the Board acknowledge that there are other professional bodies/associations covering specific disciplines within the cultural services. It is not intended that the new professional body will complete with or duplicate services provided by these organisations or attempt to represent the whole cultural sector. In saying this, it is also acknowledged that all of the cultural services benefit from synergy and it is hoped that the new body will develop strong working relationships with other professions and join together when appropriate to create ‘one voice’ for the cultural sector.

Substantial progress was made at our most recent Board meeting and a number of important issues were debated and decisions made.

• An independent Chair will be appointed by the end of September from the candidates supplied by SOLACE.
• An independent Specialist has been appointed to carry out due diligence on all three parties. The results of which will be disclosed to each of the existing bodies and the Development Board. Each body may then take their own legal advice specific to their own organisation if considered necessary. This process is contained in advice on mergers published by the Charities Commission.

The process of due diligence is accepted as essential in negotiating a merger of the three organisations to form a new body. This process will examine:

• Legality
• Financial position, including assets
• Preliminary budgets/business plans
• Compatibility of charitable objectives

• It was agreed that full minutes of meetings would be produced and circulated to all interested bodies, including the members of each organisation and government agencies.
• The Board discussed Chartered status and agreed that further investigations should take place to ascertain that it could be achieved without compromise to the agreements already reached.
• We were acutely aware of the need to give due consideration to Home Country issues. Although Sport England has initially facilitated the formation of the Board and is providing funding for the cost of the merger, it must be emphasised that the new body will be totally independent and will not only cover the United Kingdom but will also continue to service its existing members from outside.

In the near future the Board will be making direct contact with the Home Counties to ensure that they are fully integrated into the merger arrangements. Members of the three organisations in Wales are already meeting together and talking to the Welsh Assembly about the new organisation and it is hoped this will be repeated in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Once a clear vision and detailed plans have been completed, all parties will still have to take the final decision to merge. However, as the vision and plans will have been jointly created, it is hoped that this will not be problematic. EGMs are likely to take place early in 2006, allowing the new organisation to become operational within the agreed timetable i.e.. as soon as practical in 2006. As part of a parallel process, the existing organisations will need to start to wind up their affairs. As ILAM and ISRM are registered charities the issues are slightly more complicated than for NASD which is differently placed.

The challenges for the future are substantial and exciting and in themselves add to the argument for a stronger single professional body with greater capacity and skills to deliver to all levels:

• The Government’s decision to include a Culture Block in the CPA process will have significant implications for us and is seen as a big opportunity.
• Of course the decision to award the 2012 Olympics to London has been a huge boost to the nation and again given added impetus to our intention to form a new professional body.

No process of change is without its tensions but to date the Development Board has been able to resolve its differences and to allow the process itself to iron out the practicalities. It is important to re-iterate that behind all of this progress and activity lies a fundamental shared vision about creating a new body that will unite significant parts of our industry in a way that has never been done before. In so doing it is intended to create a body with greater capacity, with a greater ability to lobby at the highest level and most importantly of all a body that is at the centre of the professional development of its members.

We, the three Chairs of our respective organisations are very upbeat about the future. We are certain that a new organisation along the lines indicated will be of huge benefit to the industry and its workforce and we are pleased that the Development Board is focussed on achieving a new professional body which, in itself, is a great prize.