OPEN RECOMMENDATIONS

The majority of open recommendations are progressing well. Not all recommendations are of equal measure. Some might be categorised as ‘quick wins’ while others require complex organisation-level systemic and cultural change in order to be competently addressed, often dependent on the capability and capacity of multiple enabling stakeholders beyond those assigned ownership. This often means that anticipating timescales for completion and evidencing the impact can often be challenging.  This is an area for improvement that we are actively addressing.  In light of this, 76% of the HMICS recommendations were added for tracking in the last 2 years (August 2023 onwards) so there is evidence that these are being prioritised for delivery. 

With such a wide range of reports and subjects, identifying themes and common challenges can be difficult. Some common themes across all publications are as follows:

• Establishing a demand picture to ensure effective resource allocation and prioritisation
• Using performance information to drive / prioritise decisions, improve understanding of performance and improve accountability
• Consolidating, simplifying and updating guidance
• Achieving consistency of process and practice across Scotland
• A focus on continuous training and organisational learning

Where delays have occurred with those reported, they can be categorised in four areas:

• Wider improvement programmes underway which contribute to delivering change on a larger scale than the recommendations alone. For example, the Public Protection Development Progamme (now Investigations and Safeguarding Project within the Policing for our Communities Programme) will support the delivery of revised and consistent operating models for domestic abuse, develop consistent risk assessment processes, review demand and training needs to deliver an operating model fit for the future.
• Crime Management reform is ongoing and will support consistency of recording practices and improve overall quality assurance practices in relation to crime recording.
• Technical developments which support greater efficiency, automation and better performance management of processes associated with domestic abuse, missing persons and mental health.
• There are a number that have a partnership dependency.

There are risks associated with not addressing these recommendations within reasonable timeframes as improvements to services will be delayed.  Balancing and prioritising the resources required to implement these along with BAU activities, change and other local improvement activity is taken into consideration when approving delays. 

All of our recommendations have been reviewed for alignment with the Vision and three-year business plan.  In many cases there is a direct link to a business plan milestone which has been shown in the summary table below. 

The following provides a summary of progress, risk and revised target dates for selected HMICS inspections. 

TABLE