The first meeting of the government's firefighter health and wellbeing task and finish group has taken place, marking the start of work to develop a national Concordat for the and rescue service.
The programme was announced by then health secretary Wes Streeting in April as part of wider government commitments to improve firefighter health and wellbeing. Alongside the Concordat, the programme will also develop proposals for a national health monitoring offer and strengthen the evidence and research underpinning firefighter health.
National Officer Adam Taylor attended the inaugural meeting on behalf of the Fire Brigades Union, joining representatives from government departments, employers, fire and rescue sector organisations.
The meeting focused on agreeing the group's remit and programme of work, with members discussing the scope of the Concordat and how it will support a consistent approach for firefighters across the sector.
The Concordat is intended to provide a shared framework to support improvements in firefighter health and wellbeing while recognising the responsibilities of individual fire and rescue authorities as employers. It will be developed over a series of meetings before being considered by ministers.
The FBU played a leading role in securing the government's commitment to improving firefighter health and wellbeing and will continue to represent members throughout the development of the programme, ensuring firefighters' experiences and priorities help shape its outcomes. Members will be informed of progress.
