HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Directorate: Public Sector Prisons
Job Description: Group Safety Lead
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
Document Type
Management
Version
5.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
9 September 2021
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Head of Group
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
Job Description
Job Title
Group Safety Lead
Directorate
Public Sector Prisons
Band
Band 8
Overview of the job
Improving safety in prisons is a top priority for HMPPS. Those working in the Group
Safety Teams play a significant role in making prisons safer for all those who live and
work in them by reducing deaths, self-harm and violence.
This is a strategic management role located within each Prison Group, reporting to the
Prison Group Director (PGD) and delivering work consistent to the direction set out by
HQ. The post will provide direct support to establishments to deliver prison safety.
They will be the integral link for establishments, the PGD and HQ in all matters
associated with this essential work.
The Group Safety Lead (GSL) role is located within the Prisons Directorate and post
holders will serve a number of establishments in accordance with these structures. It
can be based anywhere geographically therefore a willingness to travel is required. In
the interests of promoting safety outcomes for all, support from GSLs is also available
to privately managed prisons.
Summary
The role is to work collaboratively with establishments on behalf of PGDs and HQ to
ensure the best possible delivery of prison safety policies and practice. This includes
oversight and assurance on delivery to the respective Governors, PGD and to HQ.
In summary the post holder will:
• Provide support directly to their allocated establishments on prison safety
(preventing and reducing deaths, self-harm and violence in prisons) as well
as supporting colleagues across the groups.
• Identify good practice and share learning across establishments and the
group and HQ.
• Make relevant links and inform policy.
• Support PDGs and HQ in improving service delivery, and compliance with
safety and other relevant polices.
• Promote and implement HMPPS strategic aims with regards to safety.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to ensure joined up effective working.
The role is non-operational but the post holder may be either non-operational or an
operational member of staff dependant on the group’s need. The post will carry line
management responsibilities.
The role may be in receipt of RHA
• RHA will apply where the role requires the incumbent to regularly work
unpredictable and unsocial hours, and be on call to attend their office/
establishment at any time when required.
• With the role having a commitment to remain continuously and immediately
available outside normal work hours for a period of more than 12 hours and is
specifically required to be on call when an operational need arises.
• Subject to regular assurance checks by the JES Team of unsocial hours being
carried out, annual/bi-annual reviews must be carried out locally to assess
whether there is a continued entitlement to the allowance. In line with HMPPS
policies as a guide, unsocial hours should amount to around 17-20% of an
individual’s working hours over a three month period.
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
Establishment Safety Delivery & Planning
In the interests of promoting safety outcomes for all, support from GSLs is available to
privately managed prisons. GSLs s will:
• Establish influential working relationships with establishment staff responsible
for the delivery of prison safety.
• Provide support to Governors on improving safety (reducing and preventing
deaths, self-harm and violence).
• Support establishments to identify, capture and share good practice,
learning (from deaths in custody and serious incidents) and operational
experience within the group and nationally as required.
• Ensure establishments take timely and effective action on
recommendations from internal reviews, HMIP, PPO and internal audit
reports whilst providing assurance to PGDs and Governors on quality.
• Provide establishments with helpful and constructive challenge and support
on the effective application of policy and defensible decisions taken by
establishments.
• To utilise agreed monitoring tools to enable establishments to understand
how effective their safety arrangements are and what further support is
required. Measuring outcomes against local plans such as each prison’s
Violence Reduction strategy. This will be prioritised according to the assessed
levels of risk of self-harm, deaths in custody and violence. A quarterly
reporting system on these plans to be provided to PGDs and HQ.
• Provide the PGD, HQ and Governors with clear evidence of how effectively
governance, safety initiatives and practice is managed within each
establishment.
• Where required undertake operational assessments with PGDs of the
effectiveness of safer custody arrangements within establishments.
• Assist establishments in strengthening effective collaborative working with
their local Healthcare providers and all other external providers in order to
take a whole prison approach to improving safety. Where required contribute
to the partnership arrangements for the delivery of this service in support of
prison safety outcomes.
•
Be responsible for the co-ordination of information linked to the mitigation
of risks and issues arising from deaths and incidents of serious assault and
serious self-harm. This analysis should capture quick learning and be
disseminated to the PGD, HQ, Governing Governor and Head of Functions
as required to develop better understanding and good practice and should
form part of the group safety delivery plans.
• Be responsible for ensuring that local protocols are in place at each
establishment for learning from deaths and incidents of serious assault and
serious self-harm, and that action is being taken to respond to
recommendations from internal reviews, HMIP, PPO and Audit reports.
Policy Implementation and Assurance
GSLs play a key role in providing assurance on the delivery of safety, working closely
with the PGD and HQ, and will:
• Promote and implement prison safety strategic aims to prevent and reduce
deaths, self-harm and violence in prisons. Work with HQ to contribute to
and support on-going safety project work.
• Support delivery of HMPPS and Prisons Directorate priorities and service-
wide activities on prison safety.
• Manage and be responsible for the group safety risk register.
• Chair group safety meetings to discuss issues, trends and learning.
• Attend and contribute to GSL meetings with HQ to discuss issues, trends
and where relevant help shape and inform safer prisons policy.
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
• Provide Governors, the PGD and HQ detailed and accurate briefing, analysis
and reports on safety in prisons.
• Support and promote the training of staff within the group on prison safety
and assist the development of the training needs analysis for each
establishment.
• Liaise with stakeholders which are expected to include Police, CPS, Courts,
Coroner’s Office, Health boards where necessary. Attend Community
Steering Groups meetings (Ambulance, local council suicide prevention
groups, and adult safeguarding meetings) where practicable from a group
perspective.
Undertake other management tasks including:
• Conduct investigations internally and externally at the request of the PGD
and Governing Governors.
• Promotes HMPPS policy in all activities and behaviours e.g. promotes
diversity, decency, safety and reducing re-offending agendas.
• Attend as directed any relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute,
either as chair or team member.
• Provide leadership and direction to managers and staff within their defined
work area through briefings, building informal and formal relationships and
effective communication.
• Produce relevant reports as required and ensure all correspondence is
replied to within agreed timescales.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not
intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable
alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant
adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall
be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
Behaviours
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Experience
• Knowledge or experience of prison safety working within prisons.
Technical
If Operational
Requirements
Must be successfully accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5 prior
to 1999).
When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required
to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with
Young People.
Ability
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
Minimum Eligibility
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are
subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within
HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
37 hour week
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
Required Hours Allowance - TBC by Recruiting Manager
This role may require regularly working unpredictable and unsocial hours and be on
call to attend their place of work at any time. A 17% payment will be paid in addition
to your basic pay to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 -
1900hrs Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/
Public Holidays.
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Changing and Improving
Knowledge or experience of prison
If Operational
safety working within prisons.
Must be successfully accredited as an
Operational Manager (or in post as a G5
prior to 1999).
Seeing the Big Picture
When transferring to a Young Persons
establishment the job holder will be
required to successfully undertake an
assessment to demonstrate suitability to
work with Young People.
Leadership
Working Together
Communicating and Influencing
HQ-JES-2234 Group Safety Lead v5.0