Partners and Signposting

partners and signposting

Our approach

The Service works in partnership with a variety of agencies, including other emergency services, local and national public sector bodies, charities and other non-governmental organisations.

Partnerships come in all shapes and sizes: they can be formal or informal, long-term or short-term, and they can operate at many different levels. For some, we might have a statutory responsibility to be involved, while others might deliver specific one-off activities. Whatever form they take, we are committed to playing an active part.

Partnerships are essential to our way of working. They can help us to:

  • Improve and strengthen how we deliver our services
  • Achieve a more efficient and effective use of resources
  • Assist our partners in providing quality services to the communities of Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Working in partnerships

Our work with partners is guided by our overall vision to ‘provide our communities with sustainable, high-quality firefighting, rescue and preventative services.’ Community safety and wellbeing are important themes for many of our partners so addressing issues jointly can help to increase the impact.

We know that working in partnerships brings many benefits as well as risks. We have a broad definition and a set of guidelines to help ensure any risks are outweighed by the benefits.

Our definition

A partnership is a joint working arrangement between two or more independent partners, which aims to achieve something that they could not do alone. There is usually an agreed common goal, an agreed programme of action and a separate organisational structure or process to achieve this goal. By working together the partners are able to pool their skills, resources and relevant information as well as share any risks and rewards.

The Signposting service

Working together with our partners, we help provide a Signposting service aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable or disadvantaged people. This is a single gateway designed to enable people to access crucial services they would otherwise not receive and so help them remain in their own homes.

Partner organisations within the service provide advice, support, preventative services and practical assistance using a person-centred approach. Individual needs and requirements are matched to appropriate service providers with the aim of working towards or maintaining an appropriate level of independence. We will link people to just one provider or as many as they need to assist independent living. 

Partner Newsletter

Newsletter No 1 – November 2023

Newsletter No 2 – Summer 2024

Partner Links