Other Legislation and National Guidance

• Read more about Other Legislation and National Guidance

As outlined in part 2 of this document, the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (the Act) and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (as amended) (the Regulations) is the legislation which outlines the key organisations and their duty to prepare for civil emergencies within Scotland. However other legislation exists which shares the characteristics and practices of civil contingencies legislation, notably:

Community Resilience

• Read more about Community Resilience

Community resilience is based on a culture of preparedness, in which individuals, communities and organisations take responsibility to prepare for, respond to and recover from the consequences of emergencies.

Communities may also have knowledge of the local impacts of risks, which can complement responders’ understanding. In some circumstances communities might be better placed or quicker to address particular needs than Category 1 and other responders. By communicating with communities in advance they can be more aware, and more prepared, to help themselves and each other.

Community Risk Register

• Read more about Community Risk Register

The Community Risk Register (CRR) is the document that the RRPs use to communicate with the general public about risks identified in the RRP RPA that have the highest likelihood and potential to have significant impact and cause disruption to communities.  

The purpose of a CRR is to:

4. Integration of STAC in Scotland’s response structures

• Read more about 4. Integration of STAC in Scotland’s response structures

1. The STAC operates as an advisory group and is not an operational group. Its focus is to provide practical advice on public health, environmental, scientific and technical issues to those responsible for mounting and coordinating the response to an emergency, in line with the strategic objectives set by the RP. The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR), when activated, will receive key points from STAC advice through the RP regular updates to SGoRR.

3. Aim of STAC

• Read more about 3. Aim of STAC

1. The aim of the STAC is, as far as is practicable, to provide RPs with authoritative information and agreed advice on the risk assessment of health and environmental hazards and technical failure by:
   • Bringing together or arranging contact with all the relevant specialist advisers through a single group;
   • Providing agreed recommendations on risk management action;
   • Providing agreed risk communication messages; and
   • Confining the main discussion on such issues to within the STAC itself (rather than at the RP meetings).

2. Key STAC principles – strategic themes

• Read more about 2. Key STAC principles – strategic themes

1. A STAC:
   • Is an advisory group – it does not make decisions.
   • Primarily advises the RP particularly where there may be significant wider and/or long-term health and environmental consequences that require a range of scientific and technical expertise to be coordinated.
   • May be preceded by, or work alongside, specific coordination arrangements relating to particular hazards or specific types of emergencies.
   • Needs to understand and then assess through exercising what it will do and how it fits into wider plans.

STAC

• Read more about STAC

1. Preparing Scotland is a suite of guidance to assist responders plan for, respond to and recover from disruptive challenges. It consists of a ‘Hub’, which sets out Scotland’s resilience philosophy, structures and regulatory duties, and ‘Spokes’ that provide detailed guidance on specific matters. The Scientific and Technical Advice Cell (STAC) guidance document is one of those spokes.

The Regional Resilience Partnerships’ Risk Preparedness Assessment

• Read more about The Regional Resilience Partnerships’ Risk Preparedness Assessment

The RRP RPA allows RRPs to assess risks and their level of preparedness to deal with the consequences of the identified risks within their region, and communicate with the general public about the risks identified in the RRP RPA.

The RRP RPA focuses on developing resilience and dealing with consequences of rather than causes of emergencies.

Multi-agency collaboration

• Read more about Multi-agency collaboration

In Scotland, responders and resilience partners with the relevant expertise to complete the RRP RPA are brought together under each of the three RRPs, however, the RRPs do not have the power to direct individual members in the undertaking of their duties.

Each of the three RRPs identifies a RRP RPA Co-ordinator (generally from one of the Category 1 responders) who is supported by the Scottish Government Partnership Teams. Together they coordinate the multi-agency collaboration required to complete the RRP RPA.

Integrated Emergency Management

• Read more about Integrated Emergency Management

Dealing with emergencies, whether foreseen or unforeseen, requires a flexible and adaptive approach. This doctrine, known as Integrated Emergency Management (IEM), is underpinned by five key activities:

1. Assessment
2. Prevention
3. Preparation
4. Response
5. Recovery

The RRP RPA specifically addresses the assessment and preparation activities of IEM.