NFCC Culture and Inclusion Conference to Drive Forward Change in UK Fire and Rescue Service

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is set to host the second Culture and Inclusion Conference next week (15th and 16th July) in Birmingham. The event will bring together leaders and professionals from across the UK Fire and Rescue Service and wider partners to drive forward our work towards making the sector a truly inclusive and equitable place.

Day one will focus on the progress made since the 2023 culture conference and the launch of the NFCC Culture Action Plan, alongside broader sector developments and reflections over the past year. Attendees will hear from keynote speaker Anthea Sully, CEO of White Ribbon and Chair of the NFCC independent Challenge and Support Panel. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services will also provide crucial updates on The State of Fire and Rescue report, misconduct thematic inspections, and the progress against the Values and Culture spotlight report recommendations.

Day two focuses on looking forward to what further work we must take forward together to deliver lasting change. It will feature a keynote address from Siobhan Melia, Chief Executive at Sussex Community NHS Trust who is leading work on culture change across ambulance services, focusing on valuable lessons learned.

The agenda also includes a shared learning session with insights from services that have participated in independent culture reviews, followed by a lived experiences panel where the conference will hear from networks and organisations that represent those with lived experience, so that their voices can help inform how we develop and shape our work moving forward.

The Culture and Inclusion Conference presents a key opportunity for fire and rescue services and partners to come together to share learning and good practice, as well as to identify next steps in taking forward this critical work together. Recognising that a single conference cannot by itself deliver change, the aim is for the discussions and shared experiences to act as catalysts for ongoing change and improvement across the sector. It also recognises that the path to cultural transformation extends beyond NFCC’s initiatives to encompass the sector’s and wider partners’ local and national collective efforts.