Summary report from Forensic Services Committee 4 May 2023

Main Items of Business 

Forensic Services Director’s Report

Performance, including the developing performance framework

Drug Driving Update

Forensic Services Financial Monitoring Report P11

People Update and Strategic Workforce Plan

Project Weaver – Closure Report

Change Programme

Digital Forensics

Operational and Strategic Risk

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

Key Issues Raised - 

Forensic Services Directors Report – Members were updated on recent key activities across Forensic Services. Particular attention was given to Forensic Service National Scenes Tasking Unit, based in Rushton Court, Dundee, which is now fully up and running. Members sought and gained assurance on a number of areas around this piece of work and look forward to welcoming a Post Implementation Review in due course, which will include benefits realised and lessons learned.

Performance – Members considered data and sought assurance on Lab Demand against Capacity and the outsourcing of Toxicology; it was confirmed outsourcing will continue until a steady state is achieved, likely until July 2023. Members welcomed the proposed updates for the Performance Framework and have requested a balance scorecard approach with RAG status, to ensure that the detailed insights and data shared in the report are easily understood.  Committee are assured on the ongoing work with People and Development on relevant metrics for inclusion. 

Drug Driving Update – Members sought clarity on the current position in relation to historic cases and were advised as of the end of April 2023, there were 25 Section 5A and 36 Section 4 historic cases remaining. Members were advised that the Section 5a cases would be complete within the following week, however, Section 4 cases would require more detailed and complex testing, therefore will take longer. Members sought clarity on the handling of cases in-house in the future and were advised that by the end of the financial year there should be sufficient in-house capacity to be able to service current levels of demand. The Long Term Sustainable Model will address future demand pressures and full use of the legislation by Police Scotland. 

Forensic Services Financial Monitoring Report P11 – Members noted that underspend was primarily in relation to staff costs and the deliberate pause in recruitment. Members were assured that the lack of capital would have no impact on the Transformation Programme as this relies on limited capital investment.  Members were advised that work is planned in to develop a framework and address the query on cost to serve detail

People Update – Members welcomed work to progress a new people plan, and the intention to undertake a further Denison Survey once this is embedded. Members sought clarity around the output from the Sexism and Misogyny Survey and were assured that the feedback from that will be brought together with other work to ensure that any actions have appropriate improvement actions identified.  Members welcomed this one year strategic workforce plan and the commitment, post demand forecast review, to develop a comprehensive 5 year Strategic Workforce Plan. Members asked that there is full engagement with SPA Workforce Colleagues on this piece of work, endorsed the approach so far and will welcome a further update in due course.

Project Weaver and Change Programme Update - Members welcomed a closure report in relation to Project Weaver and noted the complexity of the completed project, congratulating all those involved. General concerns were noted around capacity, with assurance given that work was ongoing to identify efficiencies and consideration was being given to the use of current systems. Members noted that data migration would be a major part of project work going forward and were assured that the wealth of work being done in this area allows a clear articulation of data migration requirements. The related IBC will be considered by Resources Committee in June 2023.

Digital Forensics Next Steps, Accreditation and Timeline for Progression – Police Scotland provided their 6 monthly update on progress towards obtaining ISO 17025 within Digital Forensics. Members welcomed the update and direction of travel and discussed whether the forensic services committee was the correct forum in terms of governance. The Director of Forensic Services assured members that there are shared challenges around digital, physical forensics and regulation, therefore, from a risk point there are synergies that make it useful and valuable for the FSC to have sight on this area of business.    

Operational and Strategic Risk – Members were provided with a report which provided an overview of Forensic Services Committee Strategic Risks and Operational Risks. Members sought assurance around certain risks and were assured by the responses given.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – Members were provided with a positive verbal update in relation to the MoU and look forward to a further update in due course.  

Conclusions/Actions Reached 

Members AGREED the need for sufficient updates relating to ongoing areas of business to be provided within action logs. 

Members AGREED the need to have sight of the Post Implementation Review including benefits realised and lessons learned around the Tasking Unit Project.  

Members AGREED the need for the Performance Report to include a Balance Scorecard, including RAG status to ensure that good information being provided within the report was not lost on the reader.

Members AGREED the need for their comments to be considered around the Performance Framework to allow them to be provided with an update around when this will be taken to the SPA Board for approval.

Members AGREED the need for Forensic Services SMT to engage with SPA Workforce Governance on the Strategic Workforce Plan.