Across 2023-2024, the Homeland Security Group (HSG) at the Home Office, together with Ipsos UK, carried out a programme of research to further strengthen the evidence base around JESIP. Fieldwork, consisting of a quantitative survey of more than 3,140 emergency services staff from police, fire and ambulance services in England and Wales and a series of focus groups and individual interviews, was conducted. We were really pleased with the level of response, as well as the different type of people who responded. Nearly 40% of survey responses were from those in non-commander/non-manager roles, while more than 20% of responses were from control room staff, providing a wider perspective of how responders experience and practise JESIP.

The research found good levels of knowledge of the key principles of JESIP, including M/ETHANE and the Joint Decision Model. And generally high levels of completion of JESIP-related training, participation in multi-agency exercising, and satisfaction with training and exercising.

However, the research also uncovered much lower levels of actual usage of the key JESIP models in response to incidents. Moreover, while the research found high levels of agreement when respondents were asked about their application of JESIP on an individual level, levels of agreement were lower when they were asked about their service.

Finally, the research highlighted three groups with generally lower levels of engagement with JESIP across all the areas that were explored – namely, control room staff, police officers and staff, and non-commanders/non-managers. Survey respondents identified insufficient frequency of joint training and exercising, lack of knowledge of capabilities, roles and responsibilities of other services, and insufficient quality of joint training and exercising, as the greatest barriers to interoperability, providing some pointers for areas of focus in the future.

HSG will continue to work closely with the JESIP Team to further refine our understanding of the research findings and consider how best to turn them into meaningful interventions to further improve and embed JESIP across all of our agencies.