Lessons identified from UK exercises and operations: a policy framework
This framework formalises existing arrangements and builds on arrangements underpinning the counter-terrorist exercise programme.
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Please be aware that some of the content in this document is now out of date, particularly the section ‘the role of the Regional Resilience Tier in identifying, recording and distributing lessons learned.’ Since November 2011, the Resilience and Emergencies Division in the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has taken over from the Government Office’s Regional Resilience Teams in supporting local responders in response and recovery, and in playing a coordination role for incidents affecting more than one Strategic Coordination Group area.
The UK undertakes a significant amount of exercise activity in addition to those real operations resulting from threats and hazards including terrorism, natural disasters, accidents and industrial action.
This framework formalises existing, largely informal, arrangements and builds on the long-standing arrangements underpinning the counter-terrorist exercise programme.
The development of the policy framework has been guided by the following main objectives:
- To ensure that lessons are identified and acted upon at the lowest appropriate level and escalated where necessary
- To provide a clear link between lessons emerging and changes to plans and procedures
- To provide a consistent framework for organisations to develop their own supporting arrangements for identifying and recording lessons learned
- To work as far as possible within existing structures at local, regional and national level
- To clarify responsibility for ensuring that lessons are identified and acted upon
- To focus, at the national level, on those lessons raised that affect the multi-agency response or the functioning of key capabilities.