Business continuity management for businesses and voluntary organisations

Aim

As Category One responders Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire (Herefordshire Public Services (HPS)) are required to have a BCM process in place that fulfils the requirements of the CCA 2004.  The CCA 2004 requires Category One responders to maintain plans to ensure that they can continue to perform their functions in the event of an emergency so far as  is reasonably practicable.  The BCM duty is in 2 parts:

• Plans that ensure that Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire (Herefordshire Public Services (HPS)) can continue to exercise its civil protection functions by responding to emergencies in the community even if the emergency impacts on HPS, plus to ensure that those organisations delivering services on their behalf or capabilities that underpin service provision can be delivered to the extent required of an emergency.
• Plans to continue to deliver critical aspects of the day-to-day functions in the event of an emergency to ensure that the impact on the community is kept to a minimum.
• Provide advice and support to the voluntary sector and local businesses on their own business continuity arrangements.

Objectives

• Establish a managed business continuity process.
• Incorporating BCM into major service reviews.
• Producing and maintaining an integrated set of BCPs.
• Maintaining effective communication.
• Encouraging the active involvement of all staff and Elected Members as appropriate.
• Reviewing and exercising arrangements on a regular basis.

Business continuity management for businesses and voluntary organisations

Is your business prepared for the unexpected?

You will know as well as anyone that running a business can be unpredictable. You never know what's round the corner.

Have you thought how you would cope if there was a fire at your premises?

• Would important work be lost if you experienced a lengthy power cut? 
• What would happen if half of your workforce went down with flu over several weeks?
  

Experience shows that organisations with business continuity arrangements in place are more likely to stay in business and recover quickly in the event of an emergency than those who do not.

There are some simple steps that you could take to increase the chances of your business surviving a disruption.

Business Continuity Plan

A Business Continuity Plan could help your business prepare and recover more quickly. A plan sets out the clear roles and responsibilities to enable staff to manage during a disruption. It ensures you have arrangements in place to enable key business activities to continue in the most difficult circumstances.

Benefits of a Business Continuity Plan

• Helps you maintain 'business as usual'
• Reduces the potential for financial loss 
• Helps you maintain your good reputation 
• Builds staff confidence
• Avoids bad publicity
• Makes good business sense

Contact Us

If you have any questions or issues relating to BCM for your service area then please do not hesitate to contact the Business Continuity Officers with the Resilience team. Their contact details are:

Nigel Thomas - Business Continuity Officer

Email: nathomas@herefordshire.gov.uk
Office:   01432 383512
Mobile:  07792 880922