This weekend the team undertook a peer review, looking at all aspects of the workings of the team, allowing the team to reflect on what we do and whether it is best practice.
The Mountain Rescue (England & Wales) appointed Tim Cain from Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team to create a peer review framework and to deliver a sessions to interested teams. We are the eleventh team to undertake the process. Our fellow Mid-Pennine teams, Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team and Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, have both undertaken reviews.
Joining Tim as external reviewers were Matt Foster, also from Swaledale MRT, and Carl Faulkner, Team Leader of Cleveland MRT.
The first session took place on Friday night with 18 team members attending the session, including Andy Keyworth from our Support Group. The evening started with all members splitting into 3 teams to come up with a vision statement. The statements each team came up with were similar and were similar to what exists in our constitution.
Next came a SWOT analysis, what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are available for the team. This started interesting conversations which continued throughout the weekend.
Following the SWOT analysis, all teams came together to start the question set, a set of questions Tim formulated for the peer review sessions. We concentrated on the medical section of the peer review, as Steve James, our Medical Officer, was unable to attend for the rest of the weekend.
Saturday morning started late due to a callout assisting Bowland Pennine MRT (see Incident 65/2017). 13 team members attended this session, working through the question set, answering questions on areas such as equipment maintenance, callout processes and vehicle procedures, all generating interesting conversations across the team.
Following the peer review, a small group retired to the pub to continue informal conversations.
Sunday was a full day exercise centred on Winter Hill. Our control vehicle was located on Georges Lane and involved a search for two walkers, one of whom had fallen down a steep bank.
Three parties set off from different locations to search different areas of Winter Hill with two of the review party joining the search parties and one staying in control. All search parties were tasked to search the obvious footpaths.
The exercise casualty was found on Noon Hill Gulley, all teams converged at the exercise casualty site, with kit carried by approaching team. A rope system was set up to safely transfer the stretcher down and back up the slope.
Following the exercise everyone returned to the control location where our support group had prepared refreshments for all.
A hot debrief took place with constructive feedback from the peer review team.
All the team would like to thank Tim, Carl and Matt for giving up their time to assist the team go through this valuable process.
