Water Safety Stakeholder Group annual report: action plan
Annual reports providing an update on collaborative working to help prevent drownings in Scotland.
Annual report 2024 to 2025
Following a tragic spate of drowning incidents in Scotland’s waterways during the summer of 2021, the Scottish Government in partnership with a range of key organisations, developed the Water Safety Action Plan 2022-2026. This plan compliments Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy which was released in 2018.
Progress on delivery of the Action Plan has been published annually. This forms the third update which sets out progress made between 2024 and 2025 towards delivery of the Plan.
A significant number of actions have now been completed, either through delivery of new processes or tangible outputs, or due to actions becoming part of business as usual activity for key partners. Consequently this is the final published progress update on delivering the Action Plan. Water-based prevention activity by partners will continue, including on outstanding actions and progress on these will continue to shared amongst partners. Over 2025-2026 the Scottish Government is providing £100,000 funding to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to continue their programme of work to coordinate and support water safety activity through Water Safety Scotland.
We are grateful to partners for the significant tranche of prevention activity that has been progressed during the reporting period. This includes the launch of the Drowning Incident Review (DIR) dashboard in October 2024. This dashboard significantly enhances Scotland’s ability to take a targeted approach to preventing water emergencies by enabling stakeholders to access vital data on drowning incidents, contributory factors, and post-incident measures.
Additionally, publication of Water Safety Scotland’s Six Year Review of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy in November 2024 marked an important milestone in recognising the significant work and output that has been delivered by partners. This review found that overall accidental water-related fatalities have decreased in the past six years in addition to changes to the demographics of accidental fatalities.
This progress update has been developed in partnership with Water Safety Scotland and Stakeholder Group members. Key stakeholders involved to date include:
- Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
- Crown Estate Scotland
- His Majesty’s Coastguard (HMCG)
- Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
- Police Scotland
- Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS)
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
- Scottish Ambulance Service
- Scottish Canals
- Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN)
- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)
- Scottish Government (including Education Scotland and Marine Scotland)
- sportscotland
- Scottish Swimming
- Scottish Water
- Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE)
- Water Safety Scotland (WSS)
In order to ensure ease of reading and visibility in progress towards delivery of Action Plan, this progress update is structured to align with the four key operational outcomes previously identified by partners which actions sit within. These outcomes are:
- partnership working
- intelligence gathering and sharing
- awareness raising
- skills training
- response to incidents
Open the following outcomes to see associated actions and their status.
Outcome one: partnership working
We agree that efforts should continue to build on existing good practice in collaboration and engagement between our respective organisations; and to continue to support the role of Water Safety Scotland as a centre of expertise with a focus on improving water safety in Scotland.
Action 1.1
All partners to consider becoming members of Water Safety Scotland.
Lead Organisation(s): all
Status: 70 organisations are currently members of WSS and membership continues to be reviewed and encouraged on an ongoing basis. This action is part of business as usual activity for WSS.
Timing: complete.
Action 1.2
Relevant partners to identify members within their organisations to sit on Water Safety Scotland Subgroups and devote time and energy to taking forward their respective work programmes.
Lead Organisation(s): all
Status: Governance changes introduced to WSS’ Steering Group over 2023/24 are now complete and all Sub-groups have agreed workplans to drive forward relevant objectives and activities. The Sub-groups are chaired as follows: Data (RoSPA), Communications (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, LLTNPA), Education (Scottish Swimming), and Search and Rescue (RNLI).
Timing: complete.
Action 1.3
Identify appropriate routes for families affected by water-related fatalities to be involved in identifying and developing improvements to current practice.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: A WSS protocol is in place for supporting families affected by water-related fatalities.
Timing: complete.
Outcome two: intelligence gathering and sharing
We have reviewed our approaches to information gathering and sharing, including around fatal and non-fatal incidents. We agree to share data more collegiately and have an agreed process in place for this data to be pulled together and shared to facilitate mutual understanding of issues and improvements in practice.
Action 2.1
Introduce a voluntary Drowning and Incident Review (DIR) procedure to ensure a comprehensive review of each accidental water-related fatality to gather all relevant data and intelligence to help prevent future incidents.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: The DIR procedure continues to run since it went live in 2023. A DIR training package, developed for those likely to be involved in the process, has been updated with some minor changes. Data from the DIR procedure is published on a monthly basis.
Timing: complete.
Action 2.2
RoSPA to build on and progress further improvements to the Water Incident Database (WAID) system to ensure data can be shared quickly, securely and in real time.
Lead Organisation(s): RoSPA
Status: Further development of the WAID system will no longer take place due to unforeseen changes around data sharing agreements and changing circumstances among key stakeholder organisations. The live DIR procedure, as outlined in Action 2.1, also supersedes this action.
Timing: complete
Action 2.3
Police Scotland to feed incident data into the Water Incident Database (WAID).
Lead Organisation: Police Scotland
Status: The update provided for 2023/24 outlined Police Scotland’s preference to input incident data into the DIR process instead of the WAID. Police Scotland continue to input into the DIR process. Processes have now been introduced to enable emergency partners to input and lead the DIR process as part of business as usual activity. Therefore for the purposes of reporting on delivery of the Action Plan, this action can be considered complete. However, continued commitment and input is required from all emergency service partners to ensure long-term viability of the DIR procedure and support partners’ ability to learn from and prevent incidents. WSS will continue to support partners to engage with the DIR process.
Timing: complete
Action 2.4
Continue to support and develop Partnership Approach to Water Safety (PAWS) Groups to collate and utilise relevant data from stakeholders to develop comprehensive local approaches to drowning prevention.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland, RNLI, SFRS, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, COSLA and SOLACE
Status: PAWS Groups are now active across all local authorities in Scotland. Over 2023/24 WSS consulted PAWS Groups and partners to reconsolidate support and now all PAWS groups receive direct support from a WSS Steering Group member. Following a review, PAWS Groups are now chaired by a representative from the emergency services or the WSS Steering Group to ensure fairness. The PAWS guidance was updated to reflect these developments along with direction setting and resources for use. PAWS Groups will continue to be supported and developed as part of business as usual activity. Therefore for the purposes of reporting on delivery of the Action Plan, this action can be considered complete.
Timing: complete
Action 2.5
Scottish Ambulance Service to analyse water incident data to identify hotspot areas and review current location of water assets.
Lead Organisation(s): Scottish Ambulance Service
Status: Scottish Ambulance Service have increased their engagement with the DIR process and are considering where in the Service this process best fits. As outlined in Action 2.3, processes have now been introduced to enable emergency partners to input and lead the DIR process as part of business as usual activity. Therefore, for the purposes of reporting on delivery of the Action Plan, this action can be considered complete. However, continued commitment and input is required from all emergency service partners to ensure long-term viability of the DIR procedure and support partners’ ability to learn from and prevent incidents. WSS will continue to support partners to engage with the DIR process.
Timing: complete.
Action 2.6
RoSPA to analyse WAID data to identify hotspot areas and provide information to SFRS to utilise across Scotland and use this to implement action plans for these areas through the creation of PAWS groups.
Lead Organisation(s): SFRS and RoSPA
Status: WAID data was analysed to identify the highest risk locations for accidental water-related fatalities. This informed the reconsolidation in support to PAWS groups as outlined at action 2.4. SFRS have also created a total of 61 Hotspot Action Plans in high-risk areas across Scotland.
Additionally, RoSPA along with other partners such as LLTNPA continue to promote the need for local authorities to have a policy on water safety/drowning prevention and over 2024 ran drop in sessions for local authorities to access support and advice on developing a policy.
Timing: complete.
Action 2.7
His Majesty’s Coastguard (HMCG) to share intelligence with all Scottish Local Authorities on incident trends to allow more targeted and responsive mitigations to be put in place.
Lead Organisation(s): HMCG
Status: HMCG continue to share intelligence with local authorities as part of business as usual activity.
Timing: complete.
Action 2.8
Collate data on water sports participation in Scotland to identify emerging/new sports and changing behaviour in relation to water sports participation and subsequent requirements for awareness-raising and training to reflect this.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland and sportscotland
Status: sportscotland and WSS continue to work together to promote safety around water-based activities, particularly for activities which have high participation rates. This action has now become part of business as usual activity.
Timing: complete.
Outcome three: awareness raising
We agree to enhance existing activity around raising awareness of the dangers of water and all aspects of water safety, notably through engagement and support of Water Safety Scotland; and we agree to promote appropriately consistent signage and ensure that it is correctly positioned.
Action 3.1
Deliver enhanced educational resources.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: Education assets are available for school-based learning.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.1 (a)
Develop and roll out a national educational resource on water safety for each educational level on water safety.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland and Education Scotland
Status: Water safety resources were developed over 2022/23 for each educational level. Over 2023/24 the education resources were fully evaluated by Abertay University and a final report on their evaluation is due by the end of Summer 2025.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.1(b)
Develop progression pathway, lesson plans and supporting guidance to aid practitioners in water safety teaching and learning.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: A workshop was completed on Tombstoning due to the popularity of the activity and an increasing number of incidents in local areas. A new resource on this, which was co-developed by partners and young people, is available for teachers and external practitioners in local areas to use. Any further educational content will developed if informed by evidence need.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.1(c)
Create Scotland-specific video resources.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: Activity specific safety videos have been completed on: angling, stand up paddleboarding, open water swimming, kayaking/canoeing and diving. A surfing video is due to complete for summer 2025.
Timing: complete.
Action: 3.1 (d)
Encourage young people to experience being safe in open water environments.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland
Status: WSS continue to promote the Experiential Learning Guidance for partners and PAWS groups. This document was released on 19 March 2024 and can be accessed on the Water Safety Scotland website.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.2
Develop and promote consistent public safety messaging on water safety and drowning prevention in advance of spring and summer 2022.
Lead Organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland, with all stakeholders as appropriate.
Status:The Water Safety Code continues to be the main public safety message promoted across Scotland on water safety and drowning prevention. This asset is promoted by all WSS partner agencies.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.3
Put in place a programme of pop-up water safety events during 2022 at key sites in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park to promote water safety and drowning prevention.
Lead Organisation(s): Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (LLTNPA)
Status: LLTNPA continue to promote the WSS Water Safety Code and advice by hosting regular pop-up events between April and September in the National Park. Rangers continue to provide advice whilst undertaking shoreline patrols and the Boat Team escort loch users back to shore if personal floatation devices are not on board vessels.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.4
Undertake an audit of existing water safety signage in Scotland to facilitate the delivery of a consistent, effective approach.
Lead Organisation(s): RoSPA, RNLI, SCSN and Water Safety Scotland
Status: Signage was successfully piloted in four areas across Scotland: East Ayrshire, Loch Lomond, Loch Ken and Renfrewshire. The results from the research were consolidated into a WSS Signage Guidance document which was released in 2024 along with guidance on Unique Location Codes (ULCs). This document was issued to landowners and PAWS Group areas and is available on the WSS website. The guidance continues to be promoted by WSS and used.
Timing: complete
Action 3.5
Compile a list of Scottish beaches and carry out an audit of public rescue equipment and signage to help identify suitable control measures to prevent injury and drowning.
Lead organisation(s): RNLI
Status: RNLI has completed the process and results of previous Beach Risk Assessments have been provided to the landowner or local authority who had made the request. Currently the RNLI is no longer facilitating new risk assessment requests but advise land owners and local authority appropriate agencies that are able to facilitate requests. Following the risk assessment request, the RNLI serve in an advisory capacity for identifying suitable control measures such as signage or public rescue equipment in line with guidelines from WSS and partnership agencies.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.6
Undertake a two year programme to review signage and security at the most popular reservoirs in Scotland.
Lead organisation(s): Scottish Water, including Police Scotland
Status: Scottish Water continues to implement its ‘Enabling Access’ project, and develop interventions to address the most problematic anti-social behaviours, including fires, camping, swimming, parking and littering.
During 2024/25 Scottish Water developed partnerships via local PARC and PAWS groups, joint patrols with Police and Fire Services are planned at two reservoirs to focus visitor engagements in relation to water and fire safety. Secondary school visits have also been co-ordinated with Fire and Police with messages specifically relating to Water Safety.
Scottish Water has created an online app to conduct site safety inspections at priority sites, allowing hazards to be recorded, prioritised and resolved.
Signage at Gladhouse has not been installed due to ongoing Capital Investment works, but this is planned to progress in 2025/26. Interpretation signage has been installed at Mugdock and Craigmaddie Reservoirs (Milngavie), and Carron Valley Reservoir. The signage includes site specific Water Safety messaging, along with promotion of Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC), site history and biodiversity. There are plans to install signage at further sites during 2025/26, which will follow a consistent style, creating a uniform approach across Scottish Water sites.
Timing: ongoing to 2025.
Action 3.7
Erect signage at popular hotspots in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
Lead organisation(s): Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
Status: LLTNPA participated in the WSS pilot signage project and successfully installed ULCs on existing signage. LLTNPA's regular weekly inspection regime ensures that any missing equipment or vandalism is reported swiftly and replaced immediately.
Timing: complete.
Action 3.8
Carry out a review of water safety and drowning prevention arrangements across all canals and destinations to deliver a consistent and proportionate approach to help identify measures (including signage, public rescue equipment and communications) that will reduce the likelihood of drownings on our waterways.
Lead organisation(s): Scottish Canals
Status: Scottish Canals own 19 reservoirs and are seeking to align their work to WSS guidance as well as activity by LLTNP and Scottish Water. Scottish Canals are planning to review all their waterways via a new process that will focus on a visitor/public risk management approach. Areas of high-risk and those highlighted by DIRs will be prioritised. The expected output is for each of the 208 kilometre lengths owned by Scottish Canals to be risk assessed with appropriate controls put in place.
Timing: ongoing.
Action 3.9
Promote water safety partnership working.
Lead organisation(s): RoSPA and Water Safety Scotland
Status: Over 2024/2025 WSS continued to promote partnership working through various successful events. This included a PAWS webinar, an annual information exchange event with partners, a parliamentary event to mark 10 years of WSS and a World Drowning Prevention Day at Lomond Shores which attracted over 3,600 visitors.
Timing: complete.
Outcome four - skills training
We will review what core skills are required for the general population and for specific groups and agree our role in developing and improving these skills.
Action 4.1
Deliver the ‘Waterside Responders’ course to those who live or work near water to train the public on the use of water-related public rescue equipment.
Lead organisation(s): RNLI and SFRS, supported by Water Safety Scotland.
Status: WSS are currently unable to support the Waterside Responders course however other similar schemes, such as RLSS UK’s accredited course, are currently being suggested to partners as alternatives if enquiries are received.
Timing: complete.
Action 4.2
Develop practical lifesaving provision across Scotland, including lifesaving training.
Lead organisation(s): RLSS
Status: RLSS UK has been working to promote the WSS Water Safety Code in their messaging as well as the promotion of WSS educational assets. RLSS UK also plans to work with Scottish Swimming towards introducing a Lifesaving module for all Scottish swimming coaches as part of their accredited Aquapark scheme. This action has now become part of business as usual activity.
Timing: complete.
Action 4.3
Promote quality learn to swim programmes.
Lead organisation(s): Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water
Status: The Learn to Swim National Framework (a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water) continues to work to create ‘Generation Swim’, a generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer. The Framework supports the 38 National Learn to Swim Framework partners across Scotland to create inclusive, supportive, and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level. The national programme delivered locally reaches 83,777 children and adults per week in 167 pools. The Learn to Swim Framework includes valuable water safety lessons, links and reference to the WSS Water Safety Code. Promoting quality learn to swim programmes forms part of business as usual activity.
Timing: complete.
Action 4.4
School swimming provision.
Lead organisation(s): Scottish Swimming, sportscotland, Scottish Water, local authorities.
Status: Scottish Swimming, through the support of sportscotland and Scottish Water, have developed and launched the new National Primary School Swimming Framework. WSS have been engaged and consistent messaging is being delivered. Scottish Swimming are also engaging with Scottish Government to secure investment to implement a phased national roll out of the programme. This action forms part of business as usual activity for partners.
Timing: complete.
Action 4.5
Explore the scope for designated ‘safe swimming’ locations in Scotland.
Lead organisation(s): RLSS
Status: This action is now closed due to not being a viable option.
Timing: complete.
Outcome five: response to incidents
We have more effective and proactive preparations for responding to incidents; and have considered the most effective collaborative approach to resource distribution, alert notification, rapid mobilisation and location identification.
Action 5.1
Explore potential to develop a Search and Rescue Water Safety Subgroup focussed on emergency response to water safety incidents.
Lead organisation(s): Water Safety Scotland, SFRS, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service and HM Coastguard
Status: The Search and Rescue Subgroup has been fully running with an active workplan. A smaller 'Blue light' Control Room working group was also set up to take forward specific actions related to the Water Safety Workshop Evaluation Report. As of May 2025, the need for the Search and Rescue Subgroup to continue is being investigated.
Timing: complete.
Action 5.2
Emergency responders to identify any areas of improvement and joint training requirements.
Lead organisation(s): SFRS, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service and HM Coastguard
Status: This action has now become part of business as usual activity as national training exercises by emergency responders are expected to take place annually.
Timing: complete.
Action 5.3
Review the ‘Multi Agency Incident Response Guidance’ (MAIRG) for Loch Lomond in advance of summer 2022 to ensure protocols are consistent and effective.
Lead organisation(s): Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
Status: The WSS MAIRG guidance was released in 2024 and is available online for use by PAWS groups and emergency services in their local areas. LLTNPA's digital MAIRG launched in summer 2024 and as per the guidance has led to Public Rescue Equipment at Loch Lomond now featuring Unique Location Codes to aid emergency response to calls from the public.
Timing: complete.
Action 5.4
Undertake training exercises on alert notification, rapid mobilisation and response.
Lead organisation(s): Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park/PAWS (led by PAWS, supported by LLTNPA)
Status: As this action forms part of business as usual activity for members, for the purposes of reporting on delivery of the Action Plan it can be considered complete. Further information on national training exercises is available at action 5.2. SFRS and RoSPA (on behalf of WSS) also published guidance to support areas run local exercises in 2024.
LLTNPA continue to monitor incidents and response call out protocols along with the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat. The online digital MAIRG, created in 2024, assists the overview team with logistics for emergency call outs.
Timing: complete.
Action 5.5
Ongoing review of the nature, number and deployment of incident response and of rescue equipment.
Lead organisation(s): all Search & Rescue stakeholders
Status: As this action forms part of business as usual activity for members, for the purposes of reporting on delivery of the Action Plan it can be considered complete. SFRS and RoSPA, on behalf of WSS, have led the creation of a Unique Location Code (ULC) guidance document which was released in 2024. This followed four areas successfully trialling updated signage and ULCs (East Ayrshire, Loch Ken, Renfrewshire, and the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park) to bring consistency to safety signage and Public Rescue Equipment throughout Scotland. The ULCs have been passed to the relevant SAR control rooms for their systems.
Timing: complete.
Action 5.6
Support to local Search and Rescue Committees in all coastal areas of Scotland.
Lead organisation(s): HM Coastguard
Status: Local Search and Rescue Committees have disbanded due to being superseded by local PAWS groups.
Timing: complete.
Contact
Email: contactus@gov.scot