Recommendation 8: HM Coastguard should amend its existing policies to incorporate the need to provide more comprehensive advice about survivability to people in distress at sea. HMCG Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were reviewed and updated in May 2024, providing assurance that they align to internationally recognised requirements contained within the IMO’s IAMSAR Manual. The standard operating procedure covers factors that may affect survivability, predicting survival times, information and characteristics on hypothermia and heat stress. These are available to staff through an online management system, which hosts operational detail, procedure, process, and training content. This information is easily accessible, and the information is shared and cascaded across teams for consistency. SOPs are regularly reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis to keep up to date with both internal and international developments, lessons learned and international best practice and guidance. For example, regular operation standards and performance reviews and operational learning reviews help to ensure that SOPs and guidance remain up to date. When updates are made to a SOP these are listed in an operational update message for officers to see on the front page of the Coastguard Information Portal, alerting them to the update. Updates are reflected in CPD and exercises, as well as being highlighted through participation in reviews and the reports from these.