Archived: OMNI Healthcare Limited

Updated 4 August 2016

Omni Healthcare is an independent ambulance service providing patient transport services and medical cover for public and private events. Omni Healthcare is based in Hertfordshire.

The Registered Manager is Mr Peter Thorpe; has been with the company since April 2014.

We undertook the inspection on 16 November 2015 following suspension of the service on 16 September 2016.

We inspected, but have not rated, elements of three of the five core standards including, safety, effectiveness and well-led.

Updated 4 August 2016

We carried out a focused unannounced inspection on 16 November 2015, to review Omni Healthcare’s arrangements for the safe transport and treatment of patients following the suspension of their service on 16 September 2015.

As this was a focused inspection, we did not inspect every key line of enquiry under the five key questions.

Are services safe at this service

Arrangements for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children had improved, with evidence of staff completing safeguarding training to ensure competency in recognising potential safeguarding concerns.

Risk assessments in relation to building and fire safety had been completed.

Security arrangements for equipment and vehicles were suitable and ensured that emergency equipment and compressed gas was not accessible to anyone not employed by the service or at risk of being tampered with.

All equipment had been serviced and safety checked to ensure its suitability for use.

Are services effective at this service

We did not consider this as part of the inspection.

Are services caring at this service

This was a responsive inspection and we did not consider this as part of the inspection.

Are services responsive at this service

This was a responsive inspection and we did not consider this as part of the inspection.

Are services well led at this service

A range of policies and procedures had been introduced by the provider to ensure safe working practices were in place.

Staff were aware of these polices and where to locate them if needed. Governance arrangements to monitor and ensure quality had been introduced; due to the short timescale since previous inspections we could not see the longevity of these quality measures.

We found that the service had introduced more effective recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff were appointed following a check of their suitability and experience for their role.

Professor Sir Mike Richards

Chief Inspector of Hospitals

Updated 4 August 2016

We found that there were recently introduced systems regarding the management of risks and quality of patient care and treatment in the service. There were governance arrangements in place to evaluate the safety and quality of the service and improve delivery. However, these had recently been introduced and as the service had been suspended since 16 September 2015 there had been no opportunity for most of these systems to be utilised.

A lack of monitoring and audits meant that the quality and performance of services were not assessed to ensure correct processes were understood by staff, applied in practice and patients were not put at risk. Senior managers had some oversight of the risks to patient safety and the quality of services delivered.

The service had implemented recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff were appointed following a check of their suitability and experience for their role, together with pre-employment checks. However, as the service had been suspended and very few staff were currently employed, there had been limited opportunities to put the recruitment procedures into practice.

We found that staff training systems and records had been put into place. There was evidence that all casual staff had attended appropriate training for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. There were no substantive, front line staff in employment at the time of our inspection. The only frontline staff were on a bank of staff used on an as needed basis.

Policies, risk management and control systems, including audit plans, were in place, but had not been tested as the service was not in operation.

There were plans to implement appraisals and clinical supervision.

Equipment was managed to ensure it was accurate and safe for use. Security of vehicles and the storage of equipment inside had improved.

Infection control procedures had improved, with personal protective equipment (PPE) and spill kits available on all vehicles and regular deep cleans scheduled. Some practices including disposal of clinical waste were not in line with national guidance.

Equipment was managed to ensure it was accurate and safe for use. Security of vehicles and the storage of equipment inside had improved.