Supportive SRC Ltd

Updated 7 July 2022

• Supportive SRC Ltd is an independent ambulance service based in Ferryhill, County Durham which provides patient transport services.
• Supportive SRC Ltd also operates a homecare agency from its premises in Ferryhill.
• They are a not for profit charity. The provider has 13 ambulances for patient transport services. The provider has two premises both located in County Durham. One is the administrative base and the other is an office plus a unit for storing vehicles and equipment.
• The service was subcontracted by an NHS ambulance trust to deliver patient transport across the North East. The service also undertook work for two other organisations on an ad hoc basis.
• The service was registered with the CQC in 2016 to provide transport services, triage and medical advice remotely.
• The service has had a registered manager in post since 2016. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage a service. They are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and associated regulations about how a service is managed.
• This was the first time the services had been inspected.

Updated 7 July 2022

We rated it as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• The service met agreed response times. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients and had access to good information.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people and took account of patients’ individual needs. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for transport.
• Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. Staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• Leaders did not have robust governance systems in place to provide assurance that processes were being followed and that performance and risk was managed effectively.
• Leaders needed to improve how they managed compliance by reviewing the way it audited and monitored standards.
• The service had poor feedback systems for patients receiving care.

Updated 7 July 2022