We found that the provider had faced challenges with an unexpected level of patient journeys when the hospital contract for Barts Health NHS trust started on 1st June 2014. The Provider had responded to this situation by recruiting extra staff and providing additional resources.
There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. Staff were given adequate training and they felt well supported.
The inspection team included two inspectors. We gathered evidence against the one outcome we inspected, to assess the safety and suitability of premises and found the service was safe.
This is a summary of what we found.
Ambulances were clean and appeared well-maintained with no serious accident damage evident. Equipment had been serviced appropriately. There were adequate supplies of consumables, for example dressings and protective clothing and these were within their use-by dates. This showed the provider had taken steps to provide care in an environment that was adequately maintained.
All vehicles were subject to a 'deep clean' every 45 days. When we spoke with ambulance staff they confirmed vehicles were cleaned after use each day with additional 'spot' cleaning undertaken to deal with any spillages or soiling during use. We saw the provider's infection control policies and procedures included information on how to maintain a clean and hygienic environment. This showed the provider had taken steps to provide care in an environment that was clean and hygienic and provided protection for patients from the risks associated with cross-infection.
We were shown the current computer based system for recording key information about each vehicle. This provided the basic information required to monitor routine maintenance and cleaning. The provider was in the process of introducing a more robust system for recording routine daily preparation records at the start of shifts and 'closing down' records at the end of shifts. These were not yet fully in place.