• Ambulance service

Archived: Eddymed Ambulance Service

56 Farnham Walk, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 6LQ 07984 265655

Provided and run by:
Mr. Edward Cresswell

All Inspections

19 February and 13, 20 March and 1 April 2014

During a routine inspection

We spoke with people who used the service and two members of staff. People told us they were happy with the care and treatment they received from Eddymed Ambulance Service (EAS). One person told us 'They do well what they do. They turn up when they say they will, they look and act professional.' However we found that treatment records were not always kept up to date. This showed that care and treatment was not always planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare.

People told us they had no concerns regarding cleanliness and infection control. They said vehicles were clean and EAS staff always wore gloves when delivering treatment.

People who had used the service told us they had no concerns about the safety and availability of equipment. One person told us 'He's got the right equipment with him; I'd say it was all up to date proper kit.' However we found that some equipment had not received regular maintenance and treatment bags contained out of date equipment including sterile dressings. This showed that people were not protected from unsafe or unsuitable equipment because the provider failed to ensure regular checks of equipment were carried out.

People we spoke with did not comment on recruitment practices. We saw that the provider had appropriate policies in place for recruitment of staff, however these were not always followed. Staff records showed that appropriate background checks had not always been carried out for all staff.

People told us they had an opportunity to give informal feedback regarding the experiences of the service. We did not see evidence that formal assessment of the service took place. The provider did not have an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.