North West Medical Solutions Ltd

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• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant patient’s outcomes were consistently good, and patient’s feedback confirmed this.

We looked for evidence that patients and communities had the best possible outcomes because their needs were assessed. We checked that patient’s care, support and treatment reflected these needs and any protected equality characteristics, ensuring patients were at the centre of their care. Where people needed additional support, such as when they were confused or unable to express their needs, staff used visual tools or step‑by‑step communication to assess their condition safely. We also looked for evidence that leaders instilled a culture of improvement, where understanding current outcomes and exploring best practice was part of their everyday work.

We have not awarded this service a score for Effective.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Effective.

The service usually made sure patient’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the service made sure patient’s care and treatment was effective.

For patient transport service (PTS) transfers, the provider followed a structured approach to ensure care was safe, coordinated and responsive. Upon referral, staff completed an initial assessment to understand the person’s clinical needs, drawing on relevant medical records, current health conditions and any discharge or care‑planning information. This ensured staff had a clear understanding of the patient’s requirements before transport, including whether any specialist equipment, handling techniques or additional staffing were needed, for example, when transporting a bariatric patient, where weight limits, safe moving and handling considerations and additional crew support were required.

Based on this assessment, staff developed an individualised plan tailored to the person’s needs. This included identifying whether the journey required non‑urgent transport alone or additional clinical oversight and support. Care planned was designed to ensure that any risks during transfer were anticipated and managed appropriately, and that staff had the information and resources necessary to deliver safe, person‑centred care throughout the journey.

Contact with people using the service was tracked from the point of initial referral, and this supported staff to meet individuals’ communication needs. Staff used the online system to record patient information at the time of any incident or interaction, ensuring records were contemporaneous and accurate.

Staff shared key information to keep patients safe when handing over their care to others. They knew what journeys they were to undertake in advance.

Patients told us they were comfortable during journeys and transfers. Staff took account of patient’s communication needs, particularly those with disabilities and with a sensory loss. They also took account of cultural and social needs when planning patient related transport activities.

The service usually planned and delivered patient’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. Staff did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the service planned and delivered patient’s care and treatment.

The service followed national clinical guidance and statutory regulatory requirements. Staff used guidance on patient transport safety and scope of practice to guide them.

Crew staff used a mobile phone handset to receive information about the patient journeys assigned to them. They could view the patient’s details, including any specific needs. This included important information such as a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) order or whether the patient needed oxygen.

NWMS provides planned, non-urgent patient transport. Planned journeys are scheduled around appointment times, with return transport arranged once patients are clinically ready.

Staff followed up-to-date policies to plan and deliver high quality. All policies we looked at contained a creation and review date, and clear references to current national guidelines. There were systems to communicate changes in guidance through meetings and management newsletters.

On longer journeys, staff made sure patients had access to drinks and food, if necessary.

The service usually worked well across teams and services to support patient. Staff made sure patient only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when patient moved between different services.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the staff, teams and services worked together.

Staff supported each other to provide good care and a quality service. Staff told us they had effective working relationships. Information was shared between teams and services to ensure continuity of care.

The patient report form (PRF) was completed for peoples’ individual journeys, regardless of the clinical complexity of the case. The PRF captured key information including the patient assessment, details of any care provided, and confirmation of any legal documentation reviewed, where this was relevant. It also recorded any deterioration, incidents or concerns identified during the journey, as well as full handover information at the receiving destination. This approach supported continuity of care, ensured governance oversight, and enabled effective audit and organisational learning.

Staff described positive relationships with managers, clinical leads and external partners, and we saw examples where staff and leaders adjusting planning to meet people’s needs safely.

The service generally supported patients to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported patients to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the service supported patients to manage their health and wellbeing.

Staff had access to internal wellbeing resources, including information about mental health, exercise and lifestyle, which they could use when signposting people during transport or events.

The service monitored patient’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. Staff ensured outcomes were positive and consistent, and they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of patient themselves.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the service monitored patient’s care and treatment to continuously improve it.

The service monitored the effectiveness of care through regular audits and governance processes. Managers audited patient records, infection control, vehicles and equipment checks. Findings were reviewed in governance meetings, and action trackers showed how learning was followed through, such as improvements to equipment checking processes, clearer documentation and training.

The service told patient about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The main type of service delivered by NWMS was emergency or urgent care, for our detailed findings refer to the emergency and urgent care service (EUC) report for further information about how the service told patients about their rights around consent.

Staff followed the service’s policies on consent and understood how to obtain verbal and written consent before providing care or treatment. People who used the service told us that staff explained what they were doing and asked for consent before giving care or treatment. Staff received training in the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) as part of mandatory safeguarding training.

Administrative staff flagged any capacity issues with patients at the booking stage.

Staff used accessible communication methods, including pictorial resources, step‑by‑step explanations and involving family members or carers when appropriate. Staff followed policy and only shared information with others when the person had given permission or when necessary for safety