HTG-UK East – Norwich

Updated 26 March 2026

An unannounced comprehensive inspection of HTG East – Norwich was conducted on 9 and 23 September 2025, focusing on non-emergency and high dependency patient transport services. This was the provider’s first assessment, prompted by concerns raised by external stakeholders and staff.

The service was rated "Inadequate", with 3 regulatory breaches identified in the areas of safe care and treatment, staffing and governance.

Key Findings:

Triangulated evidence from observations, interviews, records and data showed that the provider and leadership did not ensure the structures, oversight and resources needed for staff to deliver a consistently safe and effective service. Staff were not provided with an embedded framework, support or information required to reliably meet people’s needs.

Key risks, including cleanliness and infection prevention and control, continuity of care and staffing, were not reliably identified, escalated or addressed at a provider level. Control room processes did not consistently capture or share essential information, meaning frontline staff did not always have the detail required to plan for safety. Incident reviews did not consistently lead to learning or system improvement.

Care was not routinely assessed, planned or monitored in line with people’s needs due to gaps in pathways, tools and provider oversight. Person‑centred practice was inconsistently embedded, and coordination across teams was variable, resulting in transitions that were not always safe or well managed.

People did not always experience care that upheld dignity, empathy or responsive support. Variation in staff practice reflected limited supervision, insufficient access to clinical support and staffing constraints, rather than individual staff performance.

Leadership did not consistently promote an open or collaborative culture. Leaders were not always receptive to concerns. Although policies and systems were in place, they were not consistently implemented, monitored or resourced, including the level of clinical support and staffing required to deliver safe care. As a result, people and staff did not consistently feel listened to or confident that concerns would lead to improvement.

Overall, the inspection identified systemic shortfalls that placed people at risk and did not meet the standards of a safe or well‑led service.

Updated 29 January 2026

We carried out an unannounced inspection of HTG East – Norwich on 9 and 23 September 2025. We looked at non-emergency patient transport services and high dependency services.

This was the provider’s first inspection. It was a comprehensive inspection and was conducted in response to risks identified and shared by external providers and staff members.

We rated the service as Inadequate. We found 3 breaches of the regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, staffing and governance.

Staff did not always assess risks to people's health and safety or mitigate them where identified. Governance systems and audits were not effective in addressing areas for improvement. Governance processes were not fully developed or effective.

The service did not demonstrate a good learning culture. Incidents were not consistently recorded or investigated appropriately. People were not always protected and kept safe. Staff did not always have the right skills, qualifications and experience to deliver safe and effective care. The facilities and equipment did not always meet the needs of people and were not always clean.

Leaders and staff did not have a shared vision. Staff did not always feel supported by leaders. Leaders were not always visible and knowledgeable. Leaders did not understand their roles and responsibilities.

However,

Staff worked with partners involved in people’s care. Staff did have clear systems and processes to check consent was obtained appropriately.

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion and protected their privacy and dignity.