- Ambulance service
Inter-County Ambulance Services Limited
Assessment report published 13 October 2026
Contents
Ratings - Emergency and urgent care
Our view of the service
This assessment was a comprehensive short notice inspection of the urgent and emergency care service.
At our previous comprehensive inspection in June 2019, we rated the service as requires improvement. Following this inspection, the overall rating has remained requires improvement. At the June 2019 inspection, we did not rate the caring domain; however, at this inspection, caring was rated good.
The service delivered individualised care that maintained people’s privacy and dignity. The ambulance vehicles were clean and well equipped, with all vehicles having pressure mattresses. Transport journeys were usually booked on the day of travel, and the office team would allocate journeys according to the trained staff available. For more complex high dependency journeys the person being transported would usually also be accompanied by hospital staff.
However, we identified 4 breaches of regulations, relating to safeguarding, safe care and treatment, governance and premises and equipment.
The service did not have effective systems and processes to consistently protect people from abuse and improper treatment. Potential risks to people’s health, safety and welfare were not always appropriately assessed, monitored or mitigated when identified. There was a lack of robust clinical oversight of medicines management. Governance systems and auditing processes were not effective in identifying or addressing areas requiring improvement. In addition, the service premises were not maintained to appropriate standards of cleanliness.
People's experience of this service
People who used the service provided consistently positive feedback, although it was not possible to determine whether the feedback related to the patient transport or emergency urgent care service. We reviewed feedback published on online review platforms and found 44 reviews, with an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0.
Reviews described staff as calm, reassuring and compassionate during people's transfers. People also expressed appreciation for the care and consideration shown to vulnerable individuals, including those living with dementia.
Following the on-site inspection, we received feedback from 5 people who had used the service to transport their spouse or relative. All feedback was positive. People described the service as "brilliant" and said that "every member of the team is amazing". One person told us, "The difference they make to patients and their families is immeasurable, and their kindness is genuinely appreciated."