The Care Quality Commission
  • Ambulance service

Marches Ambulance Service

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

First floor, Benedict Court, Leominster, HR6 0QF (01568) 605110

Provided and run by:
Marches Group Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment of Patient transport services

This was the first assessment of Marches Ambulance Service patient transport service which we rated as good.

The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Patient areas which included ambulances were clean well equipped and well maintained. Staff assessed and managed risks to patients and themselves well. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

Staff assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed patients’ needs in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice. Staff worked together and with others and appropriately to provide continuity of care.

Staff cared for patients and each other in a way that exceeded expectations and fully respected their privacy and dignity. The culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues as they were treated in the same manner.

Patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Services were tailored to meet patients' needs in a way that ensured choice, timely and equitable access without discrimination and continuity of care. There were appropriate systems in place to enable patients to share feedback or raise complaints about their care and treatment. Staff made reasonable adjustments where required and listened to patients’ concerns to improve the service.

Managers and leaders were caring and compassionate and had the skills and abilities to run the service. Managers promoted a positive and supportive culture and valued staff. The service had a vision and strategy for what it wanted to achieve and appropriate plans to achieve it. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. There were appropriate systems to manage performance. Risks were identified and escalated, and actions were in place to reduce their impact. There was a culture of continuous improvement.

However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.

During an assessment of Urgent and emergency services

Marches Ambulance service provides urgent and emergency and urgent care services.

This was the first assessment of Marches Ambulance Service urgent and emergency care services which we rated as good.

The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Patient areas which included ambulances were clean well equipped and well maintained. Staff assessed and managed risks to patients and themselves well. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

Staff assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed patients’ needs in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice. Staff worked together and with others and appropriately to provide continuity of care.

Staff cared for patients and each other in a way that met their expectations and fully respected their privacy and dignity. The culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues as they were treated in the same manner.

Patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Services were tailored to meet patients' needs in a way that ensured choice, timely and equitable access without discrimination and continuity of care. There were appropriate systems in place to enable patients to share feedback or raise complaints about their care and treatment. Staff made reasonable adjustments where required and listened to patients’ concerns to improve the service.

Managers and leaders were caring and compassionate and had the skills and abilities to run the service. Managers promoted a positive and supportive culture and valued staff. The service had a vision and strategy for what it wanted to achieve and appropriate plans to achieve it. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. There were appropriate systems to manage performance. Risks were identified and escalated, and actions were in place to reduce their impact. There was a culture of continuous improvement.

However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.

During an assessment of Patient transport services

This was the first assessment of Marches Ambulance Service patient transport service which we rated as good.

The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Patient areas which included ambulances were clean well equipped and well maintained. Staff assessed and managed risks to patients and themselves well. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

Staff assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed patients’ needs in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice. Staff worked together and with others and appropriately to provide continuity of care.

Staff cared for patients and each other in a way that exceeded expectations and fully respected their privacy and dignity. The culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues as they were treated in the same manner.

Patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Services were tailored to meet patients' needs in a way that ensured choice, timely and equitable access without discrimination and continuity of care. There were appropriate systems in place to enable patients to share feedback or raise complaints about their care and treatment. Staff made reasonable adjustments where required and listened to patients’ concerns to improve the service.

Managers and leaders were caring and compassionate and had the skills and abilities to run the service. Managers promoted a positive and supportive culture and valued staff. The service had a vision and strategy for what it wanted to achieve and appropriate plans to achieve it. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. There were appropriate systems to manage performance. Risks were identified and escalated, and actions were in place to reduce their impact. There was a culture of continuous improvement.

However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.

During an assessment of Urgent and emergency services

Marches Ambulance service provides urgent and emergency and urgent care services.

This was the first assessment of Marches Ambulance Service urgent and emergency care services which we rated as good.

The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Patient areas which included ambulances were clean well equipped and well maintained. Staff assessed and managed risks to patients and themselves well. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

Staff assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed patients’ needs in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice. Staff worked together and with others and appropriately to provide continuity of care.

Staff cared for patients and each other in a way that met their expectations and fully respected their privacy and dignity. The culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues as they were treated in the same manner.

Patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Services were tailored to meet patients' needs in a way that ensured choice, timely and equitable access without discrimination and continuity of care. There were appropriate systems in place to enable patients to share feedback or raise complaints about their care and treatment. Staff made reasonable adjustments where required and listened to patients’ concerns to improve the service.

Managers and leaders were caring and compassionate and had the skills and abilities to run the service. Managers promoted a positive and supportive culture and valued staff. The service had a vision and strategy for what it wanted to achieve and appropriate plans to achieve it. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. There were appropriate systems to manage performance. Risks were identified and escalated, and actions were in place to reduce their impact. There was a culture of continuous improvement.

However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.

During an assessment of the hospital overall

Marches Ambulance Service is operated by Marches Group Limited and provides both emergency and urgent care services and patient transport. The service mainly provided first aid and life support training and care and treatment to patients at events where they were discharged at the scene, these activities fall outside the care quality commissions regulatory activity, meaning these activities are considered "non-regulated" or exempt from CQC inspection.

The service has several “event” contracts, which may require them to convey patients to hospital if their physical condition requires it, which is regulated activity. The events covered include sporting events and music festivals. The service also provides pre booked ambulance patient transfers between hospitals, home and other places such as care homes. The service had conveyed 9 patients to hospital and 6 pre booked patient transfers since its new registration in August 2025. The service has a registered manager who had been in post since the service was registered.

The service is registered to provide the following regulated activities:

  • Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely.
  • Treatment of disease, disorder or injury

We assessed this service using our comprehensive methodology. We carried out an announced assessment on 30 October 2025. We gave the service notice that we were coming to inspect to ensure the service was open.

The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Patient areas which included ambulances were clean well equipped and well maintained. Staff assessed and managed risks to patients and themselves well. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

Staff assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed patients’ needs in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice. Staff worked together and with others and appropriately to provide continuity of care.

Staff cared for patients and each other in a way that met their expectations and fully respected their privacy and dignity. The culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues as they were treated in the same manner.

Patients were at the centre of their care and treatment choices. Services were tailored to meet patients' needs in a way that ensured choice, timely and equitable access without discrimination and continuity of care. There were appropriate systems in place to enable patients to share feedback or raise complaints about their care and treatment. Staff made reasonable adjustments where required and listened to patients’ concerns to improve the service.

Managers and leaders were caring and compassionate and had the skills and abilities to run the service. Managers promoted a positive and supportive culture and valued staff. The service had a vision and strategy for what it wanted to achieve and appropriate plans to achieve it. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. There were appropriate systems to manage performance. Risks were identified and escalated, and actions were in place to reduce their impact. There was a culture of continuous improvement.

However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.

During the inspection, we visited Marches Ambulance Service in Leominster. We spoke with 3 staff including managers. Following our onsite inspection, we spoke with 4 staff and 2 patients. During our inspection, we reviewed 3 patient record forms (PRF) of patients who were seen and treated during an event and were then conveyed to hospital by Marches Ambulance Service.