- Ambulance service
Marches Ambulance Service
Assessment report published 23 February 2026
Contents
Ratings - Urgent and emergency services
Our view of the service
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However, we found out of date consumable items which included airway equipment and dressings out of date on both ambulances.
People's experience of this service
People we spoke with said they had a positive experience of the Marches Ambulance Service and said staff were helpful and caring. Patients provided positive feedback within the monthly patient surveys with 96% of patients who responded saying they were satisfied with the service provided.