Marches Ambulance Service

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good.

People and communities were at the centre of how care was planned and delivered. Health and care needs of people and communities were understood, and they were involved in planning care that met their needs. People could access care in ways that met their personal circumstances and protected equality characteristics.

We have not awarded this service a score for Responsive.

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

The service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Records showed patients and their loved ones were involved in planning and making decisions about their care and treatment, to ensure it was centred around them and their needs. Records showed staff provided information to ensure patients understood their condition, care and treatment options (including any associated risks) and any advice provided.

Marches Ambulance service made reasonable adjustments for patients where necessary for example bariatric trollies and bariatric wheelchairs, information in different languages and information suitable for people with a learning disability which could be secured. Ambulances were accessible for all, promoting patients’ independence whilst acknowledging they may require assistance. We saw examples how staff had supported patients to make decisions about their care and treatment in relation to drug and alcohol intake.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people. Care provision was inclusive and the complexity of care was a key consideration of the service which included staff qualifications and experience vehicles, equipment and available medicines to support care needs.

There was continuity in people’s care and treatment due to services being flexible and joined-up with other services such as NHS urgent care departments.

The service provided event cover under a service level agreement contract, for example at local football clubs, horse racing and other equestrian events and music festivals. The contract agreed availability of staff, vehicles and equipment and ensured they met the needs of people who attended these events and may require treatment and conveyance to hospital. If people required further treatment they may be transported to the closest hospital with an urgent and emergency care department or be signposted to other services such as their GP.

The service provided appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Information was available about the care and treatment they had received. A discharge information leaflet was given to patients who were seen during events who did not require transporting to hospital. The leaflet had detailed information about actions to take such as continuing to take their usual medicines and actions to take if their symptoms worsened. Information was also provided for patients who went to hospital by their own transport

There were arrangements in place to ensure communication was clear, respectful, person-centred, and supported supporting compliance with regulations.

Marches Ambulance Service complied with the NHS Accessible Information Standard (SCCI1605) to ensure all patients; their representatives and staff could communicate effectively and understood the information shared with them.

The patient record system included a field for “communication needs” to ensure any adaptations were recorded and shared with receiving services. Information showed staff identified, recorded communication and information needs at the point of patient contact, adapting methods accordingly. Examples included: All operational vehicles carried a multi-lingual emergency aid phrase book, allowing staff to communicate effectively with patients who had limited English. Patient leaflets were written in plain English and available in large print on request. Staff received mandatory training in learning disability awareness, equality and diversity, and Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty (DoLS), enabling them to recognise and overcome communication barriers.

Welfare officers and team leads were trained to support staff in communicating effectively with neurodivergent or vulnerable patients.

Managers made notifications to external bodies as needed for example safeguarding teams.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care. The service had a complaints policy which identified actions required and told them what had changed as a result.

The service had systems in place to collect patient feedback, which included both compliments and complaints to reinforce what they did well and what they needed to improve.

The service had a complaints policy which identified actions within identified timescales required when a complaint was received. There had been 1 complaint since the change in Marches Ambulance registration at the current location. We reviewed the response to the complaint and found all required actions within the required timescales had been undertaken. The complaint was reviewed and investigated by senior leaders including the medical director. This was scheduled for discussion during the next clinical governance meeting, which was held in November 2025. Whilst the complaint was not upheld learning was identified and was shared anonymously with all staff.

Staff told us they gave patients they treated with a feedback form with information how to make a complaint. We spoke with 2 patients who confirmed staff had given a feedback form with details of how they could make a complaint should they wish to.

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People could access care, treatment and support in a way that worked for them, which promoted equality, removes barriers or delays and protected their rights.

Marches Ambulance Service ensured equitable access to care with appropriately equipped vehicles and trained personnel. All vehicles were fitted with a paediatric harness system a specialist safety belt to keep children safe). Ambulances had equipment and adaptations to enable people with limited mobility to access the ambulance and be secure. One ambulance had a bariatric (larger than the normal) reinforced stretcher and a winch to assist with safe patient handling. A bariatric wheelchair was also available.

Staff received induction training which covered the correct use of all accessibility adaptations, with ongoing continuing professional development to reinforce safe and inclusive care practices. These measures ensured patients with mobility or accessibility needs were safely and comfortably accommodated during transport and treatment, supporting consistent and equitable access to care and treatment.

No regulated activities take place on-site however. should someone need to access the premises it was accessible to those with limited mobility with a flat entrance, lack of step access, and a ground floor toilet. There was a passenger lift between ground and first floor. Car parking facilities were available for Marches Ambulance Service staff along the side of the building.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

The service complied with legal equality and human rights requirements, including avoiding discrimination, having regard to the needs of people with different protected characteristics and making reasonable adjustments to support equity in experience and outcomes.

Leaders and staff were alerted to discrimination and inequality that could disadvantage different groups of people in accessing care, treatment and support, whether this was from wider society, or within organisational processes and culture or from individuals.

Information provided demonstrated processes which supported equal opportunities for an inclusive and diverse workforce. The equality and diversity policy was the framework for the organisation to support a diverse workforce underpinning other human resources policies such as recruitment.

Staff and leaders, we spoke with told us the service valued diversity in their workforce and worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for its staff.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

People were supported to make informed choices about their care and plan their future care while they have the capacity to do so. Staff create personalised care plans to account for the patient’s needs, wishes and feelings.

People’s decisions and what matters to them were delivered through personalised care plans that are shared with others who may need to be informed.

Staff supported patients to make decisions about their care and treatment. For example, signposting them to further non urgent treatment such as drug and alcohol services.

Staff ensured all relevant healthcare professionals and other relevant bodies were involved in planning the care and treatment of people with complex needs. When a patient required urgent care and transportation to hospital.