The Care Quality Commission
  • Ambulance service

Archived: Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust

Hanger 7, Hurricane Way, North Weald Airfield, Essex, CM16 6AA

Provided and run by:
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust

All Inspections

6 February 2018 and 13 February 2018

During a routine inspection

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust is operated by Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust. The trust is a charity and provides a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for critically ill and injured patients in Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. A team of pre-hospital doctors and critical care paramedics deliver emergency medical care. Clinical staff travel by either helicopter air ambulance or by rapid response vehicles (RRVs) during times of diminished natural light. Pre-hospital emergency medicine focuses on caring for seriously ill or injured patients in urban, rural, or remote settings before they reach hospital, and during emergency transfer to hospital or between hospitals.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the announced part of the inspection on 6 February 2018, along with an unannounced visit to the service on 13 February 2018.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led?

Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The main service provided by this service was urgent and emergency care.

Services we do not rate

We regulate independent ambulance services but we do not currently have a legal duty to rate them. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

We found the following areas of good practice:

  • There were effective processes in place to report, record and share learning from incidents.

  • Staff were clear in their responsibilities to safeguard children and adults from abuse.

  • The service had effective processes in place to protect patients and staff from healthcare associated infections. Vehicles and equipment had been regularly maintained and serviced.

  • Patient care was evidence based and recognised best practice.

  • Thorough induction processes ensured staff were knowledgeable and competent in their role.

  • Patient feedback was positive. Staff treated patients with dignity, respect and compassion.

  • Advanced planning ensured the service was delivered to meet the needs of the local people.

  • Patients could access the service in a timely manner, in conjunction with the local NHS Ambulance service.

  • The service had a clear leadership structure in place. Leaders were experienced, knowledgeable and passionate to provide excellent care to patients.

  • Staff feedback consistently showed senior leaders to be supportive, visible and approachable.

  • There was an effective governance framework in place. Death and disability meetings gave clinical and managerial staff regular opportunities to reflect and share learning from previous missions and incidents.

  • All staff reported the presence of an open and transparent culture within the service. Staff described colleagues as ‘family’ and that they felt supported by senior management.

  • The service demonstrated a range of plans to sustain and improve the service through a number of innovative methods.

Heidi Smoult

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Hospitals

20 February 2014

During a routine inspection

Staff described how people and their families where applicable, were supported during their emergency treatment episode. This showed us that people's privacy, dignity and independence were respected.

This inspection showed us that people received emergency care and treatment that reflected the most recently issued national best practice guidelines.This meant that care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare.

The evidence seen demonstrated that the service worked closely with the statutory agencies involved in the provision of emergency services in the East of England. This meant that people's health, safety and welfare was protected because the provider worked in co-operation with others.

Staff told us that they felt well supported by the provider and were encouraged to develop new skills and qualifications. This showed us that people were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

The evidence seen showed us that people were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate records were maintained by the provider.

8 August 2012

During a routine inspection

We haven't been able to speak to people using the service because of the nature of the service, providing emergency treatment and transport for critically injured or ill people. We gathered evidence of people's experiences of the service by reviewing comment cards and the response to the last patient survey. We found that the feedback from people using the service was very positive. A typical comment on a recent thank you card was, 'Thank you for saving my life. I am feeling much better now and that wouldn't have been possible without your help. I would like to thank you for helping me while I was very ill even though I won't remember it.'