ERS Medical North

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. 

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and understood the importance of meeting individual needs during transport. Care and support met patients' needs in ways which were safe and supportive, and enabled them to do the things that mattered to them. 

When people communicated their needs, emotions or distress, staff could manage this in a positive way, which protected their rights and dignity and maximised learning for the future about the causes of their distress. 

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

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

The service always treated patient with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. 

Inspectors observed staff introducing themselves, explaining what would happen, and reassuring people during transfers. People were supported to maintain dignity through sensitive communication and appropriate moving and handling. Staff spoke positively about caring for people safely and respectfully.

Staff followed the Care-to-Care policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential. 

Feedback we reviewed showed examples of compassionate, respectful and person-centred care across the service. Patients and families described staff as kind, empathetic and willing to go above and beyond to provide reassurance and support during what were often distressing situations.

Staff were described as "helpful, reliable and efficient" and exceptional answering queries and assisting with challenging transport arrangements. Staff professionalism and dedication promoted a positive experience for patients and families alike.

Feedback from patients and relatives highlighted examples of staff providing compassionate, person-centred care during patient transport. Respondents described staff as caring, respectful and supportive, particularly when individuals were experiencing distress or vulnerability. Feedback indicated that staff took time to ensure patients were comfortable and safe, while also offering reassurance and emotional support to those involved. This demonstrated a commitment to delivering care that met people’s needs and promoted a positive experience of the service.

These examples demonstrate a caring culture where staff treat people with dignity, compassion and respect, taking time to understand individual needs and providing support beyond their core responsibilities.  Feedback showed strong, positive relationships with patients and families, promoting confidence, wellbeing and a positive care experience.

The service was committed to maintaining patients' dignity throughout their journey. To support this, dignity blankets were available for use by staff when transporting patients, particularly those travelling on stretchers who may require additional coverage to preserve privacy and comfort.

The service treated patient as individuals and made sure patient’s care, support and treatment met patient’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of patient’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. 

Staff recognised and responded to people’s individual needs, including mobility needs, frailty, learning disabilities, dementia, and communication difficulties. Staff described involving carers and professionals where appropriate and using communication tools to support understanding. However, inspectors found that communication aids were not consistently available on all vehicles.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. 

Patients told us they were treated as individuals and staff mostly enabled them to have their needs met on time, where this was dependent on timely transport arrangements. Feedback from service users gave examples of staff treating people as individuals, establishing rapport, caring attitudes and professionalism.

Feedback was gathered through patient surveys, examples we reviewed showed positive feedback, in addition concerns were responded to. We reviewed 4 transportation plans and saw these were tailored to individual needs and circumstances. 

Staff had completed dementia awareness training. They used adapted processes to reduce anxiety and confusion for patients living with dementia. Staff involved carers and responded to individual needs to ensure patients were treated with dignity and respect.

Staff were trained to meet the individual needs of patients. This included supporting bariatric patients, assessing risks for those requiring mobility assistance, and providing reassurance and clear communication during transport to promote a safe and dignified experience.

The service invested in conflict resolution training, enabling staff to manage challenging situations professionally and confidently. Staff were equipped with the skills to de-escalate concerns calmly and safely while maintaining the dignity and wellbeing of patients. The organisation demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement by listening to feedback, learning from experiences and adapting practices where necessary.

Patient and family feedback reflected the caring nature of the workforce. 

The service treated patient as individuals and made sure patient’s care, support and treatment met patient’s needs and preferences. Staff took account of patient’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. 

Crews told us and we observed that patients were encouraged to be as independent as possible when moving to and from vehicles.

The service promoted patient’s independence, so patients knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. 

Staff received a comprehensive 2-week induction programme to prepare them for their role and to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to deliver safe, person-centred care.

The service treated patients as individuals and made sure patients’ care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. Staff took account of patients’ strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs. For example, talking with the patient about their needs and the secure transfer plan.

Feedback was gathered through stakeholder feedback and concerns were responded to appropriately.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff had access to suitable facilities and resources to support safe working, including rest areas, breaks and food during out‑of‑hours shifts. Leaders were visible and supportive through established on‑call arrangements.

Managers took staff welfare seriously, advising drivers to rest between shifts and follow health and safety guidance. Staff could give feedback, raise concerns and suggest improvements, and they reported receiving responses from leaders.

The organisation demonstrated a commitment to caring for its workforce. Personalised support was available to reflect the diversity of the workforce. Staff had access to wellbeing resources including; support for staff experiencing stress-related absence, peer support, mental‑health information, exercise, substance misuse and flexible working options, helping them maintain emotional resilience.

Leaders ensured that staff with protected characteristics felt included and respected. Staff described an open, honest culture and felt comfortable raising any concerns. They were positive about the organisation’s approach to wellbeing.

Staff received regular feedback through a range of feedback processes. Feedback reflected a positive workplace culture, with supportive leadership, good team relationships and fair treatment

The organisation trained Mental Health First Aiders in addition to first aiders. Mental Health First Aiders are equipped to offer initial support to colleagues who may be experiencing mental health challenges, emotional distress or a mental health crisis.