• Ambulance service

Archived: Ambulance Solutions Ltd HQ

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Unit 6, Sutton Park, Sutton Road, Southend-on-sea, SS2 5NX (01702) 840333

Provided and run by:
Ambulance Solutions Ltd

All Inspections

31 May 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Our rating of this location went down. We rated it as requires improvement because:

  • The service could not provide assurance it controlled infection risk consistently well. Records were not always easily available to the registered manager or clinical lead to ensure oversight of the service. We could not gain assurances if managers investigated incidents and shared lessons learned with the whole team.
  • Managers did not appraise staff’s work performance or hold supervision meetings with them to provide support and development. Those responsible for delivering care did not always work together as a team to benefit patients.
  • We were not assured leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service consistently. They did not always understand and manage the priorities and issues the service faced. Not all staff felt respected, supported and valued by the leadership team. Leaders did not operate effective governance processes. Systems were not in place to manage performance effectively. Managers did not identify and escalate relevant risks and issues, nor identify actions to reduce their impact.

However:

  • The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well.

21 October 2019

During a routine inspection

Ambulance Solutions Limited HQ is operated by Ambulance Solutions Limited. The service provides a patient transport service for adults within Essex.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the announced part of the inspection on 21 October 2019.

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 patient transport.

We rated this service as Good overall.

  • The service provided mandatory training in key skills to all staff and made sure everyone completed it. The service made sure staff were competent for their roles.
  • Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse. They assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records.
  • The service had suitable premises and equipment for the range of services it provided and controlled infection risk well.
  • The service had processes in place to manage safety incidents and learned lessons from them.
  • Staff provided good care and had access to good information. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients.
  • Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs. They provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.
  • The service actively sought patient feedback and made it easy for people to give feedback.
  • The service planned care to meet the needs of local people and managers monitored the effectiveness of the service. People could access the service when they needed it.
  • Leaders ran the service well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. They felt respected, supported and valued and were focused on the needs of patients receiving care.

Following this inspection, we told the provider that it should make improvements, even though a regulation had not been breached, to help the service improve.

  • The provider should conduct the vehicle deep process is in line with policy.
  • The provider should keep records of staff meetings.

Heidi Smoult

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