South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Ratings - Emergency and urgent care

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Outstanding

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

Date of assessment: 21 April – 23 April 2026

We assessed all 32 quality statements across the safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led key questions. We rated the service overall as good.

At the last inspection there were breaches of regulation in relation to person-centred care, safe care and treatment, safe equipment cleaning and storage, and governance processes.

At this assessment, we found trust-wide improvements and the emergency and urgent care service was no longer in breach of these identified regulations.

We rated safe as good. We found the emergency and urgent care service embedded a positive learning safety culture based on openness and honesty where events were investigated and staff felt psychologically safe to raise incidents. There were safe systems and pathways to co-ordinate patient care in a timely manner. Patients were safeguarded from harm, and staff knew how to protect them. Staff had access to equipment to carry out their role. However, equipment did not always function, affecting some timely care. Patient records were stored securely. Staff almost always received support, supervision, and development opportunities. Staff received appropriate training for their role. However, staff were not always up to date in their mandatory training. Ambulance vehicles we checked were clean and a new vehicle preparation process was established, streamlining efficiency. However, some ambulance stations did not always follow infection prevention and control guidance. There was good oversight of medicines management.

Patients were assessed and treated in line with national clinical guidance. Services worked together to provide integrated care. Staff supported patients to live healthier lives. The service monitored patients’ care and treatment to improve outcomes.

However, there was room for improvement in providing equitable access to patients.

Staff treated patients with kindness and respect. The service placed the patient at the centre of care and care decisions. Patients were treated as individuals, and the care was adapted to each patients’ needs. The service provided a large variety of comprehensive wellbeing support to staff.

The service had a shared organisational direction. Leaders were capable and visible, leading by example. Managers understood the challenges patients faced. There were effective governance systems to monitor and manage performance and safety. The service had strong relationships with partners which drove joint decision-making, improving patient care. There was a clear focus on continuous improvement and innovation across the service.

People's experience of this service

People who used the service told us they were treated with exceptional kindness, empathy, and compassion. One patient we spoke with stated they “could not fault the crew.” Patients spoke positively about staff and said they were listened to and care was tailored to their needs. One patient told us they were grateful for the way staff interacted with them and listened to their needs. Staff communicated to patients in a way which suited their needs. One patient told us, “the patience [the crews] have for patients was remarkable.” Staff protected patients’ dignity. Patients told us staff explained what was happening throughout their care. Patients were involved in care decisions and felt reassured when being discharged from the service.