South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Ratings - Patient transport services

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Requires improvement

Our view of the service

The patient transport service at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust provides non-emergency transport for adults and children on the Isles of Scilly who were unable to use public or other transport due to their medical condition. Eligibility criteria were applied by the healthcare professionals who made the referral to the patient transport service.

The service had a fleet of 7 vehicles and a boat. This included vehicles that could cater for stretchers and wheelchairs, and all-terrain vehicles for transporting patients around the islands. The patient transport service provided 65 patient journeys in the 12 months before our assessment.

The service was provided by the emergency 999 crew on the Isles of Scilly including paramedics and emergency care assistants. There were community first responders based on the outer islands and boat captains for the sea ambulance.

The patient transport service was previously inspected in June 2016 and rated as requires improvement, this patient transport service contract has now ended. The assessment in 2016 did not include the patient transport service on the Isles of Scilly. The patient transport service currently provided is just a service on the Isles of Scilly. We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 23 April 2026. We rated the service as good.

The service had effective systems and processes to provide safe and high‑quality care. Staff ensured people were treated as individuals and their care, support, and treatment were aligned with their needs and preferences. Staff were appropriately skilled and understood their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and safety. Staff treated people with kindness, compassion, and dignity.

Communication with partner organisations, including the hospital, was effective. Staff showed a strong commitment to delivering safe care and worked collaboratively and flexibly as a team to meet people’s needs within a geographically isolated setting.

However, we found the provider was in breach of 2 legal regulations related to safe care and treatment and good governance. The premises and equipment were not always safe or appropriately maintained, posing risks to staff and service delivery. There were systems and processes, but these were not always effective, resulting in lack of oversight and assurance and insufficient action to mitigate environmental and equipment risks.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

This inspection/assessment was included as part of a pilot which looked at new and innovative ways of fulfilling CQC’s regulatory obligations. AI was used to support the creation of notes during some of the conversations, with human oversight and review to confirm factual accuracy. This was conducted with the consent of the provider and people interviewed.

People's experience of this service

People were able to provide feedback in various ways, including speaking directly with staff during their journey, by telephone and through feedback forms.

Clear, up-to-date complaints and feedback policies described how the service responded to both positive and negative feedback and how any learning was shared with staff.

We observed positive interactions in which staff were kind, caring, and ensured that patients were comfortable.