South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Ratings - Urgent Care

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

We carried out a comprehensive one-day assessment on 25 June 2026, with follow-up remote interviews on 7 and 8 July 2026.

The service was inspected in June 2016 and rated as good overall. There were no breaches of regulations but there were some concerns about staff competency in triage systems, lack of space for people waiting to be seen, and staff skills in safeguarding adults.

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST) has provided urgent and emergency care services from Tiverton District Hospital since July 2014.

At this inspection we found some improvements had been made.

Safe:

The service had a good learning culture and staff and patients could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly and lessons learned and improvements were identified and shared with staff. Patients were protected and kept safe because local safeguarding arrangements had improved, which staff understood and used along with safe systems of working.

There were enough staff with the right skills and qualifications to ensure high quality care and treatment. Managers made sure staff received training and had regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care.

Staff supported patients to manage medicines safely. Staff identified and reacted to unexpected deterioration in a patient’s condition. Staff understood and managed risks from the environment. The facilities and equipment met the needs of staff who were supporting patients.

Effective:

Patients and those close to them were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of patients’ physical, emotional, communication and personal care needs. Care and treatment were based on latest evidence and good practice guidance. Patient outcomes were monitored to identify where improvements could be made. Staff made sure patients understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent.

Caring:

Staff treated patients with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated patients as individuals and supported their preferences. Staff responded to patients in a timely way. Patients had the opportunity to ask questions and were given access to specialist services, including from allied health professionals. The service supported staff wellbeing.

Responsive:

Patients or their representatives were involved in decisions about their care and treatment. The service provided information which patients could understand. Patients were invited to give feedback, knew who to speak with if they had concerns and were confident the service took their concerns seriously.

The service monitored and worked to improve access. Services were adjusted to meet the needs of people with conditions which could create a barrier to access.

The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through service planning, quality monitoring, staff training and feedback. Patients were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.

Well-led:

Leaders and staff knew the service’s local vision, aims and objectives and understood how their work contributed to the service development. There was a positive culture based on speaking up, listening, learning and trust.

Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment.

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities.

Leaders had oversight of the quality of service being delivered. However, risk management systems did not always focus specifically on the urgent treatment centre risks.

Staff with protected characteristics felt supported.

There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff able to contribute ideas.

We did not identify any breaches of regulation at this assessment.

People's experience of this service

Patients provided positive feedback about the service they had received. Patients were seen quickly and knew what their treatment plan was. All aspects of the service were described as excellent and amazing. Follow up appointments were arranged quickly and communicated to patients promptly.

Patients felt safe and listened to, knew how to complain and were confident staff had given them the best advice and treatment for their needs and knew what to do if their condition worsened.

Previous patient comments had included long waiting times for triage and treatment. However, within the last 12 months this had improved with patients being triaged consistently within 15 minutes of arrival. This meant their initial risk had been assessed quickly and staff could act appropriately to prevent deterioration where possible.

Water was available for patients in the x-ray area but not all patients were aware of this.

All staff and managers expressed and displayed actions which kept patient care at the centre of the service they provided. They did this with understanding and empathy.