Meditransport Ambulance Services is operated by Meditransport Ambulance Service Ltd. The service provides an adult patient transport service (PTS).

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the announced part of the inspection on 16 January 2018, along with an unannounced visit to the provider location on 22 January 2018.

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 is patient transport services.

Services we do not rate

We regulate independent ambulance services but we do not currently have a legal duty to rate them. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• The vehicles we inspected were visibly clean, staff completed daily records of hygiene routines and carried out daily vehicle inspections. Staff maintained consumables and stock to ensure stock was in date and fit for purpose.

• Staff complied with mandatory training requirements and the staff we spoke with during our inspection gave examples of additional training they received to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

• The registered manager ensured policies and procedures were reviewed in line with set review dates.

• Staff maintained the vehicle station, office, and storage areas to ensure they were visibly clean and safe from any trip or fall hazards. Within the ambulance station, clear signage was in place warning staff of the dangers in relation to COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002) and other key health and safety issues.

However:

• The provider did not have a formal policy and procedure for staff to follow in the event of a deteriorating patient or eligibility criteria to assist in the assessment of patient risk.

Following this inspection, we told the provider that it must take some actions to comply with the regulations and that it should make other improvements, even though a regulation had not been breached, to help the service improve. We also issued the provider with one requirement notice that affected patient transport services. Details are at the end of the report.

Heidi Smoult

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (area of responsibility), on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Hospitals