QAS Ambulance Limited is an independent ambulance service provider based in Manchester. QAS Ambulance Limited is registered to provide patient transport services and treatment, disease or disorder. QAS Ambulance Limited offers ambulance transport on an ‘as required’ basis and provides pre-planned transport. Ambulance services are provided to NHS Trusts, NHS air ambulance services and repatriation organisations.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out a scheduled comprehensive inspection on 30 January 2018. The service had one registered base and a separate station to park ambulance vehicles which we inspected.

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.

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:

• Staff were knowledgeable about how to report incidents to ensure the safety of people using the service.
• The service ensured a minimum of two staff were allocated to each patient transfer depending on risk and need. The staffing levels and skill mix of the staff met the patients’ needs.
• All vehicles and the ambulance station were visibly clean. Systems were in place to ensure vehicles were well maintained. Staff maintained consumables and stock to ensure stock was in date and fit for purpose.
• All equipment necessary to meet the needs of patients was available.
• Services were planned and delivered in a way that met the needs of the local population. The service took into account the needs of different people, such as bariatric patients or people whose first language was not English. Journeys were planned based upon their requirements.
• We observed good hand hygiene, and infection control processes.
• The service had a system for handling, managing and monitoring complaints and concerns.

However, we found the following issues that the service provider need to improve:

• Staff were not up to date with training in the duty of candour. The duty of candour is a legal requirement for staff to be open and transparent.
• Pre-employment checks for staff were not in place prior to staff commencing employment undertaking employment. This included fit and proper persons assessments for directors.

Ellen Armistead

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (North), on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Hospitals