Story Highlight
- CQC upgraded Hearts First Ambulance Service to outstanding rating.
- Service made significant improvements since previous inspection in June.
- Service rated outstanding for safety, effectiveness, and leadership.
- Staff provided exceptional care, treating patients with kindness and dignity.
- Leaders implemented robust recruitment and training processes for staff.
Full Story
The Care Quality Commission has rated Hearts First Ambulance Service in Radlett, Hertfordshire as outstanding, upgrading its previous rating of requires improvement following a routine inspection conducted in June. The service, which provides transport, triage, and remote medical advice, was found to have made considerable progress in addressing earlier breaches of regulations concerning safe staffing and management.
Inspectors noted that significant improvements had been implemented since the last inspection, with the service being recognised as outstanding in safe, effective, and well-led categories. The responsive category retained its good rating, while caring was also assessed as good.
Sarah Ivory-Donnelly, CQC’s deputy director of hospitals in the East of England, stated, “When we inspected Hearts First Ambulance Service, we found significant improvements had been made since our last inspection and feedback had been taken on board to ensure people now received an exceptional level of care.” She highlighted that staff exhibited kindness and compassion, protecting the privacy and dignity of patients, and delivering person-centred care.
The service demonstrated effective staffing, ensuring that personnel possessed the right clinical skills to respond promptly to patients’ needs. Leaders showed awareness of the diverse community they serve and monitored outcomes to meet expectations. Staff received tailored training to enhance their provision of care, and a culture of openness and empowerment was evident, allowing both staff and service users to voice concerns confidently.
The inspection revealed that staff were actively involved in assessing the care needs of patients and included family members when appropriate. Robust recruitment processes were in place, supported by a blend of full-time employees and bank staff who worked cohesively to ensure safe care. Staff were trained to gain informed consent and support individuals with capacity challenges.
In addition, staff took into account the needs of patients during long journeys, ensuring comfort breaks and nutrition were managed appropriately. They adhered to a current medicines management policy and possessed a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding principles, knowing how to respond to concerns effectively. The commitment to cleanliness and equipment availability in vehicles was also noted, as leaders ensured that appropriately trained personnel were ready for ad hoc assignments or subcontracted journeys for NHS and private repatriation contracts.
Source: read the original report.
What this means for your site
While Hearts First Ambulance Service ultimately improved its rating, there are lessons for all health service providers. A more proactive approach to training could have been implemented sooner to address the breaches identified in the previous inspection. Focusing on continuous professional development rather than waiting for mandated inspections would ensure the safety and quality of care consistently meets high standards.
Relevant UK health and safety legislation includes the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which mandates organizations to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees and others. Additionally, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 applies, requiring proper risk assessments to ensure safe practices and adequate training.
To prevent similar issues in the future, it is crucial to establish a culture of safety that encourages regular training refreshers for staff regarding current practices and procedures. Another step would be to conduct routine internal audits that monitor compliance with safety standards, ensuring any deficiencies are identified and rectified promptly to maintain high-quality care and service delivery.
