Archived: North West Private Ambulance Liaison Services Limited

Updated 14 February 2019

The service is commissioned by the North West Ambulance Service and University Hospitals of Morecombe Bay to provide patient transport services. This includes transporting patients between hospital sites and from hospital to their home address, throughout the South Lakes area.

Updated 14 February 2019

This inspection was carried out in response to a concern raised anonymously through the Care Quality Commission whistle blowing helpline. The unannounced inspection took place on Wednesday 17th June 2015 between 8am to 4pm. We inspected the service to answer two of the five key questions “Is the service safe?” and “is the service well led?” Our key findings were as follows:

• Mechanical faults on the ambulance equipment were not robustly reported which meant repairs did not occur in a timely manner.
• Systems for the safe management of medicines were not in place although few medicines were used.
• Not all records were complete including infection control and mandatory training records.
• Risks had not been formally assessed and actions to mitigate them were not always in place.

Importantly, the provider must:

• Properly maintain all equipment used and ensure it is in full working order at all times.
• Make sure staff do not administer medicines to people unless the correct procedures are in place and staff have completed appropriate training.
• Maintain accurate, complete and up to date records in respect of all aspects of the service.
• Have clear risk assessments in place for all activities carried out, including any necessary restraint used for the safety of patients. Actions to mitigate risks must be taken.

In addition the provider should:

• Provide clarity for staff as to what constitutes a reportable incident.
• Provide staff with information to assist people to complain about the service should they wish to do so.
• Include completion and review dates on all policies and procedures.
• Ensure safeguarding policies and procedures include contact information for staff to raise concerns with the appropriate authorities.
• Keep training records up to date, including full details of any training accepted which was provided in an alternative employment.
• Ensure annual training updates include all the knowledge and skills necessary for staff to safely carry out their work.
• Document the vision and strategy for the future of the service and share this with employees.
• Develop a system for monitoring the quality of the service provided.

Professor Sir Mike Richards

Chief Inspector of Hospitals

Updated 14 February 2019

• The service needed to make a number of improvements to ensure the safety of people using the service at all times. Records were incomplete including infection control and mandatory training records; mechanical faults on the ambulance equipment were not robustly reported; safeguarding systems and training required updating; the limited use of medicines were not safely managed and risk assessments with regard to restraint were not in place. We found the leadership and management of the service to be open and inclusive with staff being supported in their work. There were some quality monitoring systems in place, however not all aspects of the service were included. There was recognition of how risks should be managed; however risks had not been formally assessed. They had employed the services of an external health and safety consultant who was due to visit the premises in the next two weeks and carry out these risk assessments.
• Measures had been taken to encourage patient engagement and their views were taken into account