Cornwall Ambulance Service Headquarters

We had not rated this service before. We rated it as outstanding because:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, but it was not always completed to the provider’s target. Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them.
• There is a truly holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering care and treatment to all people who use services. The service did not have agreed response times but monitored and had, excellent response times. New evidence-based technologies are used to support the delivery of high-quality care. Staff are highly experienced and competent. The excellent performance is recognised by the commissioners of the service. Outcomes for people who use services are positive, consistent and regularly exceed expectations. The continuing development of the staff’s skills, competence and knowledge is recognised as being integral to ensuring high quality care. Managers, staff, teams and community services are committed to working collaboratively and have found innovative and efficient ways to deliver more joined-up care to people who use services. There is a holistic approach to planning people’s treatment or transfer to other services, which is done at the earliest possible stage.
• Feedback from people who use the service, those who are close to them, and stakeholders is continually positive about the way staff treat people. People think that staff go the extra mile and their care and support exceed their expectations. There is a strong, visible person-centred culture. Staff are highly motivated and inspired to offer care that is kind and promotes people’s dignity. Staff recognise and respect the totality of people’s needs. They always take people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs into account. Staff are fully committed to working in partnership with people and making this a reality for each person. People are always treated with dignity by all those involved in their care, treatment and support. Consideration of people’s privacy and dignity is consistently embedded in everything that staff do. People feel really cared for and that they matter. People value their relationships with the staff team and feel that they often go ‘the extra mile’ for them when providing care and support.
• People’s individual needs and preferences are central to the delivery of the tailored services. There are innovative approaches to providing integrated person-centred pathways of care that involve other service providers, particularly for people with multiple and complex needs. The services are flexible, provide informed choice and ensure continuity of care. Technology is used innovatively to ensure people have timely access to treatment, support and care. There had been no complaints, only compliments, for the service delivered.
• The leadership is knowledgeable about issues and priorities for the quality and sustainability of services, understands what the challenges are and acts to address them. Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s values and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of patients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities. The service engaged well with commissioners to plan and manage services and all staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• The service did not ensure staff completed training according to the target set in the training policy. This included recognising and responding to patients with mental health needs and learning disabilities.
• Records relating to people employed did not include information relevant to their employment in the role including information relating to the requirements of Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.