A F J

Updated 18 January 2022

AFJ is a small independent ambulance service which provides non-emergency patient transport services only. Although registered as a patient transport service; patients conveyed by the service were not acutely unwell which meant vehicles were not equipped in the same way conventional ambulances might be.

The registered manager of the service had been in post since 2014. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like

registered providers, they are 'registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is managed.

This was AFJ’s third CQC inspection. We last visited the location in December 2019 and reported it Good overall.

The service employed a registered manager, three other managers and 29 patient transport staff.

Updated 18 January 2022

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, 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. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and 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 patients and the community to plan and manage services.

However:

• The provider should ensure tubs of moisturising hand creams are replaced with dispensers to reduce the risk of cross infection.
• The provider should ensure using four-point harnesses in vehicles in line with good practice guidance.

Updated 18 January 2022

Our rating of this service stayed the same. We rated it as good. See the summary above for details. We rated this service as good because it was safe and well-led.