Events Medical Services Limited

Updated 6 February 2024

Event Medical Service Limited is an independent ambulance provider which covers events of varying sizes. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulatory of health and social care services in England. Whilst the independent ambulance sector is regulated by the CQC, an exemption to this, determined by the Department of Health and Social Care are services provided solely within the confines of an event site. Whilst Event Medical Services Limited carries out event activity, it also conveys several patients from events to local NHS services. It also uses an X-ray machine at a large-scale event once a year. These activities are both regulated by the CQC.

The service had 6 operational vehicles and a portable X-ray machine which was set for 1 event annually in a field style hospital. In 2022, a total of 2,455 patients were treated, of these, 69 were conveyed to NHS trusts for further treatment, 2 were under the age of 18. Data was not provided on the number of X-rays undertaken by the service.

The service has been registered with the CQC since 2011 and has had a registered manager in place since that time. It was last inspected in 2014, at that time the commission did not provide ratings following an inspection; however, there was no enforcement action issued and no recommendations were made.

The service is registered to undertake the following regulated activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder and injury
• Transport, triage and medical advice provided remotely
• Diagnostic and screening procedures

Updated 6 February 2024

This service had not been rated before. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• The provider was unable to evidence that staff had appropriate training in key skills, recruitment was not in line with statutory requirements. Medicines were not always managed well.
• Managers did not monitor the effectiveness of the service or make sure staff were competent. The service did not provide information to demonstrate how it supported patients to make decisions about their care and or how they could access information.
• The service provided little evidence of its governance processes to enable its assessment and monitoring of quality. Policies and procedures were not always available to support staff. The service did not demonstrate it engaged well with patients to plan care and treatment and information could not easily be extracted or produced by the service.
• The service could not show how patients consented to treatment and care, including X-rays.

However:

• The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. The service assessed risks to patients and kept written records of care. The service could articulate how to manage safety incidents should they occur.
• Staff provided good care and treatment and gave patients pain relief when they needed it. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients and advised them on how to lead healthier lives.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of patients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback.

Updated 6 February 2024

The service had not been rated before. We rated it as requires improvement.

See above summary for details.