Event Paramedic Services

Event Paramedic Services provided medical cover for outdoor events including equine sporting events and music festivals. The service employed 4 permanent staff and 12 members of staff who were paramedics, advanced medical practitioners, emergency care assistants, and nurses on zero hours contracts. The service had 10 vehicles including emergency ambulances and a mobile medical unit. Based in Taunton, Somerset, the provider offered a service for events across England.

This is the first time we rated this service. 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 provided good care and treatment, and gave patients pain relief when they needed it. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients and supported them to make decisions about their care.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They helped to provide emotional support to patients, families and carers.
• 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. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
• 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. All staff were committed to improving services continually.

However:

• The service had not embedded all safer recruitment practices.