EMFS Group - Blewbury (EMC Medical)

Updated 16 June 2023

EMFS Group is an independent ambulance service, training and medical provider, based in Blewbury near Didcot. The service provides Patient Transport Services (PTS), Emergency and Urgent Care (EUC), events cover and fire training services. The ambulance service was previously known as EMC Medical Services, but has since merged with two other companies to create EMFS Group. The service is contracted with three local NHS trusts to provide PTS and Emergency and Urgent Care. Independent hospitals and private patients could also access PTS services on an ad hoc basis. The service had 10 PTS vehicles and four EUC vehicles.

The service is registered to perform the regulated activities:

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

EMC Medical was inspected in March 2020, it was rated as requires improvement in the safe and well led key questions and rated as good in the effective, caring and responsive key questions with an overall rating of requires improvement. This was the first inspection of the merged service between EMC Medical, SE Medical and Event Fire Solutions.

The main service provided by this service is PTS. Where our findings also apply to Emergency and Urgent Care, we do not repeat the information but cross-refer to the PTS service.

CQC currently does not regulate event cover and therefore we have not inspected this part of the service.

Updated 16 June 2023

Our rating of this location improved. 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. They managed medicines well. The service managed incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected data and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, and gave them pain relief when they needed it. Managers monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of patients. Services were available seven days a week.
• Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness and ensured patients understood their care and treatment. They provided 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.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems to monitor performance. Staff understood the service’s vision and values. Staff felt respected, supported and valued and were clear about their roles and accountabilities. Staff were committed to continually improving services.

However:

• Some policies were not detailed and/or did not contain specific guidance for staff.

Updated 16 June 2023

The service had improved since our previous inspection. The service used information and data to proactively improve standards. Managers were conscientious of their environmental impact and undertook mitigations to reduce emissions. At the time of inspection, the service was the only independent ambulance to provide professional prehospital care training and education to their workforce.”

Updated 16 June 2023

The service had improved since our previous inspection. Managers now ensured all medicines management was in line with legislative standards. Third parties contracted with the service praised the service and the standard of performance.