- Ambulance service
Millennium Point
All Inspections
6, 7, 8, 9, 21 January 2014
During a routine inspection
We carried out a number of telephone interviews and spoke with over 30 people who had used the emergency ambulance service, patient transport service or the 111 service. We spoke with the managers or senior staff at 40 care homes across the region.
All the people we spoke with told us that they had been treated very well by ambulance staff.
Some people told us that although they had been treated well by PTS, they were not happy about cancelled journeys or delayed journeys home from hospital.
We found that some people, on some occasions, had not received an emergency ambulance response as quickly as they had expected.
Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of harm.
We saw that systems were in place to ensure that ambulances were cleaned and safe. However arrangements for deep cleaning of vehicles needed to be improved so any risks to people were minimised.
We spoke to over 70 staff in different roles throughout the organisation. Staff presented as professional and committed to ensuring that they carried out their role well, and the safety and wellbeing of people that used the service was paramount.
There were systems in place to assess, monitor and improve performance which included learning from incidents, complaints and investigations.
11, 12, 13, 18 February 2013
During a routine inspection
All the people we spoke with told us that they were treated well by ambulance staff and had not waited to long for an ambulance. Some people who used the patient transport service told us that they often waited a long time for their return journey home from hospital. Which meant they did not receive the service in a timely manner.
We saw that people were conveyed into hospital safely, they were kept warm and treated with dignity and respect. Ambulances were clean and safe so that risk's to people were minimised. We saw that some people needed to wait at the hospital for a hand over between ambulance and hospital staff. This meant ambulance were sometimes delayed leaving the hospitals to go to another emergency call.
Arrangements in place for infection controlled were well managed so risks to people were minimised.
Staff received the support and training they needed to do their job.
Appropriate medication systems were in place so that medication was managed safely.
The trust had efficient quality and monitoring systems in place to ensure West Midland Ambulance service was well managed.
23 August 2011
During a routine inspection
We visited seven ambulance stations across the West Midlands and spoke with 64 staff. We visited Dudley, Worcester, Coventry, Stoke, Shrewsbury, Birmingham (Bristol Road) and Chelmsley Wood ambulance stations. We visited four Accident and Emergency departments (A&E) so that we could observe ambulances arriving at A&E and where possible speak to people, relatives, front line ambulance staff and staff employed at the hospitals.
We spoke to seven people in A&E departments. One person told us "I was brought in to A&E about thirty five minutes ago on a two man crew. The ambulance arrived within five minutes. The crew listened to me and explained what they were doing they asked for my consent they were polite and responsive. They asked about my medical history and allergies."
People told us that front line ambulance staff asked for their consent before giving any treatment. They told us they were listened to and treated with respect by ambulance crews.
As part of the review we asked the trust to contact people who had recently used the service to get their agreement to speak to us on the telephone so we could ask them about their experience of the care they had received. We carried out nine telephone interviews. People told us they were listened to and treated with respect by front line ambulance crews. People told us:
"Staff kept me calm and they told me everything that they were doing."
"The crew spoke to me they explained everything. They made me comfortable and took me to hospital."
"Consent was asked for everything they did."
The Patient Transport Service (PTS) is also operated by the trust and provides non urgent patient transport. People who use this service told us that the ambulance staff are very good but they sometimes have to wait a long time at the hospital for their return journey. One person told us about the administration problems they have when booking regular PTS journeys and this had caused them some concern.
We carried out 23 telephone interviews with managers of care and nursing homes across the West Midlands area. They were very positive about the service that the trust provides. They told us:
"Staff always maintain people's privacy and dignity."
"Ambulances arrive very quickly. I have no concerns with West Midland Ambulance Service. They seem to explain everything to the patient and make sure that their dignity is maintained. They listen to what you have to say about a person's health and then they take over and do what they have to do."
Front line ambulance staff told us that they have annual mandatory training and clinical updates so that their skills and knowledge are kept up to date. However many staff said they need further training on supporting people who are not able to consent to treatment.
Complaints are seen as a positive process by the trust from which improvements to the service are made. The trust works with community organisations and seeks the views of the public about the ambulance service and how it can be improved.
Ambulances were clean and staff had a good understanding of infection control procedures so risks to people are minimised.