First Outstanding ambulance trust maintains rating

West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS) has been rated as Outstanding for a second time following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Serving a population of approximately 5.6 million, covers 5,000 square miles across Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Coventry, Birmingham and Black Country, WMAS is rated as Outstanding for whether its services are effective, caring, responsive and well-led, and Good for whether its services are safe.

Areas of outstanding practice include the trust provided training for childbirth emergencies in community ‘Baby Lifeline training’, continuing close working with four universities in the education of paramedics, the patient transport service being responsive to the changing needs of patients and provided sufficient vehicles, equipment and staff and key performance indicators met by April 2019, ensuring an effective service that responded to patient needs.

Professor Ted Baker, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust was the first ambulance service in England to receive an Outstanding rating and I am pleased to announce that it continues to provide an excellent service. Effective structures, systems and processes were in place to support the service’s delivery. Leaders were visible and approachable and there was a clear vision and set of values that staff knew - with a focus on delivering high-quality sustainable care.

“There was a positive culture that supported and valued staff and a strong and embedded focus on continuous improvement to offer the best quality service for patients, and effective systems for identifying risks or plans to eliminate or reduce them. There are some areas where further improvements should be made, which we have fed back to its leadership, and we will return to check on progress. But overwhelmingly this is an Outstanding trust and the hard work of staff across the trust continues to be exemplary. West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust is making a real difference to people, and the trust and its staff should be very proud of what they do.”

Anthony Marsh, WMAS chief executive, said: “This is fantastic news and is down to the hard work of staff and the volunteers who support us, for providing the best possible care to patients across the West Midlands. I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of you for helping us to maintain our position as the best ambulance service in the country. That’s not me saying it, but the organisation that looks at the safety and care of our patients.

“This rating reflects the hard work and professionalism of our staff and provides the recognition they rightly deserve. To have independent inspectors make such positive comments about the trust is incredible; it is rare that any trust has received such high praise from the CQC. I am particularly pleased that they have specifically highlighted the work of the Patient Transport Service (PTS), who were more challenged the last time the CQC came. Today’s report specifically comments on how responsive PTS staff are to the changing needs of patients and highlights the work of the ambulance liaison assistants who support patients waiting for transport to minimise distress.”