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Ambulance Trust Sees Major Improvement in Care
18 Sep
Summary
- Inspectors rated several parts of the service as good.
- The trust was previously rated lowest in the country.
- Emergency Operations Centres and Urgent Care rated outstanding.
Inspectors have reported significant improvements at the South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST), an organization formerly holding the lowest rating in the country. Recent inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) between April and July found several service areas have now achieved a 'good' rating.
Catherine Campbell of the CQC stated that people were receiving safe and effective care across the board. This positive assessment contrasts sharply with the NHS Oversight Framework's rating from last December, where SWAST was ranked last nationally. The trust's Emergency Operations Centres in Bristol and Exeter, responsible for handling 999 calls, alongside its Emergency and Urgent Care services, were specifically highlighted and rated outstanding for their caring approach.
SWAST manages a vast geographical area, encompassing remote locations across Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset. During the summer months, the service typically manages around 3,200 incidents daily. A peak was reached on one day in June, its busiest ever, with the trust responding to 4,350 incidents.
