Background to this inspection
Updated
17 December 2019
Medical Center is operated by Polaris Medical Services Limited. The service opened in 2015. It is an independent ambulance service based in Iver, Buckinghamshire. The service serves communities across the East and South of Britain.
At the time of this inspection, the headquarters was based at Pinewood Studios. This was where the back offices were located which housed the managers’ offices, human resources and staff files. An ambulance was also located at the headquarters in case a filming incident required paramedic assistance.
The base in Reading was a stand-by point for staff to be able to rest and restock ambulances. A training centre was also based at this location. The base in Slough was the main ‘Make Ready’ centre, this was where ambulances were cleaned, restocked and serviced.
The urgent and emergency care vehicles were operated mainly from the Slough base. The service provided emergency and urgent care to several NHS ambulance trusts as well as ad hoc events and support services to sports events, festivals and films, which CQC was unable to inspect as we do not have legal grounds to do so.
The service has had a registered manager in post since 2015.
Updated
17 December 2019
Emergency and urgent care was the main activity. We rated this service as outstanding for effective and carin
g
because:
-
The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep
them safe. Staff had training in key skills 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 safety incidents well and learned
lessons from them.
-
Staff provided outstanding care and treatment.
The
in-house tools developed to support crews whilst treating p
atients were innovative and supported positive patient outcomes.
The training opportunities available to staff were
creative and encouraged a positive culture. The Medical
Center was
achieving recognised accreditation schemes
that
supported the local health economy.
Managers
monitored the effectiveness of the service and made sure
staff were competent. 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, and
we received numerous examples of staff going above and
beyond. The ethos of putting the patient first was embedded
within the culture. Staff respected patient’s privacy and
dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped
them understand their conditions. Staff understood the
importance of supporting friends and family as well as the
patient.
-
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 and supported staff to develop
their skills. Staff understood the service’s vision and values,
and how to apply them in their work. Staff felt respected,
supported and valued.
Emergency and urgent care
Updated
17 December 2019