Archived: MARS Secure Transport & Recruitment Service Ltd

Updated 27 September 2022

The provider, MARS Secure Transport was a limited company. There was an office location based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. They were registered with CQC (Care Quality Commission) since July 2019.

They were a non-emergency secure ambulance service, transporting adults and adolescents with mental health conditions. MARS completed 4350 jobs from July 2021 to June 2022. They used 16 vehicles, secure areas, two with stretcher capability and mobility impaired vehicles. MARS did not transport people with physical health conditions. Leaders described the work as highly complex, often transporting people with additional challenges. Clients were regularly escorted on journey’s by other professionals, such as police officers and approved mental health professionals.

The service is registered with CQC for the regulated activity transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely and treatment of disease, disorder or injury.

The service has had a registered manager in post since registration in July 2019. This was the second inspection since registration, with the previous inspection completed in November 2018 when the service was rated as good.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out a short notice announced inspection on 21 July 2022. To get to the heart of clients’ experiences of care, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs, and well-led.

Where we have a legal duty to do so, we rate services’ performance against each key question as outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate. Throughout the inspection, we took account of what staff told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Updated 27 September 2022

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for clients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect clients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to clients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, and assessed clients’ food and drink requirements. Managers monitored response times and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of clients, supported them to make decisions about their care.
• Staff treated clients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to clients, families and carers.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of clients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of clients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities.

However;

• Leaders did not always provide statutory notifications to the Care Quality Commission following serious incidents.

Updated 27 September 2022

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as good because:

• The service had enough staff to care for clients and keep them safe. Staff had training in key skills, understood how to protect clients from abuse, and managed safety well. The service controlled infection risk well. Staff assessed risks to clients, acted on them and kept good care records. The service managed safety incidents well and learned lessons from them. Staff collected safety information and used it to improve the service.
• Staff provided good care and treatment, and assessed clients’ food and drink requirements. Managers monitored response times and made sure staff were competent. Staff worked well together for the benefit of clients, supported them to make decisions about their care.
• Staff treated clients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions. They provided emotional support to clients, families and carers.
• The service planned care to meet the needs of local people, took account of clients’ individual needs, and made it easy for people to give feedback. People could access the service when they needed it and did not have to wait too long for treatment.
• Leaders ran services well using reliable information systems and supported staff to develop their skills. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. They were focused on the needs of clients receiving care. Staff were clear about their roles and accountabilities.

However;

• Leaders did not always provide statutory notifications to the Care Quality Commission following serious incidents.