The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a report on a suspended independent ambulance service, following an inspection which found more progress is needed before it can care for people again.
CQC inspected Taunton-based Premier Mental Health Transport Limited, formerly known as Premier Rescue Ambulance Services Limited, a non-emergency patient transport service primarily covering Devon and Somerset, in June.
The inspection assessed whether the service had made improvements after CQC’s previous inspection, in April, found an unacceptable service which exposed people to a high risk of avoidable harm.
Following that inspection, CQC suspended the service, meaning it was prevented from providing care to people as it was in breach of several regulations. This included basic failings such as not undertaking background checks on staff or ensuring they had the right training to safely care for people.
Several issues which would threaten the quality and safety of care people would receive – if the service was currently caring for people – remained at the latest inspection, so CQC’s suspension of the service has been extended until October.
The service’s inadequate rating, issued after the previous inspection, still applies following the publication of the latest findings.
Cath Campbell, CQC head of hospital inspection, said:
“Our latest inspection of Premier Mental Health Transport Limited found there continue to be serious issues with the service. These would expose people to the risk of avoidable harm if we had not suspended its operation.
“Although some improvements have been made compared to our previous inspection, the service has a considerable amount of work to undertake before it is fit to care for people again, and we will not reinstate its registration until we are assured it is safe to do so.”
CQC’s latest inspection of Premier Mental Health Transport Limited found several areas requiring attention, including:
- No reliable systems to ensure staff had required training to keep people safe.
- Incomplete and unfit policies to assess and monitor the service. This included no policy for employees to raise concerns and no COVID-19 staff testing policy.
- Continued insufficient employment checks, including in the recruitment process. There were no risk assessments for staff where references were missing, and no explanations of gaps in employment histories.
- No mechanisms to ensure safety incidents were identified correctly and appropriately investigated. This meant there was a risk incidents would not be recorded or used to drive learning.
However:
- Vehicles and equipment were cleaner than at the previous inspection. There were cleaning schedules, guidance and checklists. All equipment was present, in date and stored correctly.