Ambulance service praised for patient care

The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) conducted a review of the service and commended a number of initiatives introduced by the trust including the extensive checks it carried out on potential volunteers for the hospital care service.

A report by CHI singled out the work the service had done with the Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust as an area that the rest of the NHS could learn from.

The joint approach between the two services includes staff secondments and joint discussions on emergency planning, which benefits patient care and safety.

But there were areas where the report was not so complimentary.

CHI found that assessments were not routinely carried out to determine potential risks to patients and staff.

Staff also admitted to the organisation that while there had been an increase in the number of incidents of violence and aggression, the training programme in how to handle those situations had been withdrawn.

Another area of concern was the wait patients and staff often had to return to the Island after being transferred to the mainland for treatment.

But the trust says it has already addressed this issue by approving plans for a large, multi-purpose ambulance called a jumbulance, which can transport four stretchers or replace a stretcher with four seats.

Graham Elderfield, chief executive of the trust, said he was pleased with the report and thought it was a fair evaluation.

He said: "The trust is justifiably proud of its ambulance service and welcomes CHI's report.

"We acknowledge that there are issues where we need to improve and these are currently being addressed."

Peter Homa, chief executive of CHI, said: "The staff of the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust ambulance service are to be commended for their commitment to providing a high quality service to patients.

"However, there are still a number of improvements to be made to improve the service."