Archived: Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust

Updated 6 April 2018

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust is operated by Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust. The service opened in 2007. It is an independent air ambulance service in North Weald, Essex. The service primarily serves the communities of Essex and Hertfordshire.

The charity was established in 1997 under the name of Essex Air Ambulance. In April 2007, the charity became the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT). The North Weald air base is one of two locations within the service and is home to one air ambulance helicopter and one rapid response vehicle (RRV).

The service has had a registered manager in post since July 2011.

The announced inspection took place on 6 February 2018, with an unannounced inspection on 13 February 2018.

Updated 6 April 2018

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust is operated by Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust. The trust is a charity and provides a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for critically ill and injured patients in Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. A team of pre-hospital doctors and critical care paramedics deliver emergency medical care. Clinical staff travel by either helicopter air ambulance or by rapid response vehicles (RRVs) during times of diminished natural light. Pre-hospital emergency medicine focuses on caring for seriously ill or injured patients in urban, rural, or remote settings before they reach hospital, and during emergency transfer to hospital or between hospitals.

We inspected this service using our comprehensive inspection methodology. We carried out the announced part of the inspection on 6 February 2018, along with an unannounced visit to the service on 13 February 2018.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the same five questions of all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs, and well-led?

Throughout the inspection, we took account of what people told us and how the provider understood and complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The main service provided by this service was urgent and emergency care.

Services we do not rate

We regulate independent ambulance services but we do not currently have a legal duty to rate them. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• There were effective processes in place to report, record and share learning from incidents.

• Staff were clear in their responsibilities to safeguard children and adults from abuse.

• The service had effective processes in place to protect patients and staff from healthcare associated infections. Vehicles and equipment had been regularly maintained and serviced.

• Patient care was evidence based and recognised best practice.

• Thorough induction processes ensured staff were knowledgeable and competent in their role.

• Patient feedback was positive. Staff treated patients with dignity, respect and compassion.

• Advanced planning ensured the service was delivered to meet the needs of the local people.

• Patients could access the service in a timely manner, in conjunction with the local NHS Ambulance service.

• The service had a clear leadership structure in place. Leaders were experienced, knowledgeable and passionate to provide excellent care to patients.

• Staff feedback consistently showed senior leaders to be supportive, visible and approachable.

• There was an effective governance framework in place. Death and disability meetings gave clinical and managerial staff regular opportunities to reflect and share learning from previous missions and incidents.

• All staff reported the presence of an open and transparent culture within the service. Staff described colleagues as ‘family’ and that they felt supported by senior management.

• The service demonstrated a range of plans to sustain and improve the service through a number of innovative methods.

Heidi Smoult

Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Hospitals

Updated 6 April 2018

The main service was the provision of urgent and emergency care to critically unwell or injured patients by a team of experienced clinicians who delivered pre-hospital emergency medicine. Patient transportation took place by air or land ambulance, dependent on clinical need.

There were effective processes in place to identify, report and learn from incidents. We found medical records to be complete, legible and reflective of the care and treatment provided. Safety was a key focus for the service. Pertinent risk assessments were completed, with effective leadership and governance processes in place to monitor and oversee the risk to both staff and patients.