ENGLAND’S chief inspector of hospitals is inviting Warrington people to tell his inspectors what they think of the services provided by North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).
Views and experiences of patients and families, who have used services operated by the trust, will help inspectors decide what to look at during an inspection on the service to be carried out next Monday (May 23).
The North West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust serves seven million people across the region – operating locally from the ambulance station on Farrell Street.
People are being encouraged to contact the Care Quality Commission about their experiences of the emergency service, patient transport and the NHS 111 service.
They are being asked how NWAS handles calls, how ambulance and transport staff treat people, how the out of hours service operates and where they would like to see improvements made in the future.
Chief inspector of hospital Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “Last year, NHS ambulance services received over nine million 999 calls resulting in the majority of patients being taken to an emergency department or directly admitted to a specialist department such as a stroke or coronary unit. At the same time, nearly two million people could be treated at home thanks to the skills of ambulance staff.
“Ambulance services are also responsible for helping to care for over five million patient transport service journeys each year for people who need help attending non-emergency pre-planned appointments.
“We need to make sure that ambulance services are safe, caring, responsive and well-led. This inspection will provide people with a clear picture of the quality of their local ambulance service, exposing poor or mediocre service if it exists as well as highlighting where the trust provides good and excellent services.”
The Care Quality Commission will publish a full report of findings later in the year and will rate the trust as either Outstanding, Good, Requiring Improvement or Inadequate.
Patients and family members can share their experience of the trust in the following ways:
Online: http://www.cqc.org.uk/syesNWAS
By email: [email protected]
By letter: CQC, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA
By phone:03000 61 61 61
In person: The inspection team will speak to patients during the inspection for their views.
Give your verdict on the ambulance service
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