Medical Response Services

Updated 10 March 2025

Medical Response Service is an independent ambulance provider which undertakes non-emergency patient transport journeys for patients aged 18 and above who are eligible for NHS funding and being discharged from an NHS trust. In addition, ad-hoc private patient transportation is also undertaken on a one-to-one basis.

The service employs 40 members of staff, of whom the majority are ambulance care assistants. At the time of our inspection, the fleet consisted of 16 vehicles. All vehicles are for patient transport, including a specialist bariatric ambulance, and a recovery vehicle. At the time of inspection four NHS contracts were in place, with an extra crew on standby for ad hoc or emergency cover.

The service was previously inspected and rated as good in April 2022.

Updated 7 August 2024

Medical Response Service is an independent ambulance provider which undertakes non-emergency patient transport journeys for patients aged 18 and above who are eligible for NHS funding and being discharged from an NHS trust. In addition, ad-hoc private patient transportation is also undertaken on a one-to-one basis.

The service employs 40 members of staff, of whom the majority are ambulance care assistants. At the time of our inspection, the fleet consisted of 16 vehicles. All vehicles are for patient transport, including a specialist bariatric ambulance, and a recovery vehicle. At the time of inspection four NHS contracts were in place, with an extra crew on standby for ad hoc or emergency cover.

The service was previously inspected and rated as good in April 2022.

We commenced a focused assessment comprising of 8 quality statements across the safe, effective, responsive and well-led key questions and have combined the scores for these areas with scores from the last inspection to give the rating. The inspection was short noticed announced (less than 24 hours).

During the inspection we spoke to staff and leaders in the service, viewed policies and procedures, we inspected the vehicles and ambulance base, reviewed staff files, training records and other documents relating to the service. We also spoke to people who have used the service. There was a good safety culture where events were investigated, and learning was embedded to promote good practice. Staff felt supported by leaders. Staff had training relevant to their roles and there was a process in place to ensure mandatory training was completed. Staff were well presented and professional, ambulances and the ambulance base were visibly clean and tidy.