Mobile Medical Cover rated inadequate by CQC over dirty ambulances

An unannounced inspection in August found two ambulances "visibly dirty", the CQC said

An ambulance service has been rated as inadequate after inspectors found dirty vehicles threatening patient safety.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned Mobile Medical Cover, an independent service based in Grimsby, to make urgent improvements.

It said an August inspection found two ambulances "visibly dirty" and highlighted concerns over staff training.

Mobile Medical Cover said it had been working "diligently" to make changes.

The service, which has a workforce of 300 mostly self-employed staff, provides patient transport and emergency care cover at events and has previously served an NHS hospital.

In its report following the unannounced inspection, the CQC said the company had to take urgent action after the ambulances were flagged as "ready to use" when they were not clean.

There was also no evidence the firm was checking the competency of its staff and their skills, which was "putting people at risk", the CQC said.

'Dirty and disorganised'

The watchdog added that there were concerns about cleanliness and fire safety at their premises, which was putting staff in danger, as well as issues with infection control, safeguarding checks, management of stored medicines and medical gases.

Mobile Medical Cover said the two ambulances "had just returned from a festival" and were not in use as they were awaiting "the deep cleaning process".

In 2020, an inspection report listed 30 improvements the service needed to make for it to be safe.

Sarah Dronsfield, CQC's head of hospital inspection, said it was "disappointing that despite being told to take action to improve cleanliness, their building and storage areas were dirty and disorganised, with sterile and non-sterile equipment being stored together".

"People were being put at risk of harm as they were cared for by staff who weren't taking enough measures to protect them against infection as they weren't following their own cleaning guidance," she said.

She added that events staff did not receive formal induction or training and there was "no evidence the service had processes in place to share lessons learned from safety incidents".

Mark Furneaux, managing director of Mobile Medical Cover, said the firm had "worked diligently over the last two months and have completed the actions required by the CQC to make the required changes to our systems and processes".

"Our vehicle cleaning and infection control procedures have always ensured all of our ambulances are cleaned above and beyond the standards expected," he added.