South Central Ambulance Service bosses criticised in damning CQC inspection

The Care Quality Commission has rated South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) as "inadequate"

Bosses at South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) have been described as "out of touch" in a damning report by the health watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the service as inadequate following an inspection in April and May.

It said delays contributed to the death of an elderly patient, while ambulances with patients on board endured waits of several hours outside hospitals.

SCAS said it was "determined to make rapid improvements".

The service covers Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

The commission has served it a warning notice requiring immediate and significant improvements following its report which said the trust's governance "undermined the quality of care it provided to people".

In one case a long delay in an ambulance arriving contributed to the death of a patient who had fallen and was trapped under their bed.

Another endured a wait of 14 hours on the floor after falling, inspectors were told.

The CQC also said that pigeon droppings covered vehicles and contaminated personal protective equipment for staff at a premises in Portsmouth.

However, it found that patients were treated with kindness and compassion.

'Improve response times'

Deanna Westwood, CQC's south network, said the inspection was undertaken because of concerns around governance and training, but further issues were soon identified.

She said: "While staff were doing their very best to provide safe care to patients and support to each other, leaders sometimes appeared out of touch and were not fully sighted on issues that impacted the overall effectiveness of the care they were providing."

SCAS chief executive Will Hancock said the trust would address concerns "as a matter of urgency".

He added: "We have already taken swift action, but I recognise we have more to do. Providing the best possible care to all our patients remains our top priority."

He also said it was working with NHS partners to manage ongoing pressures and "improve response times and hospital handover times".