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South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust awarded the highest possible score for cleanliness.

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust has been given a clean bill of health by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the UK’s independent healthcare regulator.

All NHS organisations that provide healthcare directly to patients must comply with stringent new requirements aimed at protecting patients and staff from healthcare associated infections, through registration with the Care Quality Commission.

During 2009 all ambulance Trusts within the UK received an unannounced inspection from the Care Quality Commission. The inspection team visited the Trust during August, assessing 8 ambulance stations and checking 16 vehicles. In their report published today, the CQC confirmed that the Trust were found to be following all regulations to protect patients and staff from the risks of acquiring a healthcare associated infection.

The result places the Trust as the second best performing ambulance service within the UK, for the achievement of infection prevention and control measures. The assessment follows another unannounced inspection by the former Healthcare Commission during February 2009, which awarded the Trust the highest possible score for cleanliness.

"The Trust and all of our staff have worked extremely hard to ensure that every patient receives care in an environment that we would be proud for one of our own relatives to experience. We are delighted to receive such a fantastic result."
Norma Lane, Director of Urgent Care and Clinical Services

"Over the past two years we have successfully delivered one of the most ambitious programs undertaken by an ambulance Trust to improve infection control. The inspection reflects the fact that infection control is one of our top priorities."
Adrian South, Clinical Development Manager and Infection Control Lead

Please click here to view the full report

• Follow-up Report

During February 2009, the Trust also received a routine inspection by the former Healthcare Commission, as part of a pilot program to start the inspection of ambulance services. The report praised the Trust for establishing infection prevention and control as one of its top priorities.

Please click here to view the full report

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Trust Headquarters, Unit 3 Abbey Court, Sowton Industrial Estate, Exeter, EX2 7HY, Tel: 01392 261500, Fax: 01392 261510, Email: publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk

Copyright © 2006 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust