SECAmb Rated 'Good' Following Inspection

South East Coast Ambulance Service has been upgraded to a ‘good’ rating following its latest inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Inspectors assessed the trust’s urgent and emergency care service and emergency operations centre after previous inspections found areas requiring improvement.

The CQC said significant progress had been made, with the emergency operations centre no longer breaching any regulations. Inspectors found staff worked effectively together, there were enough experienced employees to provide safe care, and patients were treated with kindness and compassion.

The report also highlighted improvements in leadership, staff wellbeing and workplace culture, noting that employees were increasingly confident about speaking up and that many felt proud to work for the organisation.

However, the watchdog said further work is still needed. Concerns remain around governance arrangements, staff training completion rates and ensuring frontline teams feel fully supported and involved in decision-making. Inspectors also identified occasional issues with vehicle cleanliness and inconsistencies in operational oversight.

Interim Chief Executive Jen Allan welcomed the findings, saying the improved rating reflected the dedication and professionalism of staff across the trust.

Amanda Williams, CQC Deputy Director of Hospitals, Secondary and Specialist Care in the South East, said: “At this inspection, we were pleased to find South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust had made some significant improvements since our last visit.”

She added that while progress had been made, there were still areas where further improvements were needed.