Recurring concern
Failure to ensure timely ambulance access to care and emergency treatment premises
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correctionFirst reported 9 Sep 2013•Latest report 25 Nov 2024
What this concern includes
Includes failures of dedicated ambulance-access arrangements at care homes, hospitals, venues or other emergency treatment premises, including staffing, entry systems, access directions and related operational arrangements, when those failures delay or obstruct ambulance access.
Not included
- Excludes general ambulance response delays or shortages unrelated to gaining entry to the destination premises.
- Excludes hospital handover delays after ambulance arrival.
- Excludes generic building security or access-control failures unless they specifically obstruct ambulance access.
- Excludes failures of clinical assessment, treatment, information transfer or patient transfer that do not concern ambulance access to premises.
- Reports
- 5
- Individual concerns
- 6
- Date range
- 2013–2024
- Stated actions
- 11
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure that the ward's immediate access route is known and shared with emergency ambulance services
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
-
Action
Agree a process with South Central Ambulance Service for updating emergency access information in its dispatch system.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Provide South Central Ambulance Service with emergency meeting locations for all Trust inpatient units.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Meet ambulance crews and escort them to the emergency location whenever they attend a Trust inpatient unit.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Action
Update emergency access information with South Central Ambulance Service annually or when additional inpatient units are added.
Stated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide timely out-of-hours access to the care home for ambulances
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
-
Action
Install corridor monitoring screens linked to the external doorbell with audible alerts to improve timely building access.
Stated by Castlehill Specialist Care Centre
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Position
CQC will not progress a criminal investigation because the evidence does not meet the required threshold of proving avoidability beyond reasonable doubt.
Stated by Care Quality Commission
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide ambulance crews with correct venue access directions
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure unobstructed ambulance access through all security gates
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
-
Action
Update emergency vehicle contingency plans with immediate ambulance notification, gate staffing, additional OSG support, proportionate searching, and information sharing to prevent access delays.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Provide all Custodial Managers an opportunity to participate in a live test of emergency vehicle receipt arrangements.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service -
Action
Deliver establishment-based training for OSGs on emergency vehicle receipt arrangements, with completion required for all OSGs by the end of 2019.
Stated by HM Prison and Probation Service
-
Action
Establish a joint prison access process to provide ambulance crews with timely access to patients and identify expected emergency resources.
Stated by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
-
Concerns raised2
Lack of ambulance crew access to coded hospital entrance keypads
Failure to maintain continuous staffing of resuscitation receptions
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
Action
Share the case with the Care Quality Commission for consideration of emergency-department access arrangements in independent ambulance-service inspections.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care -
Action
Write to the Health and Safety Executive to bring the case to its attention regarding independent ambulance-service access to receiving emergency departments.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
-
Position
Independent ambulance providers do not fall directly within the Department of Health’s remit.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
-
Position
Licensing and medical-cover arrangements at public events are the responsibility of local authorities.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care -
Position
Amending the Purple Guide to specify independent ambulance access arrangements is ultimately for the HSE to decide.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Data last updated 7 September 2026