CQC rates Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance Charity outstanding

CQC carried out an inspection of the service in July 2024 and returned in February 2025 to gather further evidence.

The service covers Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and operates a helicopter to reach people involved in serious incidents or in places hard to reach by road.

It can also deploy two emergency road vehicles for critical care. The CQC has rated this service for the first time.

The rating is ‘outstanding’ across how ‘safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led’ the service, and the overall rating is ‘outstanding’.

Charlotte Rudge, CQC deputy director of operations in the midlands, said: “At this inspection, everyone we spoke to who had used the service shared positive feedback about their care and treatment.

“They told us that staff at Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance treated them as individuals and respected their decisions about care and treatment.

“Staff provided prompt and effective treatment and stayed in touch with people and their loved ones after the incident.

“People felt confident to provide feedback and appreciated later opportunities to visit the air base to ask questions and thank staff personally.

“The service used feedback, research and monitoring to improve people’s experiences.

“Staff were committed to keeping the people in their care safe, delivering care with kindness, empathy and compassion while respecting people’s dignity.

“They made people feel at ease and made sure they were comfortable and confident to travel in the helicopter.

“Leaders had developed a culture of openness and collaboration.

“The service worked closely with partner organisations to help people in their care receive the best outcomes.

“The local ambulance service praised Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance’s prompt responses and effectiveness at the scene of incidents.

“Overall, staff at Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance should be very proud of the findings of our report.

“Their strong commitment to keeping people safe shone through in the high-quality care they provide and reflects the supportive culture of the organisation.”

Inspectors found that staff carefully assessed individuals' needs to ensure they received appropriate care and treatment.

They considered people's cultural identities and beliefs, allowing them to provide personalised care.

According to the report, the service proactively identified potential hazards and risks, which were assessed and managed to keep individuals safe.

Further findings outlined how staff learned from incidents to enhance services and reduce the likelihood of similar events occurring in the future.

And when a person's outcome was not favourable, family members contacted the service to express their gratitude for the care and support given to their loved one.

The findings indicate that family members, friends, and others present at the scene of an incident were well looked after.

Additionally, the report highlights that leaders offered extensive training and career development opportunities for staff, who felt “valued, respected, and supported” in their work.

Furthermore, findings praised how the service maintained strong connections with local NHS trusts, enabling staff to enhance their specialist skills within a hospital setting.

Another finding in the report shared how the service implemented a world-leading pre-hospital treatment plan for people at extreme risk of traumatic cardiac arrests.

The reports will be published on CQC’s website in the coming days.

Readers can find the full report at: www.cqc.org.uk/provider/1-11551915046.