The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has received improved ratings from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with inspectors highlighting faster emergency response times and examples of staff going ‘above and beyond’ for patients.
The regulator has upgraded both the emergency operations centre and patient transport service from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’, while urgent and emergency care has again been rated ‘good’.
Inspectors found that ambulances were getting to the most serious emergencies faster. The average response time for a Category 1 call had fallen to 8 minutes, compared with 10 minutes in November 2025.
Within urgent and emergency care, the ‘well-led’ rating has been upgraded from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’, while safe, effective, caring and responsive have all been re-rated ‘good’. Inspectors said staff treated people with kindness and respect and took time to reassure those who were anxious.
The CQC also highlighted work to improve safeguarding referrals, with a new process reducing the time required and freeing up more staff to respond to emergency calls.
At the emergency operations centre, both effective and well-led have been upgraded from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’, with safe, caring and responsive re-rated ‘good’.
Inspectors praised the support given to people in distress, including an occasion when a paramedic offered to remain on the phone with an upset caller until an ambulance arrived.
Staff were also praised for protecting people’s dignity. In one case, a paramedic encouraged a patient to cover themselves before a crew arrived and requested that a crew member of the same sex entered the property first to provide support.
The CQC found leaders were committed to meeting the needs of people across the Isle of Wight, including those in more remote locations, with an extensive network of community first responders dispatched to provide lifesaving treatment and support until ambulance crews arrived.
Staff were also found to be working proactively with partners to support people with mental health needs, although inspectors noted that external specialist mental health support was not always available.
The patient transport service has meanwhile seen its safe and well-led ratings upgraded from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’. Its caring rating has fallen from ‘outstanding’ to ‘good’, while effective and responsive have been re-rated ‘good’.
Inspectors said feedback about the service was consistently positive, with patients describing highly caring and compassionate treatment.
Examples of staff going beyond simply transporting patients included making people a cup of tea or switching on their heating to ensure they were safely settled after returning home.
The service was also praised for tailoring care for people living with dementia through calm communication, staff training and patient passports.
Agreements are in place with ferry providers to maintain reliable transport links to the mainland, which the CQC said helped address the increased risk of delayed care faced by Isle of Wight patients because of the Island’s location.
Victoria White, Director of Isle of Wight Ambulance Service, has said:
“I am incredibly proud that the hard work and dedication of our teams has been recognised by the CQC. We have made substantial progress over recent years to ensure patients receive safe, compassionate, and patient-centred care, and I know the positive feedback our staff and volunteers received during this inspection will mean a great deal to them.
“We also recognise that improvement is an ongoing journey and will continue listening to our teams, acting on feedback wherever we can. This includes working closely with our partners across community, ambulance, and hospital services to drive further improvement and deliver innovative solutions that benefit our patients.
“It is a privilege to lead and work alongside so many fantastic colleagues. I would like to thank all our staff, volunteers and partners for their commitment and everything they do for our patients and communities.”
Penny Emerit, Chief Executive, Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, adds:
“On behalf of the Trust Board, I would like to share how proud we are of our ambulance service and the compassionate care they provide to our island communities. Their dedication to innovation and putting patients at the heart of everything they do continues to improve the way care is delivered. Having a locally based ambulance service that is fully integrated with our acute hospital is a unique strength, helping us provide responsive, coordinated, and high-quality care.
“Everyone involved in achieving these improved ratings should be incredibly proud of their contribution.”
Steve Thomas, Chief Nursing Officer at Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, has said:
“We welcome the CQC’s findings and its recognition of the strong culture of continuous learning within our ambulance service. The CQC recognised substantial improvements across our services, with stronger leadership, safer care, and better outcomes for patients.
“We are determined to build on this progress and continue delivering the highest standards of care for the communities we serve.”
The inspection report is due to be published by the CQC in the coming days.
