SOUTH Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) said it was “delighted” to have received a positive rating after its services were assessed earlier this year.

Will Hancock, its chief executive, said: “I am delighted to report that our service has been rated as ‘Good’ overall. This is fabulous news for our organisation as we are the first and only ambulance trust to get a ‘Good’ rating across ambulance trusts in England. I would like to thank our caring and professional staff for all their hard work and dedication.”

SCAS said the inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was “thorough, robust and comprehensive”.

The trust’s non-emergency patient transport service delivered ‘outstanding’ care to patients, as staff developed supportive and trusted relationships with regular users, a quality commission spokesman said.

Its team inspected all services provided; visited 20 ambulance stations, air ambulance sites, clinical co-ordination centres and 10 acute hospitals. They observed 13 emergency ambulances crews, seven non-emergency patient transport crews and spoke to around 350 trust staff.

They said staff were “positive about working for the trust” and recognised the “value of their service”.

SCAS provides emergency care for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, an area that covers approximately 3,554 square miles and houses more than four million people.