WNAA receives Outstanding CQC rating

The UK-based air ambulance charity, which serves parts of central England, was awarded the rating following an unannounced inspection of the WNAA base at Coventry Airport on 24 August 2023.

The CQC rating – which is the highest awarded by the regulator – covers all aspects of the charity’s clinical services, across five key lines of enquiry. This covers whether services are:

1. Safe
2. Effective
3. Caring
4. Responsive to people’s needs
5. Well led.

The results of the inspection were published in a report which praised WNAA’s ability to meet the needs of the local population. The report stated that “staff were experienced, qualified, and had the right skills and knowledge”, and noted that “outcomes … were positive, consistent, and regularly exceeded expectations”.

The report also found that staff “felt respected, supported, and valued” and were “committed to improving services continually”.

WNAA is run by parent charity The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS). TAAS’s CEO, Peta Wilkinson, welcomed the rating: “I’m delighted that the charity has achieved the highest overall rating from the CQC; it clearly validates our service’s purpose and recognizes the high quality of emergency and urgent care that we deliver every single day.”
WNAA’s parent organization, The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS), joined Air Ambulances UK (AAUK) – the national representative body for the sector – last year.