Region’s air ambulance service rated ‘outstanding’ by CQC
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) service has been awarded the highest overall rating possible by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The service, which is funded by HIOWAA Charity and run in conjunction with University Hospital Southampton (UHS), has been rated ‘Outstanding’ following a comprehensive inspection by the independent regulator in October 2025.
The collaboration between HIOWAA and UHS was formally established in November 2018 to further strengthen integration between the air ambulance charity and NHS services.
This enabled an expansion of the critical care team – made up of doctors, paramedics and dispatchers – to bring hospital-level care to patients, day and night, 365 days a year.
UHS, which is a major trauma centre serving the Wessex Region and Channel Islands, opened its helipad at Southampton General Hospital in 2011 and is one of the few in the UK that can receive critically ill patients 24 hours a day.
This is the first time the CQC has rated Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance service.
Inspectors praised the service, noting “evidence showed an exceptional standard in how the service treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion, and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity.”
The regulator added that the crews “go above and beyond to anticipate people’s needs and take steps to ensure preventable discomfort, concern or distress for people” with patients and their families feeling “overwhelmingly positive” about the service and that “staff listened to them and kept them informed about what was happening throughout their care.”
Using UHS policies and governance frameworks, the partnership has enabled the air ambulance’s clinical team to develop progressive approaches to maintaining and continually improving clinical quality.
The CQC describes the quality of care using four ratings: outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate. Inspectors assessed the service on five key standards: ‘Safe’, ‘Effective’, ‘Caring’, ‘Responsive’ and ‘Well-led’ – awarding the service outstanding in all categories.
The inspector went on to add: “The service was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices… Patients said staff helped them feel at ease and ensured that they were comfortable. Families told us how they felt that the care their loved one had received was excellent.”
Dr Simon Hughes, HIOWAA clinical lead and critical care consultant at UHS, said: “It is an exceptionally proud moment for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance to receive this rating and recognition. Every decision we make has our patients’ best interest at its core and we continually strive to improve and enhance our service.
“This report is testament to the immense dedication of the crew and our support staff who continually go above and beyond to provide our patients and their families with truly exceptional critical care 365 days a year.”
Richard Corbett, the charity’s CEO, added: “An enormous thank you to everyone who supports our charity and believes in our mission so passionately. It is your kindness and dedication that gives our patients the very best chance of survival and recovery.”
Rachel Leaman, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) care group manager at UHS, said: “This rating speaks to the determination of our clinical team to place our patients and people first. Our team is innovative and driven but also, honest and compassionate. It’s a combination which has led to fantastic service development but has also created a culture of shared purpose and support.
“We’re incredibly proud to serve patients across our region and delighted that the CQC recognised the outstanding clinical care that’s provided every day.”
Natasha Watts, interim chief nurse at UHS, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive an outstanding rating from the CQC for the HIOWAA service. As the Trust responsible for operating the service, we take great pride in delivering safe, high‑quality critical care to the communities we serve.
“This recognition is a testament to the exceptional professionalism, skill and compassion shown every day by our air ambulance teams, which include critical care doctors and paramedics. We remain committed to continually strengthening the service so that patients, often in need of the most urgent care, receive the very best support when they need it most.”
Since its launch in 2007, HIOWAA has responded to 22,000 emergencies by air and road.
For more information on HIOWAA visit hiowaa.org
The report will be published on CQC’s website in the coming days: https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RYEA7