Air Ambulance service rated ‘outstanding’ by CQC 

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) has been awarded an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible score from the independent regulator.

The service, funded by HIOWAA Charity and run in partnership with University Hospital Southampton (UHS), received the rating following a comprehensive inspection in October 2025. This is the first time the CQC has formally rated the service.

The collaboration between the charity and UHS was established in November 2018 to strengthen integration with NHS services. It enabled the expansion of a critical care team of doctors, paramedics and dispatchers, delivering hospital-level care to patients day and night, 365 days a year.

UHS is a major trauma centre serving the Wessex Region and Channel Islands. Its helipad at Southampton General Hospital, opened in 2011, is one of the few in the UK able to receive critically ill patients 24 hours a day.

Inspectors assessed the service against five key standards – Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led – and awarded ‘Outstanding’ in all categories.

In its report, the CQC said “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 crews “go above and beyond to anticipate people’s needs and take steps to ensure preventable discomfort, concern or distress,” with patients and families describing their experiences as “overwhelmingly positive”.

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.

“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, thanked supporters, saying their “kindness and dedication” gives patients “the very best chance of survival and recovery.”

Rachel Leaman, HEMS care group manager at UHS, said the rating reflected the team’s determination to “place our patients and people first”, while Natasha Watts, interim chief nurse at UHS, described it as “a testament to the exceptional professionalism, skill and compassion shown every day by our air ambulance teams”.

Since launching in 2007, HIOWAA has responded to 22,000 emergencies by air and road.

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