EXMOUTH'S ambulances are among the cleanest in the country following an inspection by the health watchdog.

EXMOUTH'S ambulances are among the cleanest in the country following an inspection by the health watchdog.

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, who have a base at Liverton Business Park, have been awarded the highest possible score by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the UK's independent healthcare regulator.

Last year 170 NHS organisations were randomly inspected to ensure that high standards of infection control were being maintained - in February the Trust was inspected over four days.

The team of inspectors visited a number of ambulance stations to check the cleanliness of ambulances.

The report, published this week, praised the Trust for establishing infection prevention and control as one of its top priorities.

The inspection assessed the environment and the management of infection control - the report awarded the Trust green status in both areas.

The Trust's Director of Urgent Care and Clinical Services Norma Lane, said:

"All of our staff have worked extremely hard to ensure that every patient receives care in an environment that they would be proud for one of their own relatives to experience. We are delighted to receive such a fantastic result."

Clinical Development Manager and Infection Control Lead for the Trust, Adrian South said: "Over the past two years we have successfully delivered one of the most ambitious programmes undertaken by an ambulance trust to improve infection control. The hard work has definitely been worth it and it is really pleasing that the work of our staff has been highlighted nationally as good practice.