Commenting on the CQC's damning report on the South East Coast Ambulance Service Sir Nicholas Soames said; "I think all of us have the highest respect and gratitude for the hard working ambulance crew and those that support them at SECAmb.

"What this report highlights is an unforgivable failure of both leadership and management and I am astonished that this organisation was allowed to stumble along with such gross failure attached to its leadership. 

"I have made my views very well known to the Secretary of State and asked that a close watching brief, quite apart from the Quality Special Measures, is kept on the management.

"Once again I was appalled by what I read and I am outraged at the way that the previous management have behaved."

| Report