A NON-emergency ambulance service labelled “diabolical” by patients and councillors has now improved, an independent inspection has concluded.

E-Zec Medical was roundly criticised after it took over the service from South Western Ambulance NHS Trust last October and immediately struggled to cope with demand.

Patients complained they missed vital hospital appointments because of problems getting through to call handlers and ambulances turning up at the wrong time.

Earlier this year, the Care Quality Commission ruled the service was meeting standards in just two out of five areas and called for improvements in staffing, management and complaint handling.

But in a new inspection report, the service is deemed to be meeting standards in six out of seven areas. The only area where action is needed is management of medicines.

The latest report states: “We found that action had been taken to achieve compliance with the shortfalls identified in the inspection of January 2014. Processes and structures had been put in place and were being followed to plan and deliver a service that met the needs of people.”