Agenda item

To consider a report on a review of Patient Services Transport.

Neil Evans of NHS Blackpool briefed on proposed service improvements for Patient Transport Services provided by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS). 

In 2007, the Department of Health published a national policy document entitled “Eligibility Criteria for Patient Transport Services” which provided revised criteria for non-emergency patient transport services.  This defined patients as eligible for Patient Transport Services (PTS) in the following circumstances:

      A patient’s medical condition required the skills or support of PTS staff on or after the journey;

      It would be detrimental to a patient’s condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means;

      A patient’s medical condition impacted upon their mobility to such an extent that they would be unable to access healthcare or it would be detrimental or hinder recovery to travel by other means;

      A recognised parent/guardian where children were being conveyed.

A comprehensive review of Patient Transport Services was undertaken in the North West and all 24 Primary Care Trusts had agreed the need to improve access to PTS services as there was a high level of variation in the interpretation of the above access criteria.  NHS Blackpool had established a project implementation team to progress the consistent use of the Department of Health’s defined eligibility criteria which would enable all healthcare professionals to ensure equity when booking PTS journeys through the North West Ambulance Service.  In future, to access the Patient Transport Service booking staff would use a pre assessment tool (comprising some pre eligibility questions) which had been developed and was available on the internet; patients who self booked would be able to access the tool via the telephone to an NWAS control centre.

The pre assessment tool would be trialled in five early adopter sites across the North West between October – March 2011 and included Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT.  The trial had begun on 1 October 2010 and the findings from the early adopter sites would be assessed prior to implementation across the North West in April 2011.  Following initial trialling of the pre eligibility questions, a new set of questions had been introduced which would be used shortly. 

The Committee was advised that the new arrangements related to planned transport only and not emergency transport.  A patient information leaflet was being devised which would be widely available including in hospital sites and GP surgeries.  A recent training and information session had also been held for practice managers.  The leaflet would include information on the Healthcare Travel Costs scheme which was a scheme enabling the reclaiming of public transport costs if a patient was able to use public transport but cost was an issue.  In relation to patients using their own transport or asking friends or family for a lift, Members raised the issue of people being reluctant to ask for help and wanting to remain independent as well as the extra cost of paying for parking at hospital as well as the travel costs.  In response, the Committee was advised that investigations could be made into the possibility of parking tokens being made available if this would help towards costs and enable patients to retain their independence.  It was also suggested that the Local Involvement Network (LINk) should be sent information about the pre qualification questions and other relevant information about the changes.

RESOLVED:  That the changes to the Patient Transport Service be noted.