Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and Battle, has today welcomed the decision by Coperforma to step down from its role as patient transport service provider in Sussex. The decision, taken in conjunction with the local Clinicial Commissioning Group, should clear the way for the service to be delivered by South Central Ambulance Trust albeit a tendering process will have to be organised. South Central Ambulance Service have just taken on the PTS provision for the NHS in Hounslow and Surrey.—Huw Merriman, 1 November 2016
Patient Transport Services in Sussex were previously run by South East Coastal Ambulance Services but were outsourced to Coperforma, a private company, in April of this year to deliver via a series of sub-contracts with private transport operators.
Huw said “The arrangement with Coperforma has been bedevilled from the start. Service declined as the company tried to get to grips with its requirements. Many patients failed to get to their appointments at hospital and this caused distress to the vulnerable and difficulties for hospitals and their staff.
“Whilst Coperforma’s recent performance has improved, there have been difficulties with driver operators facing cash-flow shortages due to lack of prompt payment. The model, having the CCG, Coperforma, and separate driver operators, was not working and I am glad that the CCG and Coperforma have found a solution which will see the contract returned to a more traditional provider with the NHS. It is now essential that we support Coperforma, the CCG and the new Ambulance service provider so they can transition the new contract over for April 2017.”
In a separate development, the Care Quality Commission are looking at the registration of patient transport drivers across the country following a failure by one transport company to possess the correct CQC approval to operate as a patient transport provider.
Huw commented “I spoke with a Minister of State at the Department of Health and was told that lessons would be learned from the difficulties faced in Sussex. It appears that one company did not have its registration approved. Whilst this appears a technicality, it was known by Coperforma and is thus essential that all CCGs and the CQC properly share information where private entities are involved.”
Huw has been leading a cross-party of MPs across Sussex who have been adding their voice for changes to be made to the patient service provision in Sussex. The group are due to be holding their third meeting with the CCG in Parliament this month. Huw said “We look forward to meeting with our local NHS commissioning team and supporting them as they get more time back to focus on the other changes which they are bringing forward for our local health service.”
