O/T hospital patient transport.

[AmexRuislip]

I remember seeing a thread on here about the hospital patient transport in Sussex being taken over by a private company.
Reason for asking is that my father in law has had to start kidney dialysis at Brighton hospital, travelling from Hastings.
A couple of times the booked transport has failed to turn up, resulting in his treatment in being cancelled.
No excuse given for failure of no show, really annoying.
Thanks.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I remember seeing a thread on here about the hospital patient transport in Sussex being taken over by a private company.
Reason for asking is that my father in law has had to start kidney dialysis at Brighton hospital, travelling from Hastings.
A couple of times the booked transport has failed to turn up, resulting in his treatment in being cancelled.
No excuse given for failure of no show, really annoying.
Thanks.

The astonishing thing is that the previous contractor (the NHS South East Coast Ambulance Service) didn't even submit a tender for the contract. The only option was a private contractor.

 

[AmexRuislip]

The astonishing thing is that the previous contractor (the NHS South East Coast Ambulance Service) didn't even submit a tender for the contract. The only option was a private contractor.

I know you complain through PAL's, but would it make a difference?

 

[Bansko Seagull]

If your father in law is still experiencing problems either contact Hastings and Rother CCG or ring the providers on the 0300 booking number and choose line 2. Hope it is now all sorted though.

 

[AmexRuislip]

If your father in law is still experiencing problems either contact Hastings and Rother CCG or ring the providers on the 0300 booking number and choose line 2. Hope it is now all sorted though.

Will do, many thanks

 

[Technohead]

I work at the hospital .... Coperforma's operation of the patient transport is still a shambles. Today we our 12 o'clock patient's transport didn't pick her up from her house until 2pm, having first told her earlier in the day that there was no transport available for her. She arrived with us at 3pm. We performed the test she needed, and she was ready to go 30 mins later, but then they couldn't provide a return journey. Eventually they sent a taxi at 6:30pm. Costing the NHS a small fortune in staff time, wasted appointments, and of course, taxi fares. Every day we have problems with them. Have now signed the petition at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petiti...bulance-privatisation-before-it-kills-someone

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I work at the hospital .... Coperforma's operation of the patient transport is still a shambles. Today we our 12 o'clock patient's transport didn't pick her up from her house until 2pm, having first told her earlier in the day that there was no transport available for her. She arrived with us at 3pm. We performed the test she needed, and she was ready to go 30 mins later, but then they couldn't provide a return journey. Eventually they sent a taxi at 6:30pm. Costing the NHS a small fortune in staff time, wasted appointments, and of course, taxi fares. Every day we have problems with them. Have now signed the petition at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petiti...bulance-privatisation-before-it-kills-someone

I was having a tunnel line fitted, followed by chemotherapy, at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford last Friday. Numerous patients left at home so no chemo for them with the drugs all going to waste, severely ill people still on the ward waiting to go home when the staff finish; this has been going on since day one apparently. IV nurses from the Horsham & Mid Sx CMG who come to flush my line at home relay similar horror stories; it's a disgrace and all down to the West Sussex CMG's who awarded a £50M+ contract to a company with a turnover nearer to 1% of that.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I was having a tunnel line fitted, followed by chemotherapy, at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford last Friday. Numerous patients left at home so no chemo for them with the drugs all going to waste, severely ill people still on the ward waiting to go home when the staff finish; this has been going on since day one apparently. IV nurses from the Horsham & Mid Sx CMG who come to flush my line at home relay similar horror stories; it's a disgrace and all down to the West Sussex CMG's who awarded a £50M+ contract to a company with a turnover nearer to 1% of that.

Sorry to hear that

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Sorry to hear that

My point is that if your father's hospital transport is down to Coperforma then be prepared for it to all go tits up big time. Good luck.

 

[AmexRuislip]

My point is that if your father's hospital transport is down to Coperforma then be prepared for it to all go tits up big time. Good luck.

Many thanks again

 

[AmexRuislip]

My point is that if your father's hospital transport is down to Coperforma then be prepared for it to all go tits up big time. Good luck.

Father in law went to the Royal Sussex today to have his fistula widened.
Hey Presto Coperforma turned up on time.
Return journey............
Well a no show from the booked transport, a lot of phone calls came to nothing.
Outcome was that the hospital booked a taxi for him to Hastings, now NHS out of pocket to the amount of £75, absolute bollox
Complaint on way

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Father in law went to the Royal Sussex today to have his fistula widened.
Hey Presto Coperforma turned up on time.
Return journey............
Well a no show from the booked transport, a lot of phone calls came to nothing.
Outcome was that the hospital booked a taxi for him to Hastings, now NHS out of pocket to the amount of £75, absolute bollox
Complaint on way

Really sorry to hear this. You know who to complain to? Clinical Commissioning Group, GP Practice, the NHS Trust involved (if any, but clearly not the hospital), MP. Good luck with anything going through PALS, well meaning but usually slow as any response seems to require personal sign-off from the Trust CEO.
I had my weekly visit from the West Sx IV Nurses today to flush and re-dress my chemo tunnel line. Most of their patients are, like me, being treated at the Royal Surrey in Guildford but it's similar stories to your Dad's. People stranded at the hospital, not arriving for their chemo or being so late that they can't be dosed, drugs then going out of date and having to be reformulated for another day when/if there's space on the ward, patient treatment regimes being disrupted and on and f****ng on it goes. I see at least one example this every fortnight (when I'm being dosed) but these nurses see it every day and Christ knows what the hospital staff make of it all; frightened and frail people being pissed about by a company that is not up to the job. It's been a shambles since they took on the contract.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Really sorry to hear this. You know who to complain to? Clinical Commissioning Group, GP Practice, the NHS Trust involved (if any, but clearly not the hospital), MP. Good luck with anything going through PALS, well meaning but usually slow as any response seems to require personal sign-off from the Trust CEO.
I had my weekly visit from the West Sx IV Nurses today to flush and re-dress my chemo tunnel line. Most of their patients are, like me, being treated at the Royal Surrey in Guildford but it's similar stories to your Dad's. People stranded at the hospital, not arriving for their chemo or being so late that they can't be dosed, drugs then going out of date and having to be reformulated for another day when/if there's space on the ward, patient treatment regimes being disrupted and on and f****ng on it goes. I see at least one example this every fortnight (when I'm being dosed) but these nurses see it every day and Christ knows what the hospital staff make of it all; frightened and frail people being pissed about by a company that is not up to the job. It's been a shambles since they took on the contract.

Hi, many thanks for your concerns, the father in law is very played back, so can take most things with a pinch.
I do hope you get the treatment and service you require ON TIME.
Best wishes

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Hi, many thanks for your concerns, the father in law is very played back, so can take most things with a pinch.
I do hope you get the treatment and service you require ON TIME.
Best wishes

Fortunately I don't have to use hospital transport.

 

[clippedgull]

The 'government' are on the case. As if! but here is a copy from Hansard (10th May 2016)

Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)

Last month, Coperforma took on the patient transport contract for Sussex. Unfortunately, since then there have been unacceptable and serious delays for some very sick and elderly patients. May I have assurances that the Department of Health will follow up this issue? [904931]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jane Ellison)

Sussex CCGs are responsible for monitoring Coperforma’s performance, and High Weald Lewes Havens CCG acknowledges that, as my hon. Friend said, the early performance of the new non-emergency patient transport service has not been acceptable. For that reason, the CCG, on behalf of all Sussex CCGs, has begun an inquiry, with the aim of making a report available by June, and with interim progress reports. We will of course monitor the issue carefully.

 

[AmexRuislip]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-37288006

Info to [MENTION=7004]Alex, Alex Dawson oo! oo![/MENTION]

BBC reporting Sussex patient transport firm, Coperforma in imminent collapse.

 

[Albion my Albion]

I remember seeing a thread on here about the hospital patient transport in Sussex being taken over by a private company.
Reason for asking is that my father in law has had to start kidney dialysis at Brighton hospital, travelling from Hastings.
A couple of times the booked transport has failed to turn up, resulting in his treatment in being cancelled.
No excuse given for failure of no show, really annoying.
Thanks.

Seems much like being an Albion fan.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Seems much like being an Albion fan.

Generally I ignore you, but why do you think it's witty and clever to post inappropriate comments all over the forum?

 

[Albion my Albion]

Generally I ignore you, but why do you think it's witty and clever to post inappropriate comments all over the forum?

Shouldn't you also be asking that of 20% of this board. Because I feel so enlightened to do so. No other reason.

 

[AmexRuislip]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-37832376

Coperforma lose contract.
Coperforma has faced serious criticism of its service in Sussex since taking it over in April
A patient transport service criticised for delays in taking patients to hospital has lost its contract.
Thousands of people signed a petition calling for the NHS to end its agreement with Coperforma in Sussex.
The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which looks after the contract said it would be a "managed transition" to South Central Ambulance Service.
Sussex MP Huw Merriman said Coperforma had "effectively given up the ghost" and handed the contract back.
The firm has signed the necessary legal documents, BBC health correspondent Mark Norman added.
Wendy Carberry, chief executive of High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We are delighted that SCAS has agreed to take over the patient transport service.
"The managed transfer will minimise disruption for patients. And we can start to resolve the situation for staff who have been through a period of uncertainty."
South Central Ambulance Service currently operates ambulances and patient transport services in Berkshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire.
Coperforma has been contacted for comment.