Report reveals gaps in NHS patient transport services

The current NHS hospital non-emergency patient transport system is fragmented, according to a review of the service conducted by the chairman of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board.

Patient transport services take patients to and from hospital and clinic appointments and are usually arranged by doctors, nurses or consultants.

Around 14 million patient transport journeys to NHS hospitals are undertaken every year, figures show.

However, Mr Win Griffiths found that the service does not focus enough on the needs of patients, providing them with inconvenient and uncomfortably long, multiple-stop journeys to and from the hospital.

The report suggested that the NHS must aim to go beyond just delivering services and ensure they are of better quality by concentrating on the requirements of patients.

Mr Griffiths commented: "The review does not shrink from the fact that the service has been through periods of variable performance. The whole system must serve citizens better, and must be driven by citizens' needs.

"The best way to manage the system and improve performance needs to be tested."

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