We are proud to announce the start of the new contract to provide the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) across the Thames Valley region on 1 April 2016.
This is a new contract which brings together three existing contracts covering Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. SCAS is the existing supplier for these three contracts.
SCAS already operates the NEPTS service across many parts of the South Central region, providing transport for people who are unable to use public or other transport due to their medical condition, and are:
- Attending hospital outpatient clinics
- Being admitted to or discharged from hospital wards
- Needing life-saving treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or renal dialysis or DVT treatment
SCAS has over 40 years of experience of patient transport, and in 2014/15 undertook over 500,000 patient journeys. A comprehensive mobilisation plan for the contract, managed by a dedicated project team working closely with representatives of the commissioning group, has ensured a smooth transfer to the new contract.
Director of Strategy, Business Development, Communications and Engagement for SCAS, James Underhay, said: “We are really pleased to be providing the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service across the Thames Valley and we are determined to deliver the best possible service to patients.
“I would like to thank all the people who worked so hard to ensure a smooth transition to the new contract.”
The service is available to all patients who meet the eligibility criteria, which are in place to ensure that resources are available to those patients who need them most.
Notes to Editors:
From 1 April 2016, SCAS will provide the Non-Emergency Patient Transport service for all patients registered with a General Practitioner in Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) footprints. SCAS currently provides the service in these areas across three different contracts.
Eligibility Criteria:
Patients must meet the following Eligibility criteria for patient transport in Oxfordshire CCGs:
- are unable to stand unaided by another person and cannot manage any journey in private or public transport for the purposes of daily living
- have a disability and are genuinely unable to travel by private or public transport to and from their appointments or for the purposes of daily living by virtue of their disability
- have a mental health condition or suffer from long term confusion and are unable to travel by private or public transport to and from their appointments or for the purposes of daily living by virtue of this condition
- require continuous oxygen therapy during transit or specialist bariatric provision (where the patient weighs above 25 stone and is unable to travel for the purposes of daily living in private or public transport)
- require a stretcher or sling / hoist during transit
- are attending for active treatment likely to cause severe physical side effects e.g. oncology, renal or eye surgery patients or within 6 weeks of transplant
- are attending the vascular access clinic and OUH clinical staff have advised transportation is necessary
Patients must meet the following Eligibility criteria for patient transport in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire CCGs:
- travelling by any other means would have a serious detrimental effect on the patient’s condition or recovery.
- the patient has restricted mobility and is unable to self-mobilise (i.e. is unable to stand or walk more than a few step), including from a pre-existing condition, where it would be detrimental
- to their condition or recovery to travel by any other means.
- the patient requires support from a qualified PTS crew during the journey and is required to lie down for at least part of the journey or they are a stretcher patient.
- the patient is being transferred to another NHS facility and requires medical assistance during the journey.
- the patient requires continuous oxygen or other medical gases or intravenous support.
- patient with clearly recognised disabilities who are genuinely unable to travel by private or public transport to and from their appointments
- have a mental health condition or suffer from long term confusion and are unable to travel by private or public transport to and from their appointments or for the purposes of daily living by virtue of this condition