This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Not eligible for Patient Transport Service

Posted By Heagy9

"Not eligible for Patient Transport Service"

About: North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust / Patient transport service

(as a staff member posting for a patient/service user),

I have several health conditions including heart problems, difficulty breathing and back pain. I use two sticks to walk and can’t go up steps. I have used the Patient Transport Service to get to hospital appointments many times and have always been pleased with the service. I like chatting to other passengers and the drivers have all been very friendly and helpful. It is a relief to know I will arrive in time for my appointment. However, when I rang to book transport for an appointment this week I was told I was not eligible. I asked why but they weren’t able to tell me. I found this very confusing and upsetting. They gave me the number for Healthwatch Liverpool without explaining who they were (I thought they were another transport service) and they contacted my doctor to ask for a clinical override, but I feel that at the age of 80 I shouldn’t have to go through all this messing about- it’s exhausting!

Posted on behalf of a patient by Healthwatch Liverpool Information team

Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Deborah Gallagher, Patient Experience Support Officer, Patient Experience, North West Ambulance Service 8 years ago
Deborah Gallagher
Patient Experience Support Officer, Patient Experience,
North West Ambulance Service

Submitted on 23/04/2015 at 14:32
Published on Care Opinion at 15:07

picture of Deborah Gallagher

Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding Patient Transport with us. We are sorry to hear that on this occasion your experience of booking your transport was not quite as straightforward as it should have been.

We are required to ask the eligibility questions by our Commissioners at every booking (with the exception of cancer or renal patient bookings) in case a patient's mobility or clinical conditions have changed. Unfortunately when completed the criteria does not highlight to staff why a patient has been declined so this is why they would have been unable to share that information.

We hope that you do not have problems when booking transport in the future. However if you do have any problems or if you would like our Patient Experience team to further investigate the concerns you have raised on this occasion then please contact them on 0345 112 6500 between the hours of 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday or by emailing patientexperience@nwas.nhs.uk.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k