Paramedic UK » private

SECAmb’s private 999 ambulances cost criticised

Editor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:38:52 +0000

Patient representatives have expressed concern that millions of pounds are being spent by the NHS on private ambulances in the South East.

South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) spent £7.8m in the past three years on private contractors, figures obtained by the BBC show.

Secamb said it used private providers and volunteers at times of high demand.

But Mike Eddy, from Kent Local Involvement Network (Link), said it would be cheaper to use NHS ambulances.

Secamb, which covers Kent, Surrey and Sussex, is one of only five NHS ambulance trusts in England which currently uses private companies to answer 999 calls and to take patients to hospital for outpatient appointments.

via BBC News.

Private sector ambulance deal

Editor — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:23:55 +0000

EMAS have lost out on a £20m contract to provide non-emergency patient transport in favour of private sector companies.

East Midlands Ambulance Service who currently provide the service would have used the contract – worth £19.9m annually – to buy a brand new, eco-friendly fleet.

Instead, the East Midlands Procurement and Commissioning Transformation on behalf of the region’s primary care trusts awarded the contract for Derbyshire to the privately owned NSL Ltd.

Phil Milligan, chief executive of East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “We are very disappointed that the primary care trusts who commission this service have taken this decision.”

He added: “Our focus is now on the welfare of our staff as we share this news and we will be working hard over the next few days to analyse the impact on them and the organisation as a whole.”

A spokeswoman for Derbyshire’s primary care trust, NHS Derbyhire County, said that patients travelling to and from Chesterfield Royal Hospital would not be affected.

via Derbyshire Times.

Air Ambulance Card to Provide Medical Evacuation Worldwide

Editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:55:41 +0000

Birmingham-based medical evacuation membership program Air Ambulance Card is partnering with WorldClinic Inc., a New Hampshire executive medical and telemedical program, to provide clients with medical evacuation and repatriation services.

“In a medical emergency, our patients know they have instant access to physicians who are familiar with their personal medical records. With Air Ambulance Card we are able to take that peace of mind one step further, bringing the patient home to the hospital of their choice,” said WorldClinic Director Dr. Dan Carlin.

via Earthlinks.

Ambulance drivers set to share £1m pay-out

Editor — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:48:08 +0000

Ninety drivers with a private ambulance company are set to share in huge payouts after winning a marathon dispute with their bosses.

Union leaders said the jackpot will total hundreds of thousands of pounds, but The Sentinel understands it could rise to £1million.A legal ruling against Parkwood will hand staff up to £2,000 each in compensation for having their wages and conditions wrongly pegged back for the past three years.

But it will also clear the way for other sums in back-pay currently being calculated.National arbitration agency ACAS last night found the company, which ferries 600 patients a day to routine hospital appointments, breached agreements designed to protect workers transferred from the NHS

Read full article: This is Staffordshire.

Patient Transport Service back in NHS hands

Editor — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:42:22 +0000

An NHS ambulance trust is set to win back the work to ferry 600 patients a day to hospital appointments in North Staffordshire.

West Midlands Ambulance Service has been told it can provisionally take over the multi-million pound contract from private firm Parkwood, which has run the service for the past three years.

Read full article: This is Staffordshire.

Ireland: Calls for ambulance regulation

Editor — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:25:00 +0000

A private ambulance service provider has called for regulation of the sector “to ensure patient safety”.

Lifeline Ambulance Service Limited, which claims it is Ireland’s largest private ambulance operator, last week called for the urgent regulation of the private ambulance sector.

Read full article: Irish Medical News

Shetland plan independent ambulance

Editor — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:16:36 +0000

Shetland could get a further three ambulances should a group of islanders proposing a community run service succeed with their ambition.

The people behind the Shetland Independent Ambulance Service (SIAS) said that they were so concerned with the local ambulance cover that they had to act to improve the situation.

Read full article: The Shetland News

Arms firm bids to buy ambulances

Editor — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:47:47 +0000

A private company is in talks with British local authorities to buy and lease back their fleets of ambulances, fire engines and police cars.

VT, the defence and services firm, would maintain the vehicles, making them available for use for a minimum number of days each year in a PFI-style arrangement. It would allow financially squeezed local authorities to cut costs and also bank the cash from selling off these assets.

Read full article: The Observer.

Use of taxis sent ambulance service budget £375,000 over limits

Editor — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:32:37 +0000

North West Ambulance Service’s Patient Transport Service (PTS) also missed targets, spending thousands of pounds on taxis.

The service takes non-emergency patients to and from hospital, and has several contracts with various hospitals and health bodies.

Read full article: Liverpool Daily Post.co.uk

Strike vote scuppers ambulance overhaul

Editor — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:17:12 +0000

Controversial plans which would have put private ambulances on the streets of Lancashire and unqualified staff manning 999 vehicles have been withdrawn after ambulance workers threatened to strike.

Industrial action could have crippled the region’s service – which now extends from Crewe to Carlisle – putting patients at risk.

Union leaders, who will now not press ahead with a full ballot, said staff had been furious that North West Ambulance Service bosses were considering changes in how emergency vehicles operate without negotiation.

Read full article: Lancashire Evening Post.