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Clinical Quality and Patient SafetyInformation for GPs and CliniciansRoutine Ambulance JourneysPatient Transport ServiceThe Trust’s Patient Transport Service (PTS) conveys non-emergency, non-urgent patients who do not require an emergency or urgent response, but, due to their medical condition, are unable to use public transport and need planned assistance to attend NHS appointments. Bookings are matched to patient needs - all PTS ambulances have easy access for patients, in addition to walking patients, they have been designed to carry wheelchair and stretcher patients in safety and comfort. Ambulance Care AssistantsPTS ambulance crews usually consist of two trained ambulance care assistants (ACAs). ACAs are trained in first aid and to assist and care for patients who may have special needs. They are trained in basic life support (including defibrillation) and first aid including oxygen therapy. VolunteersUnpaid volunteers work on the voluntary ambulance car service (VACS) and take patients, who require minimal assistance to walk and with a small amount of hand luggage, to treatment centres. Some voluntary ambulance cars can accommodate personal patient wheelchairs but these have to be folded and placed in the boot. Volunteer car drivers are not expected to carry out manual handling operations such as lifting patients or heavy luggage, and so if the patient is unable to manage stairs at their home they are unsuitable for a voluntary car. Changes to the co-ordination of VACS are differing stages across the operational area of South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust. More details can be obtained from Operational Lead Manager, Graham Smart on 01392 261500. Escorts for Non-Urgent PatientsSome patients may need to be provided with a medical or nurse escort by the hospital unit. South Western Ambulance Service will do its best to return clinical escorts to their base after completion of the ambulance journey, but for operational reasons this may not always be possible. Requests to PTS Control for non-medical escorts should only be for the following categories of patient:
Please advise PTS Control at the time of booking of the need for an escort, so that an ambulance seat can be allocated. Please remember that each escort will occupy a seat that might otherwise be used by a patient.
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Trust Headquarters,
Unit
3 Abbey Court,
Sowton Industrial Estate,
Exeter, EX2 7HY, Tel: 01392 261500,
Fax: 01392 261510, Email: publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk |
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