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Dept of Health

Answer

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of transport for individuals needing to access hospitals some distance away, with specific reference to rural areas. [196820] Ms Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts are responsible for providing or securing the provision of ambulance services, which could include patient transport services, to such extent as they consider necessary to meet all reasonable requirements. It is, therefore, for the local national health service to decide who provides transport services for patients in its area. Guidance has been issued to the NHS, which states that: " . . . patient transport service should be seen as part of an integrated programme of care. A non-emergency patient is one who, whilst requiring treatment, which may or may not be of a specialist nature, does not require an immediate or urgent response. A clinical need for treatment does not imply a medical need for transport. Medical need for non-emergency patient transport must be determined by a doctor, dentist or midwife and will depend upon the medical condition of the individual patient, the availability of private or public transport and distance to be travelled. The principle which should apply is that each patient should be able to reach hospital in a reasonable time and in reasonable comfort, without detriment to their medical condition". A copy of the guidance, "Ambulance and other patient transport services: Operation, use and performance standards", has been placed in the Library.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

426 c543-4W; 196820

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Access Hospitals Public transport Transport Rural areas

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk