Private contractor Coperforma is to start handing over non-emergency ambulance patients in Brighton next week to the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS).
Staff across Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH), including at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, were told about the changes in a message from trust chief Evelyn Barker.
She said: “Next week there will be an important change in the management and provision of non-emergency patient transport that staff need to be aware of, with the contract transferring to South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS).
“Over the last year there have been a number of issues with non-emergency patient transport, which I know has been challenging for many of our services.
“In order to minimise any further disruption to patients and staff, the transfer of the service will be done in two phases.
“From (Wednesday) 1 March, SCAS will take responsibility for transfers, discharges, out-of-area patient movements for non-Sussex CCG registered patients and the repatriation of Sussex CCG patients back to the local area.
“From (Saturday) 1 April, SCAS will also be providing journeys for outpatients, renal and all other journeys.”
