A NEW non-emergency patient transport service is up and running in Hampshire.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) NHS Foundation Trust has been providing the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) for patients in most of Hampshire since October 2014.

It delivers transport for eligible patients who have a medical reason that means they are not able to travel for treatment by another method.

Eligible patients are those:

* Where the medical condition of the patient is such that they require the skills or support of NEPTS staff during or after the journey and/or where it would be detrimental to the patient’s condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means;

* Where the patient’s medical condition affects their mobility to such an extent that they would be unable to access healthcare and/or where it would be detrimental to the patient’s condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means;

* People who are recognised as a parent or guardian where children are being transported.

During 2016, SCAS has also become the provider for journeys to and from treatment centres managed by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In March, SCAS became the provider for journeys covered by North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke.

The final transfer of services from the existing supplier to SCAS took place in August for Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and Andover War Memorial Hospital.

This means that SCAS is now the provider of the NEPTS service for the whole of Hampshire. Journeys are booked on behalf of patients by their GP surgery or the clinic/ward at the treatment site that they are attending.