Herefordshire's Local Involvement Network to do survey of patient transport service (From Hereford Times)

Herefordshire's Local Involvement Network to do survey of patient transport service

7:00am Friday 26th February 2010 in

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PATIENTS who get help to keep hospital appointments are being asked to pass on their experiences.

Herefordshire’s Local Involvement Network (LINk) is carrying out a survey to check if the transport service is satisfactory, or if there is room for improvement.

LINk, described as the voice of the people, is circulating a 20-point questionnaire on the relatively new Patient First Transport Service, which operates in Herefordshire and Powys.

The Shropshire-based organisation last year took over the responsibility of providing the transport for non-emergency patients who need it as a clinical necessity.

Now LINk wants people who use it to help evaluate its performance.

“Public participation in the survey is crucial.

Comments will be treated in confidence and used in an effort to maintain the highest possible service,”

said Michael Abrahams, chairman of the transport working group.

People eligible for nonemergency patient transport are those who need help to walk, are undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy, have a disability that prevents them from travelling by private or public transport or whose consultant or GP says that for clinical reasons patients are unfit to travel by any other means.

LINk questionnaires are available at Hereford County Hospital and from Patient First drivers. Up to 3,000 are being circulated and the results will be made known in May.