Healthwatch's role in improving Sussex Non-Emergency Patient Transport receives recognition
Improving the patient experience of using the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) has been a priority for Healthwatch.
NEPTS is designed for people whose condition means they need support to and from hospital and other medical appointments. The service picks up and drops off patients for scheduled appointments, primarily at hospitals. The service is reserved for people who have no other way of getting to their appointments or need specialist assistance and as such, eligibility criteria apply.
Since 2016, the three Sussex Healthwatch teams have worked together to collate nearly 600 patient experiences from four separate reviews. The latest review in 2020 showed high levels of patient satisfaction with the service, which is run by South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS). Healthwatch has also reported on the past failures of the service in 2016.
Over the last year, Healthwatch has worked closely with Sussex NHS Commissioners to ensure that what patients told us in 2020, regarding improvements to the current service, were reflected in the revised Service Specification for the new contract, which will go live in April 2025.
Commissioners for NEPTS have welcomed both Healthwatch and additional patient representation into their work when developing the new contract. They invited Healthwatch to join the NEPTS Communications and Engagement Task and Finish Group, through which we were able to influence the final wording and requirements set out in the Service Specification.
Healthwatch has also evaluated bids to deliver the new contract, along with other patient representation. Our focus has been on how well any new provider will keep patients informed about where their transport is; the ease with which patients will be able to track their vehicles; the establishment of regular patient forums (to deliver ongoing improvement); the provision of alternative services for those who are ineligible for NEPTS and the correct application of eligibility criteria.
Healthwatch commends NHS Sussex Commissioners leading on NEPTS for their openness and transparency and for actively involving patient groups in their work.
In 2021, Healthwatch fed into a national review of the NEPTS to ensure that the views of Sussex patients were reflected.
How patient views and experiences have helped to improve the commissioning on Sussex NEPTS
Healthwatch raised patients’ suggested improvements for the NEPTS service with Sussex NHS Commissioners. The Service Specification reflects the views of patients (collated in 2020) in the following areas:
- How eligibility criteria will be applied consistently
- Greater emphasis on sharing better information on alternatives to NEPT
- A focus on providing transport for renal patients
- Improved use of technology to enable patients and carers to track their vehicles
- Regular patient engagement to deliver ongoing improvements.
