The Community Transport Association (CTA) has launched a new collaborative project with Arriva Transport Solutions to consider how non-emergency patient transport could be improved through more innovative models of delivery, involving cross-sector partnerships and networks of provision.
Charlotte Hughes, CTA Director of External Relations, explained: “Transport by the community and local charities has been a long-standing benefit to the health service and patients. CTA’s own research has consistently shown that journeys into health settings are the second largest purpose given for using community transport.
“We know much of this is off the radar of health service commissioners, evidenced by the disconnection between the number of charities helping people to reach health settings and those that are remunerated for the work by those commissioners. Our survey in England in 2014 found that 74% of operators transported people into health settings but only 24% were remunerated by any local NHS body.
“This new project with Arriva Transport Solutions, a thought leader in the field of non-emergency patient transport, aims to show how commercial and charitable organisations care about the same things and are capable of co-producing an appealing offer to commissioners and passengers alike.
“As well as showcasing innovative models of delivery we will also identify the major breakthroughs needed to make these collaborative provision models more prevalent, with recommendations for Government, commissioners and those involved in service provision.
“Although this project is focused on the NHS in England, it will be of interest to all CTA members as community transport in health is a big issue in all parts of the UK.”
