The Community Transport Association (CTA) has released two new reports – one on opportunities to improve non-emergency patient transport and another on how demand responsive transport can improve mobility, and increase travel choice, for people across the UK.
The first report, which was produced in partnership with Arriva Transport Solutions (ATSL), found that there are six key areas that need to be considered further to bring about improvements in Non-Emergency Patient Transport.
These are:
- Creating an environment of innovations;
- Commissioning practices;
- Patient Involvement in service design;
- Contribution from stakeholders;
- Greater involvement of community transport; and
- Collecting data.
Ed Potter, Managing Director of Arriva Specialist Mobility, said: “There is a compelling case not only for a greater role for community transport in the provision of high quality specialist transport to healthcare, but also for a radical change in the commissioning environment so that this potential can be unlocked.
“We will continue to strive for progressive change in patient transport commissioning and for an ever greater role for community transport operators in the delivery of these services, and I hope that this report provokes some reflection and review by key decision-makers.”
The second report was produced alongside the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
The report recommends that there is a need to build a new coalition of interest around the greater use of new powers held by local authorities to create local passenger transport networks through commissioning models that are more prevalent in other countries within Europe.
