Agenda item

The Select Committee are asked to consider the information presented within the report and note the key issues described.

Alex Francis, Team Manager, Healthwatch B&NES addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Update on non-emergency patient transport

At the September meeting Healthwatch updated the Committee on a piece of work it had undertaken with BaNES Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) around the non-emergency patient transport service provided by Arriva Transport Solutions.

The visit included an opportunity to speak to patients that had arrived at, or were waiting to be collected from, the Royal United Hospital, Bath

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Feedback gathered during the visit was pulled together into a joint report, which the CCG has shared with Arriva for comment. Here are some of the key points from the visit:

 Health, safety and welfare of passengers/ patients

·  All of the drivers were respectful and courteous to passengers using the transport. Passengers were referred to by name and appeared to be pleased to see the crews.

·  The crews were asked about identifying potential harm to a passenger. Safeguarding was discussed and crews knew the process for referring passengers.

·  Arriva aims to provide return journeys (after a patient’s appointment) within four hours. For some passengers, e.g. those that have diabetes, this can require planning to ensure that food and/or medication is brought in order to prevent a hypoglycaemic incident.

·  Crews were observed assisting patients onto the transport in their wheelchairs. All were securely strapped in with an additional seat belt.

·  On the day there appeared to be good relationships between the crews and the departments/ care home staff. The crews gave examples of situations when this hasn’t been so good, for example where a journey has been delayed without the care home or hospital department being notified.

Patient feedback

·  Patients stated that the crews were kind and approachable.

·  The patients did say that at times when delays occurred they become frustrated and the crews can get the brunt of this, however the patients didn’t feel it was the crews fault.

·  The patients felt frustrated with the people who plan the journeys as they often have heard the crews speaking to the control centre stating that they are unable to get to the next journey on time.

·  The patients said they felt frustrated for the crews as they can see that that the journey time is impossible. One patient said they would like to have the opportunity to go to the control centre to explain this.

·  One frequent user of the service stated that their life “revolves around Arriva” as the service frequent picks them up late and gets them home late. This patient stated that they feel they “want to give it all up as I can’t face the transport”.

Healthwatch is awaiting further update from the CCG regarding the full report and will notify the Committee when it becomes publicly available.

Accessible Information Standard (AIS)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has recently released information highlighting how they will monitor implementation of the AIS during inspections of NHS and publicly-funded adult social care services.

Healthwatch B&NES is currently carrying out some public engagement to understand people’s experiences of accessing services and how the AIS has impacted on their experiences during the last 12 months. We aim to release a full report in the spring and host a learning event with local providers to share best practice. Further details will be released nearer to the time.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson thanked her for the crucial work Healthwatch carries out. She commented that she felt that the patient transport control centre was not always well briefed on the geography of B&NES.

She said that she was also aware of occasions where drivers had not been able to pick patients up at the correct time and that sometimes the timings were not in sync with appointments.

Councillor Bryan Organ said that a similar service was provided in Keynsham through Dial-a-Ride and he agreed that on occasion timing could be a problem. He said that he advocated another volunteer should be present alongside the driver to assist with patient’s needs.

Councillor Lizzie Gladwyn commented that having worked previously at the RUH that some drivers may be under the impression that a ‘Discharge Lounge’ still exists.

Alex Francis stated that the RUH were not seeking to bring this provision back, but she did feel that a central point for collecting patients was key.

The Chair thanked her for her update on behalf of the Select Committee.