Patient Transport Service
The North East Ambulance Service transports over
4,000 patients each day, to and from treatment centres across the
North of England and parts of Scotland.
PTS is an important operational service for NEAS.
Non-emergency transport for patients can be booked by doctors,
dentists and midwives, although the responsibility is often
devolved to doctors' receptionists and hospital
staff.
PTS vehicles are designed for the comfort and safety of
the patients and the latest vehicles have more space for
wheel-chair users and tail lifts for convenience. There are 350
staff providing an essential service for people with a medical
need.
The Patient Transport Service conveys a wide range of
patients to and from their homes to out-patients' appointments,
clinics, physiotherapy or non-urgent inter-hospital transfers. On
average PTS crews carry over 1 million patients every year, which
involves over 4500 journeys per day.
Crews are trained as ambulance care assistants with
specialist knowledge of comprehensive first aid, driving skills and
patient moving and handling techniques.
All PTS staff and volunteers
are dedicated to reach the highest standards of care, and to exceed
the government target of 95% of patients arriving within 30 minutes
of their appointments. In fact, over the last year, 97% of patients
arrived before or on time for their appointments.
Volunteer Ambulance Car Drivers
(ACS)
Volunteer ambulance car drivers are among the unsung
heroes of the ambulance service!
Ambulance Car Service Drivers(ACS) are volunteers who use their
own vehicles to help with the transportation of patients to and
from hospitals and clinics, thereby leaving ambulances free for
emergencies and for patients too ill to travel by car. We currently
have over 150 volunteers helping out throughout the North East.
For more information
Online Booking
Non emergency ambulance transport can now be booked over
the NHS web.
Over 200 GP surgeries are now on line and booked directly
into the NEAS scheduling computer.
Any other surgeries who are interested in using the
on-line system should email CustomerCareTeam@neas.nhs.uk
