Somerset Patient Transport
The Somerset health community has recently completed a review of the planned transport services. The changes to be implemented will affect those patients who wish to access secondary care-type appointments and have been agreed following detailed consultation with a number of stakeholders. These stakeholders have included HealthWatch and PALs.
The changes are designed to ensure that transport resources are targeting those patients who are most in need (both medical and social need); to improve the availability of information and sign-posting, so that patients understand their entitlements; to make the booking process more straightforward once their entitlement has been confirmed and importantly for primary care, where patients wish to challenge the decision on eligibility in future this will be addressed by a clinical manager in one of the local trusts rather than by the patient’s own general practice.
Patient Transport Advice Centre will be distributing patient leaflets to all general practices. On receipt, please display these in a prominent position. Should you require further copies in the future then re-order these through the Patient Transport Advice Centre.
The changes are outlined in the attached document and will become effective from 10 August 2015.
