The Department of Health defines non-emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) as the non-urgent, planned, transportation of patients with a medical need for transport to and from a premises providing NHS healthcare and between NHS healthcare providers.

This can and should encompass a wide range of vehicle types and levels of care consistent with the patients’ medical needs.

The PTS service is for NHS non-emergency patients and their escorts who meet the eligibility criteria as defined by the Commissioner.

These are journeys between their place of residence and secondary healthcare facilities, and between hospitals for patients receiving NHS funded healthcare.

This will exclude blue light transfers.

Castle Point and Rochford, Basildon and Brentwood, Thurrock and Southend CCGs are working collaboratively to review and procure Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services for South Essex.

The CCGs in South Essex are committed to the provision of equitable access for patients to high quality NEPTS.

In doing so the CCGs have developed a clear vision of the outcomes it wishes to achieve for patients eligible to receive patient transport services (PTS) within the population of South Essex.

The CCGs want to ensure that services are delivered in a more seamless and integrated way, working with key stakeholders in the region to deliver improved services for patients requiring assisted transport.

In realising this vision, the CCG’s have agreed to use a restricted, two stage procurement process which will commence in April 2016.

The project team have drafted an outline specification for the services, however they would like to engage with PTS providers, the voluntary sector, patients, acute services and local authorities and ask for feedback on the design of the new service.

Two initial events are being held over the coming weeks, to share the PTS specification with the marketplace and stakeholders.

Details of the engagement event are attached for your information.