Staff from Yorkshire Ambulance Service have urged health bosses at East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) not to privatise its patient transport service. In an open letter, the ambulance staff asked the health bosses not to “prise them” from the NHS by giving a contract to a private firm.
In the letter, the ambulance staff acknowledged the financial strain on the NHS trust, but implored the decision-makers to carefully weigh the effects of privatising the patient transport service. The letter went on to state that while the staff will retain their positions, they will not have the same dedication, motivation and passion that they currently have as NHS employees if they are forced to work for a profit-making organisation.
East Riding CCG’s decision to look for a contractor to take over the patient transport service comes after Hull CCG hired an NHS contractor, Thames Ambulance Service, in November 2016 for non-emergency transport services. This contract was earlier fulfilled by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Thames Ambulance Service has already received a lot of criticism for its non-emergency patient transport services in North East Lincolnshire.
About 70 Yorkshire Ambulance Service staff working for Hull CCG have been transferred to Thames Ambulance Service as the NHS contractor gets ready to start the new contract from April 2017.
The Yorkshire Ambulance staff are worried about the changes to their jobs. The staff stated that they transport sick, immobile and vulnerable patients in a safe and dignified manner using specialist equipment.
East Riding CCG Chief Officer Jane Hawkard said that the group had to comply with the guidelines and rules of procurement, and it was therefore necessary to try out other service providers using a competitive and transparent bidding process. Hawkard encouraged Yorkshire Ambulance Service to be part of the bidding process.
