Thought I would resurrect this thread because just like Lazarus, life has once again been breathed into the story of NSL Ltd's failings in the area of patient transport. This time its people in Devon and Cornwall who are suffering at the hands of Bellend and her mates.
How many more times are we going to have to hear their weasel apologies FFS?
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http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Firm-run-private-ambulance-service-given-chance/story-22128583-detail/story.htmlFirm who run private ambulance service given last chance, as fears grow on outsourcingHealth bosses have issued an ultimatum to a private company running non-emergency patient transport in Devon and Cornwall, saying it has one last chance to get services up to scratch.
NSL, previously known as car park company NCP, took over patient transport from the South Western Ambulance NHS Trust last year but has since been on the end of numerous complaints.
In a letter sent to Exeter MP and former health minister Ben Bradshaw, which has been seen by the Western Morning News, the group which holds the purse strings for buying healthcare indicated that its patience was wearing thin.
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The letter, signed by Caroline Dawe, the Northern locality managing director of the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said they were aware of “NSL failings” and what patients encountered “often repeatedly”.
She said talks were under way “to resolve issues” and a programme of re-negotiation had been embarked upon with the aim of ensuring the system worked for all.
However, she added that further action had not been ruled out: “This is the final attempt to make it work before the CCG considers other options.”
The letter admits that “NSL is not delivering the standard of the service that the CCG
as commissioners expected to be delivered”.
It says it has been “very disappointing” in terms of upset to patients, impact on hospitals and expectations.
Mr Bradshaw said the outsourcing of the service from the NHS had been “disastrous”.
He expressed grave concern about privatisation of parts of the health service, highlighting the much criticised out-of-hours GP service run by multinational firm Serco in Cornwall as another example.
“I am very concerned about the scale of privatisation of the NHS in the Westcountry under this Government, for which it has no democratic mandate,” he said.
“There was the disastrous performance of Serco, who were handed the contract to run out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall.
“We now have the appalling performance of the private company put in charge of patient transport services in the South West after the contract was taken away from the publicly owned Ambulance Service.
“The Government should now stop further privatisations and let the people decided in next year’s election.”
A joint statement from NSL and the NHS in Devon, including NEW Devon CCG, and the county’s hospitals, said work was under way to improve matters.
“We are sorry that our patients are continuing to experience problems with the non-emergency transport service, managed by the NEW Devon CCG, and provided by NSL Care Services,” it said.
“It is unacceptable that our patients are currently having this experience.
“The NEW Devon CCG and healthcare providers that use NSL Care Services will continue to monitor this situation closely and are working together to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”
A spokesman for NHS Kernow said issues had been raised in an inspection, but these had been resolved.
“We are continuing to work closely with NSL to ensure patients receive the high levels of care we expect from all our providers, and would like to reassure people that we are monitoring the situation.”