The New Sussexwide Patient Transport Service

Healthwatch in Brighton and Hove, East and West Sussex visited health services in Bexhill, Brighton and Hove, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings, Haywards Heath, Polegate and Worthing over three weeks in May to June 2017 to understand people's experiences of patient transport services.  They spoke to 218 people. 

Overall 75% of patients spoken with were satisfied with the quality of service they received, including 44% who were very satisfied.

82% (165) of patients said they arrived on time for their appointments, with 18% (39) arriving late. 24 of these 39 late arrivals were at least 15 minutes late and five were more than an hour late.

42% of patients found the process of booking PTS easy to do and found it a positive experience. The most common problems encountered were with the automated telephone process, access via key option menus, cost of calls and long waiting times.

Responses to questions on the vehicle and journey experience were overwhelmingly positive. Everybody commented the vehicles that picked them up were clean and tidy and in 95% of cases vehicles were suitable for their individual needs. In a small number of cases vehicles were unsuitable for taking wheelchairs.