Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTs) Patient Experience Survey

We carried out a short survey to understand service user experiences of Non-Emergency Patient Transport, provided by the East of England Ambulance Service in Hertfordshire. Find out what people told us here.

In October 2018, the East of England Ambulance Trust took over the delivery of the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service in Hertfordshire.

What is Non-Emergency Patient Transport?

Non-Emergency Patient Transport is a service provided to people who are frail or need specialist assistance to and from appointments at hospitals, treatment centres, and other facilities. This is subject to an eligibility criteria.

What We Did

To understand service user’s experiences of Non-Emergency Patient Transport, we created a short exploratory survey. The aim of this work was to gather patient experiences, and to use the findings to inform and evaluate the need for future work.

From November 2019 to January 2020, we heard from 25 residents.

What People Told Us

  • Respondents expressed the value of the service, and placed a particular emphasis on the excellent care provided by the staff.
  • 80% of respondents were satisfied with the booking arrangements, and 64% were satisfied with the communications from the service.
  • 72% were satisfied that the service arrived on time, and 48% were satisfied that their journey was no longer than necessary.
  • 88% were satisfied that the staff were able to meet their needs for the journey, and 72% found the staff friendly and understanding.
  • Where patients had less positive experiences, this involved the lateness of the vehicle picking them up for, and from their appointments – sometimes resulting in missed appointments and delays in receiving care.
  • Some people were not aware that Non-Emergency Patient Transport existed.
  • Some people said the eligibility criteria for this service was not always clear or transparent.

What We Found

Feedback through the survey, supported feedback we had received previously and through our signposting service.

What Happens Next

The report will be shared with the provider and commissioner for information. 

    Read the full report here

    Non Emergency Patient Transport Survey Report

    If you require this report in another format, please get in touch.

    You might also be interested in