Patient transport service to go 24/7 thanks to helping hands

Volunteers are driving forward a Tayside patient transport service which is about to move to a round-the-clock operation.

NHS Tayside set up the service in April to help people get to and from the region’s Covid-19 community assessment centres or regular hospital appointments such as renal dialysis.

It has since expanded to include transport for emergency dental and eye care, inpatient discharges, staff testing and GP home visits.

Initially NHS Tayside staff were voluntarily redeployed from other areas as drivers, and carried out journeys for up to 200 patients per week.

To meet an increase in demand and replace staff who have returned to their normal roles, charity Re:act has provided 27 volunteers to work as drivers.

The volunteers are all ex-military or emergency service workers who work in partnership with the British Red Cross.

The service runs from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week but the new volunteers will allow NHS Tayside to expand to a 24-hour service.

Associate director for improvement Tracey Williams said: “The transport service is a real asset for patients who would otherwise have struggled to get access to healthcare sites.

“This may be because they do not drive and are unable to use public transport because they have symptoms of Covid-19 or are shielding or self-isolating.”

Arnold Clark provided 15 vehicles fitted with partitions to provide a safe space between drivers and patients and BP is providing fuel.

The Scottish Ambulance Service is continuing to support patients who need to go to hospital in an emergency or those with limited mobility.