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Hospital transport firm Coperforma 'to be stripped of contract' Coperforma loses Sussex hospital transport contract
(about 1 hour later)
A patient transport service criticised over delays in taking patients to hospital in Sussex is to be stripped of its contract, the BBC understands. A patient transport service criticised for delays in taking patients to hospital has lost its contract.
Thousands signed a petition calling on the NHS to end its contract with Coperforma, which took over non-emergency hospital transport in April. Thousands of people signed a petition calling for the NHS to end its agreement with Coperforma in Sussex.
Patients claim they have suffered delays in reaching appointments. The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which looks after the contract said it would be a "managed transition" to South Coast Ambulance Service.
BBC health correspondent Mark Norman said it would be a "managed transition" to South East Coast Ambulance Service. Sussex MP Huw Merriman said Coperforma had "effectively given up the ghost" and handed the contract back.
He said he understood Coperforma had signed the necessary legal documents and staff would be told this morning. Coperforma has signed the necessary legal documents and staff would be told this morning, BBC Health Correspondent Mark Norman added.
Wendy Carberry, chief executive of High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We are delighted that SCAS has agreed to take over the patient transport service.
"The managed transfer will minimise disruption for patients. And we can start to resolve the situation for staff who have been through a period of uncertainty."
South Coast Ambulance Service currently operates ambulances and patient transport services in Berkshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire.South Coast Ambulance Service currently operates ambulances and patient transport services in Berkshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire.
NHS High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Coperforma have both been contacted for comment. Coperforma has been contacted for comment.
'Over the moon''Over the moon'
Gary Palmer of the GMB union said he was "delighted" at the news but added it meant "six months of very hard work to make sure the transition is done smoothly and our members are protected".Gary Palmer of the GMB union said he was "delighted" at the news but added it meant "six months of very hard work to make sure the transition is done smoothly and our members are protected".
Within days of Coperforma starting its contract in April, patients claimed they were suffering delays in reaching appointments.
Louise Woods, a dialysis patient from Crawley, spoke of her relief. "It's what we have been after for months," she said.Louise Woods, a dialysis patient from Crawley, spoke of her relief. "It's what we have been after for months," she said.
Sub-contractors had complained they had also suffered delays with being paid.Sub-contractors had complained they had also suffered delays with being paid.
One staff member working for sub-contractor Docklands, Steve Barton, said he was "over the moon".One staff member working for sub-contractor Docklands, Steve Barton, said he was "over the moon".
"We are going back in-house, so we won't have wasted time in patient journeys because of logistics. It's going to take time to adjust again but it will benefit everyone eventually.""We are going back in-house, so we won't have wasted time in patient journeys because of logistics. It's going to take time to adjust again but it will benefit everyone eventually."