Don't know how bad her condition is that means she can't wait around in a ward for too long, but kind of get the impression she wants everything done to maximise her own convenience. But it's not like me to be cynical
Mum 'in tears' over 'nightmare' Royal Stoke taxi servicehttps://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/st ... re-7670890Diane Harper is now paying for her own taxi fares with a rival firmA tearful mum has slammed a 'nightmare' NHS taxi service - after missing a vital consultation. Diane Harper has been receiving treatment at the Royal Stoke University Hospital since December and due to a disability is entitled to free transport to and from her appointments as she is unable to drive.
The service is provided by ABC Supreme Private Hire and the 67-year-old says she has used the service three times. But she says the taxi has only arrived on time once.
Diane, from Etruria, says as a result she was late for urgent treatment and missed a critical consultation with her consultant that has had to be postponed for a number of weeks.
Now Diane says she has completely lost faith in the service - which is organised by ERS Medical - and has resorted to paying for her own taxis to and from the hospital with a different firm. The journeys cost her a total of £40 in just one week.
Diane said: "On the last occasion, on September 26, a taxi was booked for 3.30pm as I had a consultation with my consultant at 4pm. It got to 3.30pm, so I called ABC and they said the taxi was on its way. At 4pm I was in tears as this was an urgent appointment and I really needed to see my doctor. I rang the hospital clinic to let them know that hospital transport had made me late and was told I would need to cancel this appointment.
"I was in floods of tears, having stood outside my property on the car park for half an hour. That critical appointment has now had to be postponed for weeks.
"The time before that, on September 13, I had an appointment for 3pm, but the taxi arrived more than an hour early at 1.50pm and I didn't fancy waiting in the ward for an hour. I have a plate inserted into the back of my skull with rods into my neck, and sitting upright for any length of time becomes extremely difficult for me.
"The driver said he would come back in half an hour, but he never came back. That appointment was for urgent treatment. On those two occasions I was absolutely weeping and really upset."
Carer Diane has submitted two complaints to ERS Medical.
The mum-of-one said: "What really bugs me is that we're paying for that service. It's a free service, but it's paid for by the NHS. It appears to me that any hospital jobs just go to the bottom of the queue. In my opinion, ABC shouldn't have the contract. I fear this is happening to other people."
ABC Supreme Private Hire says it is advised to pick up patients an hour before their scheduled appointment time. They say if Diane had stuck to this she would have still made her appointments on time.
Office manager Tom Wainwright said: "In response to the September 13 booking, the hospital books the taxi and gives us the appointment time. We then book the taxi in for an hour before to allow us to get the patient to the hospital in plenty of time for their appointment and to find the required department so that they are not rushed. This is also something we are advised to do by the hospital transport division. We arrived at 2.01pm as planned and decided to pull the driver away at 2.12pm as Diane didn't want to get in the taxi at that time.
"In response to the September 26 booking, we had the same booking again passed over to us for 4pm. Again, we booked the job in for 3pm but the customer requested a pick-up of 3.30pm. Our staff did try to inform her that 3.30pm would be cutting it fine for the appointment due to peak school traffic but she seemed very adamant to keep the time for 3.30pm.
"Unfortunately the driver did arrive late at 4pm. If the lady had kept her pick-up time at our original time of 3pm and we had run slightly late she would have still made the appointment."
ERS Medical is investigating Diane's concerns.
An ERS Medical spokesman said: “We are really sorry to hear that this has happened. In line with our contractual requirements, taxis are used to transport patients.
“This is an isolated occurrence and we've had no previous issues with this taxi firm. The complaint submitted by the patient is being thoroughly investigated in line with our complaints process and we will respond to the patient once the investigation is complete.
"We are also looking at how we can better support the needs of this patient and will work with them and the clinic to find a solution.”
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