Transfer Of Vulnerable Groups

Overview

The Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, are in place to protect the transfer of vulnerable groups, and Shropshire Council, covering an area over 300,000 hectares and 289,000 people, cares for many individuals of all ages and with varying specialised needs.

The Council’s Community Services Directorate, and Children and Young People's Directorate provide care and education to such individuals, including those with physical disabilities and medical conditions, and transport these people to schools, colleges and day centres throughout the region.

The Challenge

The Council has an ongoing requirement for assistance with the transportation of individuals with specific and unique requirements across the region including children with medical conditions requiring constant monitoring as well as specialised equipment for transfers.

Any provider of transport would need to ensure they meet the Council’s requirements for a specialised clinical and quality driven service. Transport can only be provided by operators who are on the Council's approved European Framework list, and each contract is awarded following a competitive tendering exercise.

Providers must meet each passenger needs to a high standard and assess the risks of transportation the passenger and equipment required. Vehicles provided would need to meet stringent safety checks and undergo six monthly MOTS’.

There must be an audited trail for CRB checks, as any staff employed on the Shropshire contract, including office-based staff, would need to have passed enhanced level CRB. Drivers would be required to undertake a driving assessment

The Solution

NSL Care Services developed a close understanding of Shropshire Council’s needs and our solution fully embraces the variable requirements of each passenger or group of passengers within each tender response.

Our qualified paramedic trainer ensures that employees involved in the contract are fully trained in First Aid and manual handling to ensure the safety of all individuals.

Our solutions deliver procedures ensuring that each individual passenger needs are met. This includes risk assessments carried out by our qualified staff to ensure that the individual requirements are identified and addressed to the highest of standards. Each journey is further assessed to ensure that appropriate equipment is provided, along with any specialised training to staff to meet the demands of the service.

The provision of highly trained and qualified staff to any journeys that require specialised medical attention, such as care of any patients carrying medication, is carried out to ensure peace of mind to both the clients and the Council. To further enhance the quality of service and build trust between the clients and their families the same crewmembers on the Shropshire contracts are utilised for regular journeys.

In order to complete this type of work successfully NSL Care Services registered with the local authority as a registered taxi licence holder undergoing vigorous checks (separate from those monitored ourselves) of both staff and vehicles to ensure we meet their standards and regulations. Our internal audit procedures mirror and indeed exceed those of the council.

And to ensure the highest possible customer service all journeys are booked through a dedicated Community Liaison Department at Patient First.

The Result

Our Care Services team undertake over 24000 journeys per year for Shropshire council to schools, colleges and day care centres.

NSL Care Services provide specialised transport for a number of regular passengers, where we have developed trusted relationships. Within the regular passengers are five children with the highest needs requiring very specialist care.

With feedback closely monitored through our Community Liaison team our close relationship ensures that risk assessments are carried our effectively and in conjunction with the Councils requirements.

Together with NSL Care Services own assessments we ensure the transportation of passengers is comfortable, safe and enjoyable.