Private South West ambulance firm used by the NHS collapses into administration

The NHS has said it is working "urgently" to find a permanent fix after a private ambulance firm it uses collapsed into administration.

SVL Healthcare Services, a non-emergency provider, took people to cancer treatment, outpatient appointments and transferred patients between hospitals in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

It stopped providing services as of midnight on Tuesday 27 August.

Health bosses said they have found a temporary fix for patients who need transport in the coming days and are "working urgently" to find a permanent solution.

A spokesperson for the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board said: "The current provider of non-emergency patient transport services for our area, SVL Healthcare Services, notified us on Tuesday that they are in the process of entering administration and ceased provision of services as of midnight on 27 August.

"We have already put in place interim arrangements to ensure continuity of services for our patients over the coming days and are working urgently to identify a long-term alternative provider.

"People should be reassured that non-emergency patient transport services will contin

ue to be provided but in some circumstances delays may be experienced while we resolve this issue and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

"People can continue to use the patient booking details available on the ICB website at https://bnssg.icb.nhs.uk/ health-and-care/health-advice- and-support/patient-transport- services/

"Services for patients undergoing renal dialysis are delivered by another provider and are not affected by this issue."

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