The Welsh Ambulance Service is asking the public to give sufficient notice when cancelling bookings to its extremely busy Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service.
The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) handles tens of thousands of journeys to hospitals each month, taking patients for treatments such as oncology and dialysis.
The service transports people from across Wales who for medical reasons, are unable to make their own way to and from appointments at clinics, hospitals and day centres.
Unfortunately, the Welsh Ambulance Service sees thousands of journeys cancelled at the last minute or when crews arrive to collect the patient, meaning it is either too late to offer the appointment to someone else or even notify the ambulance crew not to attend the patients address.
So far this year, the service received more than 20,000 short notice cancellations, giving insufficient time for the journey to be offered elsewhere.
Mark Harris, Assistant Director of Operations (Ambulance Care), said: “Broadly speaking, cancellations are good for the service if they are received with sufficient notice, allowing us to offer the available slot to someone else.
“This helps maximise our resources and ensure that patients who would otherwise have missed out on a journey are able to be transported.
“However, when the cancellation comes in at the last minute, there is insufficient time to reallocate the vehicles and crews, meaning patients are missing out.
“Therefore, we are asking everyone to consider carefully before booking whether they need an ambulance crew or can use an alternative method to get to their appointment.
“Should a patient no longer need their booked ambulance transport, it is vital that they let us know as early as possible to free up space to help other patients.”
The Trust has several ways for patients to cancel their scheduled journeys, including visiting the Cancel Transport page online, by calling the non-emergency transport booking line on 0300 1232303 or, if they are signed up to the SMS service, by replying ‘cancel’ to any text updates.
The Welsh Ambulance Service will also shortly be releasing a patient app to allow patients to cancel using their mobile phones or tablets.
Emergency services urge the public to take care during the latest heatwave
Services across Wales recently experienced a surge in demand due to the extended periods of excessive heat.
The Welsh Ambulance Service alone took more than 400 extra emergency calls each day during June’s heatwave and is reminding the public to only call 999 in a genuine, life‑threatening emergency.
Those who are unwell or have a minor injury can visit the NHS 111 Wales website or try Albot – The NHS Wales Digital assistant, which can help you find answers to most questions and can help you access the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Darren Panniers, Head of Service, said: “We have seen that warmer weather increases demand and can contribute to incidents such as falls through dehydration, dizziness, low blood pressure, fatigue and reduced mobility.
“People should look out for the warning signs of dehydration, which include confusion or altered behaviour, weakness, excessive tiredness, headaches and reduced appetite.
“Early recognition and intervention is important and simple steps such as providing cold drinks, ice lollies and foods with high water content can make a significant difference in preventing dehydration.”
Other incidents which have resulted from the hot weather have included people getting into difficulties in open water.
Station Manager Gavin Murphy, for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service shared important advice, saying: “We want people to enjoy the warm weather, but we are urging everyone to take care around open water.
“Rivers, lakes, reservoirs, quarries and canals can look calm and inviting, but they can be cold, deep and unpredictable.
“Warm weather does not mean warm water, and cold water can affect your breathing and swimming ability very quickly.
“This is not about stopping people enjoying themselves, it is about helping them enjoy the warm weather safely.
“Wherever possible, choose supervised locations to swim, never jump into open water, avoid alcohol around water, and if you see someone in trouble, call 999.”
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