Transportation and Travel Services for Health is designed to support ambulance organisations, NHS hospitals, health centres, nursing homes and hospices to deliver reliable non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS).

‘With hospitals under increasing pressure to free up beds, minimise discharge delays and optimise patient flow, NEPTS play a crucial role in relieving capacity pressures,' said Ebony Armitage, principal category manager – construction and estates, NHS SBS.

‘By ensuring timely transfers and supporting hospital discharges, NEPTS help reduce bottlenecks across the system, keeping care moving and allowing healthcare organisations to operate more efficiently.'

Comprising four distinct service areas (Lots) the framework agreement enables procurement teams to quickly source and purchase services from pre-approved, quality-assured and fully compliant providers of specialist patient transport.

The services encompass a range of complex transport needs, including neonatal, paediatric, bariatric, palliative and end-of-life care, secure mental health and high dependency transfers, among others.

Over 70% of suppliers awarded to the framework are small to medium sizes firms and being regionalised, allows users to contract with their preferred local provider directly, reduce their carbon footprint and lower prices, given less mileage to cover on journeys.