Coperforma, the private company running Sussex Hospital transfer service loses contract after months of criticism over delays and missed appointments.
Coperforma who took over non emergency ambulance services for Sussex in April this year has lost its ninety million pound contract because of “unacceptable levels of performance”.
From the start there were complaints about the quality of service provided by the company and in June the company was given an “ultimatum” to improve services, but in July one of the companies sub-contractors VM Langfords went into liquidation. It later emerged that the company was owned by a former bankrupt with a history of involvement with failed ambulance companies.
Healthwatch Brighton & Hove (HWB&H) the local consumer champion for health and social care said today: “Patients will welcome the departure of Coperforma.”
Commenting, Fran McCabe, chair of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove said: “Recently, we spoke in-depth to 42 patients at the Royal Sussex County Hospital Renal Unit. Every personal story spoke of deep disappointment and disillusionment with Coperforma. There was an underlying lack of confidence in the ability of Coperforma to recover from the failure of the service when they took it over in April 2016, despite recent claims that the service is now more reliable and hitting performance targets.
“The issue does not end with the departure of Coperforma. HWB&H is determined that lasting lessons must be learned. Local people should never again have to face this kind of totally avoidable service delivery and commissioning failure.”
The service will be gradually taken over by the South Central Ambulance Service who will take complete responsibility by April next year.
Coperforma had written to Wendy Carberry CEO of High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Care Group saying the contract was no longer economical for them to deliver and it was agreed to move the contract to a new provider.
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