A PRIVATE firm has been accused of cheating, immorality and failing to turn up after taking charge of the non-emergency patient transport service for mid Essex.
ERS Medical, a subsidiary of US-based waste and logistics giant Stericycle, took up the contract from the NHS last Thursday.
While it was due to absorb 40 NHS staff, it has allegedly refused to take on three of them, according to Unison, opening the floodgates to potential legal action.
On the very day ERS took charge, a Chelmsford 72-year-old claims she had to wait six hours for one of its ambulances only to be forced to hire a taxi.
"It's not a service at all, it's a complete and utter fiasco," said Joyce Dulwich, of Westbourne Grove, Great Baddow.
Mrs Dulwich was ordered an ambulance to take her from home to St Peter's Hospital in Maldon for an echocardiogram procedure.
While ERS got her to her appointment 15 minutes late, she was waiting from 12.15 to 6.15pm in the hospital to be taken home.
The hospital eventually footed a bill for a taxi as the ward Mrs Dulwich was waiting in was closing for the night.
"What would have happened if it was someone who was a diabetic?" said Mrs Dulwich.
"A diabetic might not be able to go six hours without food.
"Yes I was just waiting, fuming with a temper, but my condition is not such that I'm in jeopardy from it.
"Nobody should have to wait that long for an ambulance.
"The NHS should be providing the service. It's all well privatising everything but I have a sneaky feeling the Government privatised this just because they can buy shares in the company."
The non-emergency patient transport service contract was put up to tender by the Clinical Commissioning Group in August.
A patient is entitled to non-emergency ambulances if they have a medical condition requiring the skills of medical staff or if other transport would have a negative impact on a condition.
The CCG announced in January the private company won the contract.
"Patients can be assured that they will receive a safe and high standard patient transport service," said a CCG spokesman at the time.
Head of non-emergency services at the East of England Ambulance Trust Gary Morgan said in January: "Unfortunately, our bid was not successful and we are working with staff to ensure they are supported through the transition to the new provider."
Unison East of England Ambulance branch secretary Fraer Stevenson accompanied three ex-NHS staff, with more than 52 years' experience between them, to ERS's Chelmsford HQ on Thursday, only for them to be turned away.
"Staff were devastated by the news of the new contract," she said. "As ERS pay their staff less than they will have to pay the transferring-in NHS staff, by refusing to accept a percentage of staff, ERS are in effect making the contract cheaper.
"Members feel this is unacceptable and highly unethical behaviour. ERS have bid for the contract knowing the number of staff involved. It's really a bad start to the contract."
Sir Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, said in parliament last Thursday: "This morning, former members of the NHS ambulance trust turned up for work at ERS and were turned away. I would say that is illegal – it is certainly immoral – and we should look at whether ERS Medical is up to any more of these cheating tricks to win contracts."
Managing director of ERS Medical, which has provided services to the NHS for 13 years, Brendan Fatchett said last week: "We're excited about providing this new and improved service for the local community and will be using new technology, a fleet of all new vehicles and the highest standards of staff training to ensure we deliver outstanding levels of patient care."
