In May 1990, the Centre for Transport Studies, now the Cranfield Centre for Logistics and Transportation, Cranfield Institute of Technology, and Margaret Heraty (consultant) were commissioned by the South East Thames Regional Health Authority to carry out a study of the non-emergency ambulance services in Kent and East Sussex. The objectives of the study were: (I) to investigate current practice, to see how well it meets present needs and to consider whether any improvements could be made to the transport of patients to and from hospital, (II) to see whether this improved service could also meet some of the transport needs of other people, particularly those with some degree of disablement. There are two main recommendations arising from this research: in Kent, consideration should be given to controlling ambulances in a demand-responsive manner during the "off-peak" periods of mid-late morning and mid-afternoon, whilst, in East Sussex, there is scope for experimenting with a form of medical dial-a-ride which would utilise spare capacity within the service to provide transport for mobility handicapped people to medical facilities.
Abstract