Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do I get asked the same questions every time I call to request transport?
Once through to our Scheduled Care Call Handlers, we will take you through our Patient Needs Assessment (PNA), a series of simple questions about your medical and mobility requirements. The questions have been designed to make sure we understand your requirements and so we can match our ambulance support with your medical needs. Please answer these as honestly and accurately as possible. We want to make sure you travel as safely and as comfortably as possible to and from your appointment. If you are not eligible for Scottish Ambulance Service support we would look to signpost you to alternative transport options, specific to where you reside.
We ask these questions every time to ensure that the information collated is accurate and up to date for your current needs and requirements.
2. What information do I need before calling?
Please have your CHI/reference number (this is a 10-digit number that starts with your date of birth) and details of your appointment to hand. If it is available, it is advisable to have your appointment letter as all the details are contained within this. If you are calling on behalf of someone, we would ask you have details of their mobility and clinical requirements and also a knowledge of the access to their property.
3. Why can I not take an escort with me to my appointment?
Unfortunately, space on ambulance transport is extremely limited. This means that you cannot take an escort with you unless you have a medical need that would require treatment during your ambulance journey. You may travel on the ambulance with an escort or carer if:
- you are under 16 years old
- you have learning difficulties
- you require more specialist personal support from a carer due to your medical condition or a mental health condition
Assistance dogs can travel with you to and from your appointment.
If you have been advised by the hospital to bring someone with you to your appointment and you do not fall under any of the above categories, we would suggest that your escort meets you at the attending hospital.
4. What time can I call to request transport?
Our lines are open:
- Monday – 08:15 – 18:00
- Tuesday – Friday 08:00 – 18:00
- Saturday – 08:00 – 13:00
Calls to 0300 123 1236 will normally be charged at a local rate but please check with your provider. (Deaf BSL users can use Contact Scotland’s number)
5. What appointment times are accepted?
Our standard accepted appointment times are 0900 – 1500 Monday to Friday. However, depending on your location and the hospital you are attending there may be some variance on this. Our Scheduled Care Team will be able to advise if this is applicable to you when you make your transport request.
6. The hospital has changed my appointment time, will I still get transport? / I have had a fall and now require the help from the double crew, can I call to change this?
Any amendments to your transport request can be made by calling 03001231236 up until 12:00 the working day prior to your appointment, if you call after this time your request will still be considered but will be subject to capacity and resource availability.
7. What do you mean you do not service that clinic? You run transport to the hospital!
There are a number of hospitals where we do not have an agreement to take patients to certain clinics. These are usually clinics within community hospitals.
We have agreements with the Health Boards in place to service certain clinics, so even though we do take to that hospital, there may be no agreement to take to your clinic. Unfortunately, because the hospital is unaware that you are requesting our transport, they cannot filter out the clinics when sending out your letter, and it is only when you call us that you discover we cannot provide our service. We will advise you to contact the hospital to see if they can help you if this is the case.
8. What do you mean by access?
We will ask on the call about any access information. This is so we can ensure the right crew come to pick you up for your appointment. We need to know about ramps, steps, steep or gravel driveways. It would also be helpful to know if you have a key safe, whether to use the front or back door and whether you have any walking aids.
9. Can I take my Zimmer?
You may use your Zimmer to walk out to the vehicle and our crew will return it to your home prior to travelling to the hospital. Unfortunately, we are unable to take Zimmer's in the vehicle to outpatient appointments due to limited space in the vehicle. Other walking aids i.e. walking sticks/crutches can be taken provided they can be safely secured during the journey.
10. I cannot afford a taxi, why can’t I get transport?
The Scheduled Care Service is a limited resource and is prioritised to those with a medical need and who cannot arrange their own transport or make their own way to their appointments. Find out more about reclaiming travel costs.
11. I have had transport for years; how come I suddenly do not qualify? / My GP has said I need to have transport?
The Scheduled Care Service is now more clinically based and aims to provide a service to those patients who require a trained crew to get them to hospital. Our In-depth Patient Needs Assessment will be asked for every patient who requests transport with the decision being based on their individual requirements at that time.
12. I know other people that get the transport, and they are more mobile than me so why have I been refused?
Every patient who requests Scheduled Care Transport is assessed through our Patient Needs Assessment for both their Mobility and Clinical needs and requirements. The eligibility decision will be determined by their individual circumstances and will remain confidential to that patient.
13. Can I appeal the Eligibility Decision?
We would always ask that in the first instance that if a patient is able to use other means of transport that this is considered the first choice rather than the Scottish Ambulance Service. If the patient disagrees with this decision and has explored all other options, then their request for transport can be put to appeal and this will be answered by one of our supervisors.
Appeals are completed in date order up until the day prior to the patient's appointment. You can see a list of alternative providers here.
14. I can get to the hospital but cannot get parked or get myself from the car park or the bus stop to the clinic, am I entitled to transport?
The Scheduled Care Service provides assistance to those patients who require a trained crew to get them to hospital. Any challenges that are encountered within a Health Board site including parking and portering services to the attending clinic should be directed to the hospital you are attending.
15. I tried to book transport, but I have been told you are overcapacity, what does overcapacity mean?
Due to the high volume of Scheduled Care requests, we have in place a capacity management process for the times that we receive more transport requests than we have capacity to accommodate.
On the occasion where we are alerted to the date being over capacity, we would advise the caller and offer our next available date to allow for appointments to be rescheduled. Once the new appointment has been received, we would ask you to call us back to request your transport.
16. I have a block booking or treatment all throughout the week and my family cannot take me every day as they are working.
You would not be eligible for Patient Transport; we suggest you look at our alternative provider information on our page or speak to the clinic you are attending.
17. What if I have carers and can't be ready from 8am?
We can mark on your record that you have a package of care in situ, and we will also note the approximate time you could be ready for. Although this is not guaranteed, our planners will do all they can to work around this. It would be helpful if you tried to change the time of the carer’s visit on that day so you could be ready in time or arrange an appointment time that would not clash with the carers before you request ambulance transport, but we do understand if this is not possible.
18. Why is planning only completed the day prior to the appointment? / Why was I told there was no available resource so close to my appointment date?
The Scheduled Care planning schedule is coordinated the preceding working day of travel as this gives the planners current information in regard to staffing levels and resource availability.
On the rare occasion that demand outstrips resource availability our Scheduled Care Team will review all local and surrounding area demand and liaise with the attending hospital about the appointment time before taking the decision to advise the patient that there is no resource.
19. Why can’t you guarantee and confirm my transport?
Due to several factors, no request for transport can be guaranteed fully. We have very little control over both the volume and category of Scheduled Care requests received every day. Whilst resources are configured to reflect the general flow of patients across Scotland on a daily basis, there are an increasing number of changing variables which impact on the ability to accommodate every request and this unfortunately alongside day-to-day vehicle and staff issues means we cannot guarantee and confirm any transport request 100%.
20. Why do I need to be ready so early?
The Scheduled Care service transports a high number of patients every day and on occasions there may be multiple patients planned on to the ambulance. Patients are requested to be ready early to allow time for additional stops and any traffic delays on route.
21. Why do I need to wait so long after my appointment to be picked back up?
Our resources are planned to return for patients as near to their agreed pick-up time as possible. Unfortunately, due to several factors you may encounter, a short wait after your appointment finishes to return home.
22. What happens if I am ready to return sooner than expected at the appointment?
If you are ready sooner than the original planned pick-up time, we would ask that contact is made by yourself or the clinic to the Scheduled Care Team to allow them to review and reallocate an alternative resource, if there is one available to transport you home. Please be advised that due to the high volume of patients transported each day, this may not be possible and you may experience a delay in being collected from the clinic.
23. What happens if the clinic is running late will I still get transport home?
On the occasion that your appointment runs late, our Scheduled Care Team will liaise with the attending clinic to ensure that arrangements are made for you to be transported home.
24. Transport has not arrived, and I was told to be ready from 8am?
We tell all our patients to be ready from 8am for an AM appointment. This is because the crews start picking up from then, but it isn’t necessarily the time they will collect you as they might have a delay with traffic or be collecting other patients before you. We just want you to be ready from 8am for pick up so there is no further delay when the crew do arrive.
25. Transport has not picked me up and due to the distance, I will be late will the clinic still see me?
If we are running late, our crews will contact our day controllers who will speak to the relevant clinic to advise them of an ETA. Hospitals are particularly good with ambulance patients overall and we all work together as a team to provide the best service possible to our patients.
