Patient discharge service (PDS) is a subset of Patient transport service (PTS) and renamed Discharge patient transport services (DPTS). It caters for patients who without effective, safe transport could have further problems due to difficulties returning home or to a place of care. Journeys will be required both with advance notice and ‘on the day’.

This can and should encompass a wide range of vehicle types and levels of care consistent with the patients’ medical needs.

To provide three (3) separate, dedicated discharge services that operate out of three different acute hospitals:

— Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,

— The Rotherham Hospital NHS Trust,

— Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The aim of the service is to ensure that the overarching principle of DPTS is followed and achieved; patients who are eligible for transport will receive safe, timely and comfortable transport to their destination, without detriment to their medical condition.

The objectives are to ensure that service delivery is high quality, responsive that, provides value for money, is environmentally efficient and is innovative in the use of information technology.

To commission a service on an hourly rate where an annual block of hours will be bought to be used when needed in each of the three (3) areas. These hours will be subject to alteration by Acute Trusts however, it will not be possible to exceed the annualised hours commissioned through this service unless prior authorisation is given formally by the relevant commissioning CCG.

To contract on an annualised operational hour’s basis for each CCG with a focus on the provider working with acute trusts to meet the varying annual demands.

To provide the safe discharge of patients to appropriate intermediate care services which includes reablement and rehabilitation functions.

Full details of the authority's requirements are set out in the Specification in Document 2.