Patient Transport
VKL Healthcare Ltd are based in Hertfordshire, conveying clients across the country and cross border. We specialise in the conveyance of patients with mental health needs, as such our vehicles, equipment and staff are designed specifically to support this type of conveyance.
Vehicles
All our vehicles are converted to support the safe conveyance of patients, including a fixed reinforced barrier between the driver and passenger compartment, intercom, CCTV with internal monitors in the driver cab of the vehicle, and internal locking. We can provide three types of vehicle:
- High secure – these are marked as ambulances, with a secure cell in the back, and a middle compartment with seats. The cell can be entered from the back, or through a door from the middle compartment.
- Low secure – fitted in a conference seating layout with seats facing each other for easy communication with the service user. All vehicles are specially modified for patient conveyance, and have CCTV and internal locking as standard.
- Wheelchair accessible vehicles – enables access up a ramp and for the wheelchair to be locked into place for service users who have limited mobility.
Staff
We can provide Registered Mental Health Nurses and Ambulance Care Assistants (“ACAs”) who will escort the service user. In addition, all our drivers are also trained as ACAs. All staff are required to have statutory and mandatory training, and this includes the prevention and management of violence and aggression. The number of staff and the skill mix on board is tailored to the needs of the service user following a risk assessment.
Liaison
Our entire team supports the conveyance of a service user, including the administrative function. Our coordinators will discuss the needs of the service user and undertake a risk assessment so that we allocate the right vehicle, team, approach and time of travel. We are specifically trained to receive and scrutinise statutory papers and will review at the time of the conveyance. We will also liaise with the receiving hospital to ensure they are aware of our arrival, any issues experienced en-route and of any changes to the anticipated time of arrival. In addition, we will liaise with any third party travel operators around priority boarding and VIP access where possible.
We will also support court applications and our team are experienced in supporting applications to court for the conveyance of patients under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
