NON-EMERGENCY ambulance services in Swindon could be handed over to a private company from October 1.

A number of firms, plus South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, submitted bids for the five-year contract, estimated at £30m to £50m, to run patient transport services across the wider region.

Non-emergency patient transport services are the planned movement of patients with a medical need for transport to and from premises providing NHS healthcare, and between NHS healthcare providers.

The services across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon are being supplied through a number of private and NHS providers. SWAST runs the service covering Swindon.

Last year, Swindon Primary Care Trust, Wiltshire PCT, Bath and North East Somerset PCT and Gloucestershire PCT, tendered a joint contract to find one provider for the whole region. PCTs were replaced by Clinical Commissioning Groups in April.

The name of the winning provider is not being revealed until after a 10-day standstill period, which finishes next week.

In a statement, Wiltshire CCG, the lead commissioner, said: “The non-emergency patient transport service provision across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon is currently being supplied through a number of private and NHS patient transport service providers.

“This means that patients and healthcare professionals contact a range of providers to arrange transport for those medically eligible.

“There is no single point of contact and no overall continuity which isn’t in the best interests of our patients. “The retendered service will be provided by one organisation with a clear strategy for provision of services across the area. “For example, the new provider will operate a single point of contact – a designated telephone number – to enable patients and health professionals to easily make bookings and receive advice.”

In relation to the impact on staff, Wiltshire CCG said it was envisaged that, under a term of employment law, a Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 would apply which protects employees' terms and conditions when a business is transferred from one owner to another.

In Swindon, the service is provided both by staff, based at the ambulance station, in Queen’s Drive, and volunteers, who drive cars.

One of the volunteers, who did not want to be identified said staff and volunteers felt they were kept in the dark and feared about whether they would have a role under the new arrangements.

He was also concerned the new drivers would not be medically qualified. He said: “They could just be drivers. A spokeswoman for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust has been assured by commissioners that patients will continue to receive a reliable, high quality service.”