Present:

Sue Sadler Chair PKCTG

Jane Laahs Voluntary Services  Manager NHS Tayside

Mark Scholes Head of Support Services NHS Tayside (PRI)

John Berry Public Transport Officer, P&K Council, Perth

Kathleen Coffey WRVS

Lorraine English WRVS

Anne Munro Kinross-shire Volunteer Group and Rural Outreach Scheme

Kelvin Reay Kinross-shire Volunteer Group and Rural Outreach Scheme

Morna Calcott Kinross-shire Volunteer Group and Rural Outreach Scheme

Mary Dickson P&K Public Partnership Health Group

Arthur Andrews P&K Public Partnership Health Group

Inga Appleton Pitlochry Senior Citizens

David Charity Pitlochry Senior Citizens

Eileen Colley Alyth, Meigle and District Nursing and Samaritans Association

Liz Lines Aberfeldy Hospital Cars

Angela Prescott Rural Development Worker PKCTG 
Apologies:

Bill O’Driscoll Vice Chair PKCTG and PTU, P&K Council

Neill Aitken On behalf of Comrie Hospital Car Service

Ian Golding Scottish Ambulance Service

Steve Robertson Scottish Ambulance Service

Dr K.E.M. McNeill The Strathmore Surgery, Blairgowrie

Dick Laing Perth Access Cars

Isobel Watson Pitlochry Senior Citizens

Linda Taylor Voluntary Sector and Social Inclusion Officer NHS Tayside (Dundee)

Evelyn Gardiner Head of Planning and Performance PRI Perth
1. Introductions All present gave a brief introduction
2. Why this meeting? Sue Sadler identified that changes in transport organisation ie the Regional Transport Strategy and changes in Ambulance Transport and eligibility were the reason for the meeting. A small study by a Public Health Nurse had revealed that health staff feel that hospital schemes are extremely important but knew very little of hospital cars, and often wanted to distance themselves. The Chair explained that although there is not a crisis this feels like the right time to look at issues and hopefully reach some conclusions as to how PKCTG can support Hospital Car Schemes. In our current funding crisis PKCTG will still continue to exist with a voluntary committee.
3. Benefits and Challenges for Hospital Car Schemes The following benefits were identified:¨       The service is used where there is a lack of public transport¨       Volunteer satisfaction, they enjoy it – an investment for their future¨       The service gives provision where the PTS is not available¨       Delivering people where they need to be, when they need to be and on time with the minimum fuss¨       Personal Support is provided to users¨       The service is flexible¨       Removal of worry and concern for the user ¨       Organised hospital pick ups¨       The service provides a top quality door to door service The following challenges were identified:¨       Those operating the service are not carers¨       Users may use the service as a ‘choice’ to avoid the ambulance¨       There is frequently a lack of information provided about the passenger¨       Too much assistance is required by some passengers¨       The role of the GP and the PTS¨       Recruiting Volunteers¨       Transferring the patient/passenger from car park to hospital reception ¨       Disclosures, including complexity for organisations, putting off volunteers and uncertain value  ¨       How far do we go down the path of personal assistance?
Discussion revealed the following points:There is a need to balance good practice with good will.There has been a long standing issue of liability within the NHS with regard to transferring the passenger from transport to reception. Mark Scholes confirmed that porters and hospital staff are not encouraged to go out to the parking area.The SAS policy is to transport people who may need medical intervention during the journey. There is an ill-defined gap that doesn’t seem to be anyones responsibility. A letter was read out from a hospital car service who felt that regulations should not be applied to those who do not need them eg groups who do not transport young or vulnerable individuals should not have to have disclosure checks or be swept up in regulations.
4. Options for the Future
(a) Status QuoWhile some groups might want to continue as they are, others are keen to explore the potential advantages of working together particularly on difficult areas such as risk management and insuring against legal liabilities.  However, the strength and vitality of hospital car services lies in being organised and delivered on a very local basis, by and for local people.  Local organisation and independence must be retained.
(b) Co-operative ActionSue Sadler tabled the PKCTG Members Support Scheme as an example of co-operative action. This led to a discussion about disclosures and vulnerability. While all present agreed it may be a way forward, there was concern from two groups that enforcing disclosure would mean losing volunteers. If the members support scheme stated that all ‘new’ volunteers would have to undertake disclosure checks then some fears may be allayed.  The cost of joining the members support scheme and associated insurance was likely to be in the region of £150.  This was felt to be achievable by those present, albeit with difficulty for some. Consideration will be given to the development of a sliding scale that reflects the level of operations of individual members.  It was a consensus of the meeting that a Community Car Association would allow for schemes to remain entirely independent but allow them to take advantage of working cooperatively. Cooperative action would be useful in the areas of¨       Sharing information¨       Tackling disclosures¨       Tackling insurance/risk management¨       Negotiating with other bodies such as TACTRAN, Community Health Councils, Hospitals etc
(c) A single car schemeNobody was in favour of a regional car scheme for the whole of Perth and Kinross as it was felt that so many of the benefits of hospital car schemes such as volunteers and fundraising depend on a local approach.
(d) Other optionsNo alternative options were presented.
5. The Way ForwardThe Meeting agreed that there is a need to establish a Community Car Association.  The Association should meet and act separately from, but with links to PKCTG. The new Community Car Association should provide insurance for it’s members and disclosure for new volunteers in line with the Members Support Scheme drafted by PKCTG. Sue Sadler and Angela Prescott agreed to follow up with insurance companies and investigate the best organisational arrangements to move forward.