Ambulance service loses contract

Surrey Ambulance Service said it was "deeply disappointed"

Surrey Ambulance Service has lost its contract to transport non-urgent patients in the county.

It has provided the service since 1952 but from next April the private firm GSL UK Limited, formerly known as Group 4, will take over.

Unions representing ambulance staff said they were concerned the service will suffer as a result.

East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey Primary Care Trust said the decision was based on providing the best value for money.

'Deeply disappointed'

A PCT spokesman said three companies had shown an interest in taking on the five year contract and GSL UK Ltd was thought to provide the best option.

But Duncan Jones from Unison said: "The ambulance service has been doing this work and has the best training and the best staff to do it, we believe.

"When you start farming it out to private contractors then I don't believe the service you get from them would be as good as the one that's provided from the NHS."

Surrey Ambulance Service, which is a three star rated NHS Trust (the top rating awarded to a trust), said it was "deeply disappointed" to have lost the contract.

The service transports around 146,000 patients to and from hospital each year.

It said it would continue to provide "the best possible service" until the current contract runs out in 2006.