Stroke patient felt 'stranded' by transport provider

A couple have complained to a health transport provider which they claim left them stranded at a hospital weeks after one of them suffered a stroke.

Terry Allen, from Pangbourne, Berkshire, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford following care at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading, and was due to be transferred back to the latter.

His wife Linda said EMED Group, that provides non-emergency patient transport, was due to pick them up on 11 November but after seven hours spent waiting, they were taken back to Berkshire by family, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

An EMED Group spokesperson said they were aware of the couple's concerns and will be in contact with them.

"I've got no complaints [about the] John Radcliffe, they even offered us a bed – it's this wretched transport [provider], they left us stranded," Mrs Allen said.

"They got us there no problem, a woman drove us, she was great. But after treatment it all went wrong. We were meant to be picked up about 14:00 GMT, but no one came.

"By 15:00, the head of the vascular department said 'I'm going to ring them', but we couldn't get through to them.

"Then a staff nurse said 'they are not coming'. I couldn't believe it. We were finally told they wouldn't be coming at 21:00."

Mrs Allen said her daughter and son-in-law transferred Mr Allen back to Prospect Park Hospital at midnight and she arrived at her home on 12 November at 00:30.

A spokesperson for EMED Group said: "We note the concerns raised and will contact the patient directly to discuss these with him.

"The relevant patient experience manager will investigate what happened on the day and we'll share the outcome with the patient once that's complete."