Arranging transport to hospital

NHS Forth Valley mental health emergencies
NHS Forth Valley
  • The Certifying Medical Practitioner is responsible for organising transport to hospital.
  • Receiving service assumes responsibility once contacted by Certifying Medical Practitioner, following detention.
  • Duty of care remains with Certifying Medical Practitioner, until the staff from the receiving service are with the patient.

Certifying Medical Practitioner should inform the Duty Doctor/ANP by contacting the Single Point of referral on 01324-567250.

Provide the following information to Single Point of Contact:

  • Patient's name and date of birth
  • Confirmation of detention
  • Details of the presentation
  • Location of detention
  • Their own contact phone number
  • Any risks associated with the case to date
  • The level of agitation demonstrated by the patient to date.

 

  • The Duty Doctor/ANP and Certifying Medical Practitioner will determine the need for an escort.
  • Where an escort is required the duty doctor/ANP will liaise with the duty charge nurse (Page 0009) or contact the intended admitting ward.
  • A pragmatic risk assessment will determine the most appropriate mode of transport for the patient and if Police Scotland should be advised asked to attend the scene.
  • If police are asked to attend, the mode of transportation should be agreed between health professionals and the police.
  • Police transportation or detention in a police cell should be avoided wherever possible.

  • Escort staff should be a 1st level registered nurse with, at least one other member of staff, not including the driver.
  • Preferred transport is by hospital people carrier.
  • In exceptional cases, an ambulance may be required to safely bring the patient to hospital.
  • For ambulance  transport escort staff must still attend the patient’s location and await the ambulance with the patient.
  • Personal transport is acceptable, if in accordance with risk assessment.

Transport by car/people carrier, if:

  • There is a minimal risk of violence.
  • No acute physical illness.
  • Patient is reasonably compliant.
  • Whether patient is informal or detained.

Ambulance transport, if:

  • Patient is physically ill.
  • Patient is grossly intoxicated.
  • Patient has received sedation.
  • Whether patient is informal or detained.

Police car/van if:

  • There is imminent risk of violence
  • Risk cannot be managed in other means of transport.
  • Only if patient is detained.

Transport by family or friends:

  • Most commonly used for informal patients.
  • May be possible for some detained patients (assess for risk).

The patient should be transported to hospital within 1 hour, to minimise stress for both patient and staff.

In case of delay, the situation should be escalated as per Pathway for escalation of transport to hospital.

  • Risk to staff may increase once a patient has been informed of detention.
  • Staff should remain vigilant for verbal an non-verbal cues of impending violence.
  • If a patient is agitated in their own home and does not rapidly respond to verbal de-escalation, staff should immediately remove
    themselves, and anyone else aside from the patient, from the environment.
  • Police should be called to provide assistance.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 28/05/2021

Author(s): Julia Ferrari, Joe McGhee, Duncan Westall, William McFadden, Heather Tainsh , Susan Sutherland, Marie White , Anne Cook, Justin McNicholl, Douglas Armstrong, Dr Nabila Muzaffar, Dr Stuart Affleck, Dr David Cumming, Andrew Angus, Jackie Maher, Rose Mills, Vincent Hughes..