Coperforma's patient transport service '˜nearing point of collapse'

The companies working on the contract claim they have been ‘unable to operate effectively’ due to the inadequate system Coperforma are using, a problem compounded by inexperienced staff and a top-heavy management structure.

In a letter to doctors who commissioned the service, the sub-contractors accused Coperforma of not paying invoices in a timely manner, and added: “The situation is untenable and has reached a point that CCG’s have to act now before the PTS service collapses.”

But Coperforma, which took over in April and after a poor start has improved the service considerably, rebutted the allegations, claiming that all payments to contractors were up-to-date.

A spokesman said: “Coperforma is a financially sound company which is managing contractors’ payments according to the principles of best business practice.

“All contractual payments are up to date but regrettably invoices are having to be disputed but as the problems are rectified the company commits to settling the agreed balances without any further delay.

“In the meantime the Coperforma network of CQC-regulated providers is fully operative and patients can be assured that there will be no interruption to their ambulance service.”

However the sub-contractors said that if all outstanding invoices were not paid in full within ten days they would have to start legal action against Coperforma, with an immediate reduction in services.

The letter concluded: “We are disgusted at the position Coperforma have put us all in and the devastating effect this will have on patients but we see no resolution to the situation without CCG intervention.”

But Coperforma countered the claims, stating that all contractual payments to the end of July were up-to-date, and invoices amounting to £360,115 are currently being disputed due to details not reconciling with their data records, and this figure representing just nine per cent of total payments.

This process is taking place because Coperforma is legally responsible as it is essentially managing taxpayers’ money and the company says it wants to act fairly.

The spokesman added: “The company is in a sound financial position to continue to deliver the county’s patient transport service which has now recovered from the initial problems and is operating at an average 94 per cent of the key performance indicators; these KPIs were set by the commissioners at the time the contract was awarded and were at a considerably higher level than patients enjoyed under the previous provider.”

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