The Western Trust paid almost £35,000 to a private ambulance company for the transfer of emergency surgery patients to Altnagelvin.
Coastal Core – which has headquarters in Limavady, Co. Londonderry – has been used by the Western Trust for the hospital discharge of patients for some time, but with emergency general surgery being temporarily suspended from the South West Acute Hospital, it is now being utilised for this purpose when it cannot be facilitated by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
Using Coastal Core from December 3-30, 2022 cost the Trust £34,947.34 for the non-urgent transfer of emergency general surgery patients.
A spokesperson said the Trust utilises a number of private ambulance for assistance with hospital discharges, with Coastal Core operating on discharges between Monday to Friday, 11.30am to 8.30pm.
From December 5, 2022 to January 8, 2023 there have been 49 transfers of general surgery patients to Altnagelvin Hospital by Coastal Core.
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