Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what safeguards his Department has put in place to protect patients being transported to hospital by private patient transport companies on behalf of local NHS integrated care boards.

Health and social care service providers that carry out a regulated activity in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Providers of ambulance and other transport services usually need to register for the regulated activity ‘Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely’.

CQC registration for providers of ambulance and other transport services requires a stringent assessment of suitability to deliver safe and high quality care, and registered organisations have ongoing monitoring and assessments. The CQC can take enforcement action against providers that are carrying out regulated activity without registration.