A ROUND-the-clock non-emergency service to transport patients to and from hospital is being introduced by Greater Manchester Ambulance Service.
The new 24 hour system - believed to be the first of its kind in Britain - will be co-ordinated by a new Patient Transport Service (PTS) control centre.
Ambulance service operations director Mike Lloyd said: "At present PTS vehicles are usually not available after 7pm and that means sometimes emergency ambulances are used. This is not a sensible or economic way to use highly trained paramedic crews."
The fleet of 200 PTS vehicles has recently been boosted by 16 specially adapted Vauxhall Cavaliers.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article