Patient transfer tender considered quality and price says DHSC

Government has confirmed the tendering process for the patient transfer service considered both quality and price in equal measure.

That’s the message from the Department of Health and Social Care which says bids from interested parties were ‘assessed objectively’.

It follows the news that Merseyside taxi firm Bridgewater Cars has lost the contract to transfer patients from the Isle of Man to hospitals in the North West.

The department says a number of parties tendered for the contract and were informed of the decision on Thursday – a 10 day ‘standstill period’ is in operation until March 16^th.

The DHSC says patients who use the service want it to be managed ‘professionally, caringly and with their best interests in mind’ and says it was ‘motivated by the same considerations’.