Patient transport services driver

Patient transport services drivers transfer disabled, vulnerable and elderly patients to and from health care facilities such as hospitals or social care settings. They drive the ambulance and maintain all the related equipment but under non-emergency circumstances.

Includes people performing transport of non-emergency patients.
Excludes people performing patients treatment or medical treatment assistance.

The following job titles also refer to patient transport services driver:

driver of patient transport vehicle
PTS driver
driver in patient transport services
patient transport driver
medical transport vehicle driver
ambulance care assistant
driver of medical transportation vehicle
medical transport service assistant
patient transportation services driver

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a patient transport services driver. A driving licence is mandatory.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Patient transport services driver is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to patient transport services driver.

emergency medical dispatcher
front line medical receptionist
bulk filler
sterile services technician
healthcare assistant

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of patient transport services driver. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of patient transport services driver with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

emergency ambulance driver
dietetic technician
clinical perfusion scientist
anatomical pathology technician
anaesthetic technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of patient transport services driver.

• Mechanical components of vehicles: Know the mechanical components used in vehicles and identify and resolve potential malfunctions.
• Licences regulation: The requirements and rules that must be compliant for a permit or licence.
• Local geography: The range of physical and geographical properties and descriptions of a local area, by street names and not only.

These skills are necessary for the role of patient transport services driver.

• Follow written instructions: Follow written directions in order to perform a task or carry out a step-by-step procedure.
• Maintain vehicle appearance: Maintain vehicle appearance by washing, cleaning and performing minor adjustments and repairs.
• Transfer patients: Use the most appropriate techniques to handle and move patients in and out of an ambulance, hospital bed, wheelchair, etc.
• Maintain vehicle service: Monitor the health of vehicles and take measures to optimise service and execute repairs; communicate with service workshop and dealers.
• Comply with legislation related to health care: Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.
• Complete patient journey records: Record and report on the patients details related to the transportation of the patients within a given time framework.
• Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
• Drive ambulance under non-emergency conditions: Drive and operate ambulance in non-emergency situations, usually to transport patients to various locations, as required by their health condition and the medical indications.
• Transport allocated patients: Drive and convey the allocated patient to and from their home, hospital and any other treatment center in a caring and professional manner.
• Operate an emergency communication system: Efficiently operate common communication systems used in emergencies, such as base station mobile transmitters and receivers, portable transmitters and receivers, repeaters, cellular phones, pagers, automated vehicle locators, and satellite phones as required.
• Follow verbal instructions: Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of patient transport services driver. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Health care legislation: The patients` rights and responsibilities of health practitioners and the possible repercussions and prosecutions in relation to medical treatment negligence or malpractice.
• Older adults’ needs: The physical, mental, and social needs of frail, older adults.
• Resuscitation: The emergency procedure applied to individuals with no pulse to restore them to consciousness.
• First aid: The emergency treatment given to a sick or injured person in the case of circulatory and/or respiratory failure, unconsciousness, wounds, bleeding, shock or poisoning.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of patient transport services driver. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Empathise with the healthcare user: Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.
• Handle patients with special needs: Respond appropriately and communicate effectively with patients with special needs such as learning disabilities and difficulties, physical disabilities, mental illness, memory loss, bereavement, terminal illness, distress or anger.
• Apply numeracy skills: Practice reasoning and apply simple or complex numerical concepts and calculations.
• Assist social service users with physical disabilities: Help service users with mobility problems and other physical disabilities such as incontinence, assisting in the use and care of aids and personal equipment.
• Communicate in foreign languages with health service providers: Apply foreign languages in communicating with health service providers such as doctors and nurses.
• Employ foreign languages in care: Communicate in foreign languages with healthcare users, their carers, or services providers. Use foreign languages to facilitate patient care according to the needs of the patient.

8322 – Car, taxi and van drivers

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References

1. Patient transport services driver – ESCO
2. Ambulance care assistant and Patient Transport Service (PTS) driver | Health Careers – NHS