13Transfer of patients in certain circumstances

13 Transfer of patients in certain circumstances

(1)  If, while a patient is being provided with non-emergency patient transport services, the health of the patient deteriorates to a point where his or her medical needs are assessed as acute or time-critical, a crew member providing the services must –

(a) contact the communications centre operated by the Ambulance Service immediately; and

(b) relay all relevant information about the patient, his or her condition and any other relevant information to enable an operator at the communications centre to make an assessment of the situation; and

(c) comply with, or ensure compliance with, any instructions provided to the crew member by the operator in response to the information; and

(d) ensure that the patient is not left unattended before the patient may be transferred to the relevant medical authorities as instructed by the operator.

(2)  Subregulation (1) does not apply in respect of a patient if the patient deteriorates at a health facility that is able to lawfully provide the acute, or time-critical, care required by the patient.

(3)  A person must comply with any instructions provided by or on behalf of the Ambulance Service in respect of the patient.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 2 penalty units.

(4)  If a patient is transferred from an NEPT Service to the Ambulance Service under this regulation –

(a) the crew member providing care to the patient during the provision of non-emergency patient transport services must provide a verbal clinical handover of the patient to an officer of the Ambulance Service who is attending to the patient; and

(b) a crew member must provide a copy of the patient's patient care record and any other information in respect of the patient that the crew member considers relevant.