A Morecambe private ambulance firm providing vital transport for patients has announced it will be closing after 13 years.
North West Private Ambulance Liaison Services - better known as NWPALS - will cease operations imminently, said director Jamie Smith.
Mr Smith blamed NHS funding cuts, contract losses, and the dismantling of NHS England for the closure.
He expressed deep regret at the decision, describing it as a “devastating blow” for both staff and patients.
“We’ve served thousands of people with care, compassion, and professionalism,” said Mr Smith.
“But the financial pressures have become impossible to manage. We’ve been left with no choice.”
In 2024 alone, NWPALS transported more than 35,000 patients across North Cumbria, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust – an average of 96 patients every day.
But Mr Smith said the firm had seen several critical patient transport contracts terminated in quick succession, including its work with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals – which was cut with just five weeks’ notice.
“We asked the trust for fairness and a chance to manage the transition properly, but there was no flexibility,” said Mr Smith.
A letter to NWPALS from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals said the decision to terminate the contract was due to NHS finances being under significant distress and because their patient transport service was unfunded.
A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals spokesperson said this week: “NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board commission a patient transport service from North West Ambulance Service and the trust continues to use this on a daily basis.
“Traditionally, the trust had also picked up the cost of providing additional private services, however, as this is not funded, the contracts were not renewed when they ran out at the end of April.
“We would like to thank all of our previous service providers for their hard work and commitment towards our patients.”
Mr Smith had written to Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale (below), asking for help.
“It’s a real shame to see this local business close, especially after so many years of service to the local area," Ms Collinge told Beyond Radio this week.
"I want to wish all the staff the best for the future at what must be a very hard time for them.”
Mr Smith said he now seeking clarity over the procurement process and the status of TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) for the company's staff, many of whom face uncertainty about their future.
He said he believed the loss of the contracts was part of a "much bigger picture" following the announcement that quango NHS England will be dismantled under government reforms.
“With the scrapping of NHS England, we’re seeing chaos in commissioning, gaps in services, and a race to the bottom on costs," he said.
"The patients and staff are the ones who suffer.”
It was announced in March that NHS England would be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The government said this would "put an end to the duplication resulting from two organisations doing the same job in a system currently holding staff back from delivering for patients".
"By stripping back layers of red tape and bureaucracy, more resources will be put back into the front line rather than being spent on unnecessary admin," said a government spokesperson at the time.
Mr Smith said NWPALS used to have 180 employees but following redundancies this had now reduced to around 70.
The company is now based at the Heysham Business Park, after previously being located on the White Lund Industrial Estate in Morecambe.
NWPALS' work included not only patient transfers but also internal site movements and sensitive services such as the transport of deceased patients.
They are also a highly respected provider of first aid training, and of medical cover at large scale events.
Mr Smith said after his firm closes, he also had concerns about the ability of other providers to absorb the workload.
“There’s a real risk here,” said Mr Smith.
“Delays will increase, pressures on hospitals will grow, and ultimately, patients could suffer. We’ve warned the Integrated Care Board (ICB), and we hope they’ll step in – but time is running out.”
He thanked the firm's dedicated staff for their years of service, describing them as “the backbone of everything we do".
“It’s been a privilege to serve so many patients and families across the North West, especially during the darkest days of the pandemic.
"This isn’t just the closure of a business – it’s the loss of a vital service.”
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