A patient needed to be rushed for emergency treatment this morning less than a day after being delayed in getting non-emergency transport.

He was among hundres of people across Sussex have been facing delays and disruption in getting to hospital appointments because of problems with a new patient transport system.

Private company Coperforma had already apologised “unreservedly” to patients and hospital staff affected in recent days.

Unions and NHS staff had warned lives have been put at risk by the situation and described the last few days as “chaotic.”

The Argus reported on Tuesday the firm had been inundated with calls and hit by technical problems since it took over the running of the transport service contact in Sussex on April 1.

The company is asking people not to call and book an ambulance until at least 48 hours before their appointment.

Patients affected have included those needing dialysis, blood transfusions and pre-assessments for operations.

Many have been left waiting several hours to be taken to hospital and to get home again.

Gary Palmer from the GMB said: "This needs to be sorted out as soon as possible and I fear there could be a death.

"The ambulances are out there and available but are simply not being utilised. The system does not seem to be working properly.

"How long does a situation have to go on before something is changed?"

Coperforma chief executive Michael Clayton said: “Coperforma accepts the level of service it has been able to provide over the first few days of its Sussex provision is unacceptable.

“While it takes full responsibility for the situation, a number of factors outside of our control at the takeover point contributed to a ‘perfect storm’ that have mitigated against as successful start to the service as had been planned.”

The firm said it had not been told about hundreds of new journey bookings until late on March 31, shortly before it took over the service.

It also said patients had also been told to call the firm after April 1 to check on future bookings and this added to the pressure.

There was also confusion about the availability of transport specifically for dialysis patients.

These factors resulted in many more thousands of calls to the booking line than expected.

The company has brought in extra staff and is working to increasing online access for booking appointments.

  • Have you been affected by the changes to patient transport? Email news@theargus.co.uk or call 01273 544512.