A LACK of planning, no evidence of preparation in key areas and grounds to consider financial recompense are among the findings of a report into the disastrous handover of patient transport services.

The independent report highlights a litany of failings in preparedness and oversight which resulted in thousands of patient journeys late or missed after the contract was taken over in April.

Coperforma could not provide evidence that field testing had been carried out before it took on responsibility for non-emergency patient transport from the South East Coast Ambulance service (Secamb).

The NHS trusts that awarded the contract are advised to require tangible evidence of preparedness from suppliers in future rather than relying on verbal assurances, and to prepare full contingency plans in case of problems.

Urgent recommendations include the appointment of an indepedent specialist to work alongside NHS bodies until the patient transport service is operating properly, and for trusts to identify additional costs incurred and submit them for “contractual discussion” with Coperforma.

The chief executive of the lead clinical commissioning group (CCG), among the seven who commissioned the service, refused to be interviewed yesterday. A spokeswoman said that CEO Wendy Carberry would not speak to the press until after a second investigation, focused on the alleged wrongdoing of six employees, is concluded in mid-September.

Tens of thousands of patient journeys were delayed or cancelled when Coperforma took up the service on April 1 and many spoke to The Argus.

Sick and vulnerable people missed dialysis and chemotherapy treatments, and many were left for up to six hours in hospital waiting rooms.

The independent report into the fiasco was published yesterday after originally being promised in late June.

In a statement, Wendy Carberry apologised and said: “We will look at the report’s conclusions in detail to learn any lessons that could inform future procurement.”

The report praises the company and the CCG for quickly identifying, and taking action to remedy, the problem once it became apparent.

But it stresses that in the future the NHS should have a “robust monitoring process” to ensure readiness in advance.

The report by business assurance specialists TIAA also concludes - despite previous assurances from the firm to the contrary - that Coperforma did not have experience of similar-scale operations.

Peter Kyle, MP for Hove, said Coperforma’s overconfidence was “a major factor in this shambles”. He said:”I’m more concerned and disappointed that the monitoring process and oversight in the run-up to the handover was botched.

“While Coperforma was saying everything was fine, the evidence shows that they hadn’t sufficiently demonstrated that they were ready for the contract.”