Non Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) Authorisation Criteria

The Metropolitan Ambulance Service only provides non emergency patient transport when it is necessary for a patient’s medical condition.

It is important to note that this service is only used for clinical needs. It is not appropriate to use publicly funded ambulance services outside of this purpose, other forms of transport (for example taxi) should be used.

In order to ensure that patients with an urgent or emergency medical condition are not referred to NEPT, an appropriate medical professional must approve all referrals to the NEPT service.

For the purposes of the NEPT regulations a medical professional may be:

For low acuity patients (see Clinical Practice Protocols for definition):

• In a community setting, a Division 1 registered nurse or ambulance paramedic who has examined the patient
• In a hospital setting, a Division 1 registered nurse who is in charge of the unit, and who has examind the patient
• An ambulance paramedic in the communications department of an ambulance service who has decided that the patient complaint is not urgent based on a discussion with the patient or a health professional who has seen and examined the patient
• An ambulance paramedic or Registered Nurse working for an ambulance service telephone referral service that has triaged the patient to NEPT according to medically approved triage guidelines

For medium or high acuity patients (see Clinical Practice Protocols for definition):

• A registered medical practitioner who has decided that the patient complaint is not urgent

Requests for transport of patients to attend renal dialysis (either stretcher or clinic transport) must be authorised by the dialysis centre. MAS is unable to accept requests for transport to renal dialysis from General Practitioners.