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Responses > Patient Transfers and Beds

Freedom of Information request Patient Transfers and Beds

Response published: 21 January 2026

FOI Request

Good Afternoon, I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. My questions are as follows: 1) How much was spent on secure mental health patient transfers by private ambulances in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 2) How many journeys were made on secure mental health patient transfers by private ambulances in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 3) Please provide a list of all private ambulance companies used for secure mental health patient transfers in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 and for each detail: (a) Number of jobs (b) Cost of providing the service 4) How much was spent on mental health patient bed watch by private companies in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 5) How many mental health patients were looked after by private bed watch companies in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 6) Please provide a list of all companies that provided mental health patient bed watch services in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 and for each detail: (a) Number of patients looked after (b) Cost of providing the service 7) What is the selection criteria for deciding which companies to use for secure mental health patient transfer by private ambulances 8) What is the selection criteria for deciding which companies to use for mental health patient bed watch by private companies Thank you in advance for providing this information. Regards,

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 530-2025

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

1)      How much was spent on secure mental health patient transfers by private ambulances in the 6 months to 30th November 2025

2)      How many journeys were made on secure mental health patient transfers by private ambulances in the 6 months to 30th November 2025

3)      Please provide a list of all private ambulance companies used for secure mental health patient transfers in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 and for each detail:

(a)   Number of jobs

(b)   Cost of providing the service

4)      How much was spent on mental health patient bed watch by private companies in the 6 months to 30th November 2025

5)      How many mental health patients were looked after by private bed watch companies in the 6 months to 30th November 2025

6)      Please provide a list of all companies that provided mental health patient bed watch services in the 6 months to 30th November 2025 and for each detail:

(a)   Number of patients looked after

(b)   Cost of providing the service

7)      What is the selection criteria for deciding which companies to use for secure mental health patient transfer by private ambulances

8)      What is the selection criteria for deciding which companies to use for mental health patient bed watch by private companies

Our response:

Clarification question/s sent on 24 December 2025, no response received within 20 working days, FOI is now closed.

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.