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AMS to provide non-emergency ambulance service
The Auxiliary Medical Services (AMS) will start providing non-emergency ambulance transfer service (NEATS) for requests originating from the Department of Health, the Social Welfare Department and private hospitals by phases from Monday (April 1), a government spokesman announced today (Friday).
This service is at present provided by the Fire Services Department (FSD).
The spokesman said the new arrangement would enable FSD to better concentrate its resources in the delivery of emergency ambulance services.
"This could result in an improvement in performance of about one per cent against the 10-minute travel time target," he said.
Three ambulances from FSD will be on loan to AMS to facilitate the implementation of the pilot phase of AMS NEATS.
"In this phase, AMS will serve the needs in Kowloon. The service will include the transfer of non-emergency patients in and out of hospitals, clinics and social welfare institutions," the spokesman said.
"The plan is to have AMS NEATS extended to cover Hong Kong Island and the New Territories by April 1 next year."
Requests for the service must be authorised in writing by the concerned medical personnel and must reach AMS headquarters at least 24 hours in advance. The contacting telephone number is 2762 2028 and fax 2760 1587.
For the time being, NEATS for Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and outlying islands will continue to be provided by FSD.
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