NBT contract goes to HATS

After terminating its home to school transport contracts with North Birmingham Travel (NBT), Birmingham City Council has reallocated these contracts to Healthcare and Transport Services (HATS).

The Council cancelled contracts with NBT after it claimed it had breached the terms of its agreement (Read more about this story in our latest issue here).

“We have acted quickly to replace the supplier, which is now HATS” – Mary Jefferson, Head of Service, Home to School Transport, Education and Skills Directorate, Birmingham City Council

Mary Jefferson, Head of Service, Home to School Transport, Education and Skills Directorate, Birmingham City Council, said: “The issues that we uncovered with NBT arose as we carried out additional compliance checks on providers relating to their readiness for the new school year. This is a rigorous set of checks that we now perform to ensure that the highest levels of health and safety are in place at all times. During these checks, we found that NBT had not reached the high standards that we require. We have acted quickly to replace the supplier, which is now HATS and we are now transferring existing travel arrangements across to the new provider. We are also working to minimise any disruption to families following this change in provider.”

HATS has been providing Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) for more than 15 years. It delivers these services at a number of London, north-west and south-east England NHS Trusts, CCGs, mental health trusts and independent medical organisations. It is also a home to school transport services provider for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), working within 28 of the 32 London boroughs.