Volkswagen Caddies to the rescue!
In the past, Healthnet transport services could not adequately accommodate disabled persons due to a lack of vehicles able to transport these patients safely. However, the Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services together with Volkswagen and Advanced Vehicle Engineering came up with this solution.
The Health Emergency Medical Services recently procured 10 Wheelchair Patient Transporters. These are essentially the VW Caddy, light commercial vehicles which they modified extensively with the help of a local company called Advanced Vehicle Engineering in Montague Gardens.
Unlike normal Healthnet patient transporters, these new vehicles are able to transport four able bodied patients as well as a wheel chair bound patient. The rear hinged doors which would normally provide access to the luggage compartment, now open to reveal a fold-out ramp and adjustable restraint and pulley system to quickly load a wheelchair bound patient with absolute ease. The conversion is approved by VW Germany as well as VW South Africa which means the vehicle warranty and service plan remains intact.
The new vehicles will form part of their Healthnet fleet of patient transporters, bringing the total number of Healthnet vehicles capable of transporting wheelchair-bound patients to 12. The new vehicles are able to carry four patients (excluding the wheelchair patient) and due to their compact size and engine capacity the cost of operating these new vehicles is considerably reduced.