patient transport

[ptlike]

Hi all, I had hospital appointment recently , 40 miles from where I live. I rang patient transport as I've done for many years and was refused transport as I could get up town on my scooter without help. I was however given a number of a taxi firm. It cost £100 to get to the appointment. In my area nobody unless they've had an operation or require 24 hrs assistance is eligible for patient transport. 

Its not true in the UK all areas recieve the same access to nhs funded care.

I'm not a campaigner but my nurse has made official complaints, I'm not the type to contact my tory mp or go to the papers but I'm sure someone will here.

Still paying 10 years on for the banking crisis.

All the best

Peter

[Nick]

This raises a good point.  A few years ago a private enterprise wanted to build a huge MS centre in our area, supposedly to support the whole county. It gained credibility with national MS organisations and local health providers.  Our objections were that it was sited some 40 miles from us in a location  without public transport links. Quite impossible for the majority of MS'ers to reach.  Luckily the plans were eventually dropped.  

The availably of MS services clearly differs across the country , as does I suppose most other types of medical provision.  Provision of disability transport in our area relies on voluntary organisations who are part funded by local government. Even here the availably is limited.  

In some ways the NHS is a victim of it's own success. With a limited budget how far do you go in what you provide? I personally think that the back door privatisation of a lot of the services provided is a very bad idea. The GP's have always been private, with NHS contracts however our MS services where I live now come under a 'not for profit' community company, as does wheelchair services, as does a lot of other medical provision.  Our main hospital was built under a Public Funding Initative (PFI)  A huge mistake that has cost the county billions!  

While some of these probably represent good value for money, others clearly don't as alway the devil is in the detail. 

[ptlike]

It's a ostcode lottery Nick

Best wishes

Peter

[ptlike]

People requiring dyalisis and cancer treatment are been refused transport, it is true if your in financial dificulty you can reclaim the costs however you need the money upfront. It is also true most of us get a mobility element in our benifit's which will of course help but if some or all is already used for this it may cause difficulty. 

My issue is transport should be a national thing so it can be debated properly and not withdrawn due to your postcode. 

Thank goodness austerity is over and where moving to prosperity. 

Best wishes

Peter

Edited 8 Oct 2018, 2:43 am by ptlike

[Nick]

Peter,

I could not agree more that provision of health services should not be allocated on the basis of postcode.  This is however the present situation, not only with transport issues, but also with all NHS Services.  Transport is a complex issue because it was always a secondary consideration and seems to come under a variety of local govenment and voluntary organisations, all of whom are struggling with continuing cutbacks. 

This situation, I fear, is only going to deteriorate.  Austerity is not over, despite what the politicians say.  The UK has a record, massive national debt and the recent cutbacks have achived  very little.  The tide has turned however on the ridiculous and hugely damaging cuts to welfare funding and the Nation still loves its NHS. So lets hope we see some improvements soon.

 

Nick