NHS News
Good news!
Apparently, there is a project group with the NHS (well done Daren Cattell – new lead of the Integrared Care Board), the ferry companies and the Local Aauthority, to discuss patient travel.
In our meeting with WL and Bob we reiterated the need for FREE (or at the very least a reasonable fixed price) for car transport and free parking for those needing the Fastcat, for those who have appointments on the mainland.
We also asked for a dedicated phone line so people with queries or needing to change crossing times as they don’t know discharge times can actually get through. Previously this has been discounted as they think it would be abused.
We also pointed out how expensive it is for people to visit those in hospital and to go collect their loved ones when treatment had finished.
Two of our committee attended a morning with Hovertravel in June; they told us (and asked for our opinions) on their health travel arrangements – which are already excellent.
WL don’t have to do much research in terms of what works – they just have to copy Hovertravel’s best practice!
Let’s watch this space ..Health travel is clearly now on the agenda as WL have also been actively seeking views from medical practitioners and users; before WUG was formed it really wasn’t!
