Getting people to the Clinic in July – time for some quick joined-up thinking and a regular bus service?

At last night’s Suburban Community Council meeting worries were expressed on how some patients would get to the Clinic once it flits from Lodgehill to the new hospital building. Com Cllr John Mackie outlined how presently some patients who were not quite so mobile were able to reach the clinic with the aid of the town bus and the Stagecoach services 10 and 305. All these services dropped people off within walking distance of the Clinic but the extra distance to the hospital would present some with considerable difficulty and perhaps expense.

It will be a lot harder for these people to get up to the hospital and concern was expressed that no one was ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and organising a regular bus service to the hospital.

Com Councillor Dr Alistair Noble thought that this was a real problem that had to be addressed he thought that existing vehicles, drivers and subsidies plus general management costs should be pooled to provide a ‘mini Rolls-Royce service’ for those that needed it. He was of the opinion that it was absolutely essential that people get transport as it was the most cost-effective way to deliver a health and social care service as the alternative was to go round peoples homes.

John Mackie thought that information about a new service needed to be put into the public domain urgently as the move would be complete in July.

Dr Noble is right the authorities will have to put their heads together quickly and sort something out for the folk that will have difficulty making it up to the new clinic. Unfortunately as John Mackie also stated at the meeting, ‘Nobody appears to be doing any organisation.’