PLANS to axe free hospital transport for some patients have been supported by most people who responded to a consultation on the proposals.

A total of 150 people – 70 per cent – backed providing free minibus transport only for those who cannot use cars or public transport for a medical reason.

Health bosses want to remove free transport for those “capable of walking and getting in and out of vehicle unaided” and with “minimal assistance”.

This would mean up to 6,209 people would lose free transport for planned appointments. Emergency transport would not be affected.

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The move would save up to £795,833 a year and affect about a quarter of patient transport service journeys, mostly among OAPs.

Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG), which makes most NHS funding decisions, said 20,000 were surveyed on the plans and 215 responded. There was support – 85 per cent – for some free transport while 72 per cent said how far someone lives from hospital should not be a factor.

Yet 86 per cent disagreed free transport “should be freely available to anyone who wants it, whether their need is medical or social”.

Under one option cancer, radiotherapy, renal and podiatry patients attending consultations – but not treatment – would lose free transport.

This would affect 6,209 people while a second option would see those people continue to get the service, meaning 5,571 would lose out.

A total of 42 per cent said free travel should only be for those receiving treatment but 41 per cent disagreed.

Yet an OCCG report said: “Oxfordshire is a rural county and for elderly and frail patients, people felt strongly that travelling from remote parts of Oxfordshire to the main hospitals in Oxford would be challenging.

“Concern was raised that this could impact on attendance rates for appointments and that there would be a wider impact on services such as voluntary car driver schemes.”

It also said Oxfordshire County Council, responsible for subsiding bus funding, and West Oxfordshire District Council raised concerns about “disadvantaging those living in more rural areas”.

One resident said: “It is stressful enough if you have to attend a clinic or treatment without having the additional worry on how to get there.

“Some vulnerable people do not have local family and friends.”

The OCCG board will be asked to make a decision when it meets on Thursday at its Oxford Business Park South offices in Cowley from 3pm.

Any changes would take effect from November 1.

 

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