The Welsh First Minister has been challenged by a local AM to examine the problems that exist in Powys regarding the delivery of non-emergency patient transport services.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, took his opportunity during weekly First Minister’s Question Time to raise the concerns of a number of residents in Powys who have been unable to attend outpatient appointments, due to a restricted transport timetable and the lack of joined up working with NHS hospitals.
Mr. George said that many of his constituents had to travel long distances to District General Hospitals in Aberystwyth, Wrexham, as well as Shrewsbury and Telford and currently they were being failed because the current service is not fit for purpose. He asked the First Minister, Carwyn Jones AM, if he could give a commitment to examine this issue further, as there are were wider-Wales issues regarding the joined up delivery of health services.
Mr. Jones said that the Government was nearing the completion of a three-year national programme of non-emergency patient transport pilot schemes, involving the Welsh ambulance service, the local health boards and the voluntary sector. He said that these have tested out different models of transport provision and have identify methods for improving non-emergency transport for service users and this report would be published next month.
Commenting, Mr George said:
"I will be interested to see the outcomes of the Government’s analysis, which has taken three years to put together.
"The fact is patients need an improved service now.
"Patients in rural areas are missing appointments because extended travelling times are simply not being factored into the design of the service.
"At the moment those who have out-patient or day appointments that straddle or fall outside of the scheduled service timetable of 8.30 to 4.30, are left high and dry.
"The knock on effect of patients failing to attend appointments leads to more general problems in the wider health system.
"For years the Welsh Government has talked about integrated, joined up service delivery and putting the patient at the centre of service design but yet again it fails to deliver.
"Services in the community must work, which means that people have to reach their appointments on time."