I wanted to share my frustrating experience about patient transport. I have been attending outpatient appointment at Crosshouse for my long term condition for over a year now and find the public transport from my area (Troon) completely inadequate.
I have never tried to access patient transport ( and wouldn't even bother on reading others experience), but I don't have a car and there is no direct bus to Crosshouse during the day.
My only option is to either pay £16 each way for a taxi (£32 in total so not feasible) or walk to Loans for the bus from Ayr hospital. This bus is not even hourly and there is a 2 hour gap between services in the early afternoon when most of my clinic appointments are. Sometimes I can find a friend who is not working or caring for children and ask for a lift, but I don't have family in the area and don't like to be a nuisance.
I can work from home when I have an appointment, but the round trip with the half hour walk on either side of the bus, plus waiting times takes up most of my day. I also had to make this journey, including the long walks when I was recovering from major surgery. Not everyone has cars and and I am sure that as an able-bodied working person I would not qualify for patient transport. It sounds like the system is overstretched as it is.
If the Board could liaise with bus companies to ensure a comprehensive service to all the areas the hospital serves then pressure on the patient transport service would be reduced. Likewise if clinic appointments with consultants and nurses could be held in the commuity or by telehealth, I wouldn't have to waste several working days per year trying to get to and from Crosshouse.
"My problems with transport to hospital"
About: Crosshouse Hospital Crosshouse Hospital Kilmarnock KA2 0BE
Posted by Baglady (as ),
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