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Rural patients could benefit from “vital” hospital transport across parts of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council but concerns have been raised of it being a “postcode lottery” for vulnerable people.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s environment committee this week signed off on £45k of funding for voluntary drivers across three of its district electoral areas.
The community scheme will now expand after a recent consultation paper in chambers showed one DEA with over 70% of its pensioners living alone and 55% of them having missed a hospital appointment due to transport issues.
Slieve Gullion councillor David Taylor said: “This is a vital scheme and it has been very helpful to my constituents who are very vulnerable.
“It can be a very worrying time for them when they need to go for a hospital appointment, so this is a very important service for them
“The fact that we can extend to another DEA is great, but I would if possible like to see it rolled out across the entire council area.”
The transport scheme is currently provided free of charge in the DEAs of the Mournes and Slieve Gullion with a pilot scheme to start this September in Crotlieve DEA.
Slieve Croob councillor Helena Young said: ”We absolutely support this very valuable service extending to Crotlieve.
“It is my understanding that there is no volunteer driver scheme or community bus for Annalong, Newcastle and the hinterlands.
“If they continue to not be served it would be preferable to join up the existing services to prevent it turning in to a postcode lottery.”
The expansion of the transport initiative has come about after a council paper addressed concerns over multiple public transport journeys, high cost of taxis and a non-emergency ambulance services being “rarely available.”
Multiple health care connections for vulnerable people in rural settings have been made possible including appointments for Belfast, Craigavon, Downpatrick and Tyrone from the NMDDC area.
Mournes councillor Henry Reilly added: ”Our home to hospital service seems to concentrate on the Southern Trust area, though areas like Newcastle are in the South Eastern Trust area.
“If you need to go to the Royal in Belfast, it’s three bus journeys and a taxi.
“If you want to go to Craigavon it’s four bus changes from Annalong.
“It is disappointing they don’t have access to the home to hospital service.”
A council officer responded: ”A consultation was carried out in Crotlieve and the funding has now been provided.
“That would be something that we could look at if we were going to expand into Annalong and Newcastle and I can pick up on that with councillors.
“It will just take resources to fund that, which will take some time.”
