PRESSURE on a transport advice line will increase when controversial cuts to hospital transport services come into force tomorrow, council bosses warned.

Oxfordshire County Council said it expects more people to contact its Oxfordshire Travel Advice Line (Oxtail) because of the change affecting eligibility criteria for non-emergency hospital transport.

Health service leaders agreed on Thursday to axe free transport for 6,209 people – about a quarter of trips – for people capable of walking and getting in and out of vehicle unaided or with minimal assistance.

Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) said the changes to non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) were needed to focus growing demand from an ageing population on the most needy.

Our top stories

The council’s official response to a consultation on the plans said it is concerned by the potential impact of the proposed changes on Oxtail.

It said: “While statistics on reasons for calls are not kept, anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority received are already from ineligible patients who have been referred by NEPTS or who have found the number from their hospital appointment letter.

“Patients tend to be frustrated that they are not eligible for NEPTS and want to be told why by OCC’s Oxtail service.”

And it said people can be reluctant to use community transport schemes run by volunteers, especially if they have to pay.

Its response said: “If the proposed changes are implemented, it’s likely that pressure on this service will only increase, and we ask that this is properly considered by OCCG.”

It said it recognised that “a combination of budget reductions and demographic pressures means that OCCG must ensure it allocates available funding in the most efficient possible manner” at the most needy.

It said the council will work with the OCCG – which makes most NHS funding decisions.

It added: “Resources will need to be committed by OCCG to ensure the impact of its proposal is mitigated against as far as possible.”

Leaders at OCCG have pledged to work with the council and bus firms to review existing routes and to use the consultation’s data analysis to ensure commercially viable opportunities are looked at.

West Oxfordshire District Council said rural areas “can be difficult to access for people living on their own and who do not have relatives who can offer transport”.

It said extra pressure would be put on volunteer transport schemes and that proper resourcing would be needed to assist these organisations in future.

Link-Up West Oxfordshire had given its views in the consultation but had not seen changes to the proposed document.

Volunteer Link-Up West Oxon manager Pat Chirgwin said she was extremely disappointed at eh changes, adding: “What it is going to mean is a lot of people who have been able to get to hospital are going to have to pay.

“People are going to have to make a choice about how they spend money and whether they can afford to spend it to go to appointments.”

The criteria will apply for new bookings from tomorrow and for all patients from November 1.

 

 

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.