‘Transport woes must be sorted’
Killin patients who face a 46-mile trip to hospital demand meeting
Health chiefs were this week urged to meet with residents in Killin to address problems with patient transport and appointments at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Villagers say because of the difficulties that some residents face getting to the hospital 46 miles away they were promised appointments only after 10am.
However, there are complaints that this is not happening and now Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl and Tory list MSP Dean Lockhart are calling on NHS Forth Valley to meet with constituents to address the issues.
The Killin Patient Participation Group has called for a review of appointment times and patient transport and they say assurances given to them when Forth Valley Royal Hospital opened in 2010 have not been kept.
In a letter to NHS Forth Valley director of nursing, Angela Wallace, chairwoman of the Killin Patient Participation Group Linda Frost said: “On a significant number of occasions which have come to my notice the advice to clinics to check postcodes and book appointments after 10am for postcode FK21 has not been used.
“In one instance this meant that the patient had to stay overnight beforehand as they were reliant on public transport. Some are nervous of asking for a more suitable time as they may not be given another appointment or have to wait a considerable time if this is a mailed appointment.”
She added: “Hospital transport has recently been improved by a car centred at Callander but this still only applies to patients with an ambulatory disability. I urge you to Google transport to and from the hospital from Killin, Tyndrum, Crianlarich and Ardeonaig and see how things are if any patient does not have their own car access.”
Councillor Martin Earl and MSP Dean Lockhart have backed calls for a meeting between the Killin community and NHS Forth Valley bosses.
Councillor Earl said: “I have called for a meeting to be held in Killin as quickly as possible so the NHS can provide reassurance to everyone that the procedures previously agreed are actually stuck to.
“There also needs to be improvements made to how patients book and are helped to attend appointments.
“It is not the patient’s fault that they live a long way from the hospital nor is it acceptable that people have had to miss appointments or make overnight stays just to get to an appointment set too early in the morning.
“This was all raised when the hospital location was being proposed and we all received reassurances at the time that it would not be a problem, well it obviously is and it needs to be sorted out.”
Mr Lockhart added: “It’s my understanding that where possible appointments were due to be scheduled after 10am to allow patients travelling further distances, and relying upon public transport, the opportunity to attend clinics.
“However, I’m concerned to have been informed that this doesn’t appear to have been the approach taken when allocating appointments causing great distress to constituents who need to travel long distances to reach appointments and who rely upon public transport”.
A spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley said: “The Patient Participation Group in Killin have made us aware of their concerns for which we are grateful.
“We have been investigating the issues raised and would be happy to meet with the group to share our findings and explore possible ways forward.”