Funding for cross-Solent patient transport has been reduced ‘with a heavy heart’ after the cash pot was called into question.
The Isle of Wight Council has proposed slashing the budget available to Islanders travelling to the mainland for hospital treatment in half, leaving only £30,000 in the fund, during a budget which has been described as ‘crisis’ and ‘survival’.
The council is making the move, Councillor Karl Love, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care said, because less than half of the fund set aside was used in the last year.
The authority says it will have no direct impact on service users as it will only decrease the fund to the money spent in the year before.
Only £17,500 was spent of the £60,000 budget, according to Councillor Love, and he has questions about why the full amount had not been used, with Councillor Love saying it was recommended the authority cut the fund altogether — as it is something it does not legally have to provide — but was able to save the service.
In the coming year, Councillor Love said he would like to strengthen the take-up of the scheme and extend the criteria of those eligible as Islanders need the funding now more than ever. It comes following the news more of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s services will merge with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.
The NHS Trusts say it will ensure Islanders receive the best possible care and health outcomes as well as responding to challenges better.
However, Councillor Love says the NHS needs to explain the impact it will have on Islanders and whether it means more travelling for patients.
The council says following the first decision to move health services off the Island, the fund for cross-Solent patient transport was agreed to be matched by the NHS but it says that has never happened, he said the NHS should be paying for the transport but the council makes a significant contribution to help the welfare of Islanders.
The cut to the fund is among the ‘really tough decisions’ the council has had to make and was the most difficult thing Councillor Love has had to do.
He said the sad thing was, the authority would have to do it all again next year, contending with the multi-million-pound shortfall from government.
Traveling to Southampton to the general Hospital for treatment costs approximately £50 day return I have twice yearly appointments which needs my wife to come as I am sedated for procedure to be done,additional appointments now for appointments to the QA hospital Portsmouth adds further cost,then I hear this news of cost cutting,if money savings are needed how about charging the festival organisers for the policing bill rather than charging the Taxpayers in there Council tax bill that could offset travel to those needing treatment at mainland hospital appointments just a thought.
Event organisers are already billed for policing, fire and medical services though? What made you think of that one?
with Councillor Love saying it was recommended the authority cut the fund altogether
just about sums him up altogether – karl showing his true colours
This council are very sick. They pay just one worker 130j to do not alot out of tax payers money but slash this to 30k. Very sick selfish usless people
With the announcement recently that we are to merge with the Portsmouth trust, the high cost of traveling across the Solent, the current financial crisis, plus the increases in hospital procedures only done on the mainland, sadly we are going to see a rapid rise in serious illnesses and a higher mortality rate as people are forced to choose between looking after their health or paying their bills and putting food on their families tables. Shame, shame shame on you fat cat councillors.
You’ve hit the nail on the head. The ferries should also hold their heads in shame along with the purse string councillors!
Disgusting.trying too cut in ALL wrong areas.saving can easily be made in other areas i know.and make lazy chav breeders pay more.few less ciggies n drink wont kill them.unlike the poor sick folk having too travel over
You finished being a snob up on your high horse now Jen?
Not at all …its truth my post is mild compared too many yet you sado sam..have nothing better too do?
Tossers……………………………………
If only 17.5K was used what has happend to the remainder? It should have gone back into the pot due to the fact that more and more residents are now been signposted to mainland hospitals. Absolutely disgusting approach in more ways than one.
It shouldn’t be up to a local council to pay ferry fares for NHS patients.
The decision to offload certain treatments to the mainland (which will certainly increase after the merger) has nothing to do with the Council and neither is the running or funding of the NHS Trusts.
Unusual patient transport costs (that is cost not usually borne by most outpatients, which certainly includes expensive ferry fares) should be borne by the bodies that control where we have to go for treatment.
That is the NHS and Central Government.
Basically the council want all the locals to die so they can take your homes, turn them into 2nd homeowner properties or holiday lets, shove up the council tax and line the pockets more. Don’t be fooled by the reasons. it’s all hogwash. If the island hospital doesn’t provide the care you need, travel should be FREE, yes FREE to you. Where’s bungling Bob, notice how quiet he is.
So a merger with Portsmouth NHS ? Let’s see if they send patients from Portsmouth area for appointments at St Mary’s ! Could you imagine the uproar ! But I bet my bottom dollar they would get their ferry fare paid for !! Unfortunately the cost of living on (what used to be) a wonderful Island !
Why oh Why does this have to be financed by the council? If the NHS is incapable of providing the service on the Island then travel to the mainland should be covered by the NHS, after all they are getting loads of new funding according to the newspapers and the politicians?
As it is you have to ask for reimbursement anyway rather than simply being issued with a special travel pass, which would be so easy to implement. As usual, as a patient or supporting carer you feel like you are being punished rather than being supported, and you don’t even get a full reimbursement of your real costs.
Disgraceful.
How is this money paid over for patients to attend the mainland hospitals? People I know had to attend the QA for treatment. At no time were we offered a refund of our costs. Something does not quite tie up.
Yep i had to travel three times to Salisbury for various medical investigations, which probably could have been done on the island. With car use, petrol and ferry, i recon that must come to at least £300. And because i am only receiving the old state pension and nothing else that quality’s me, i get absolutely nothing towards it. I haven’t even got to the operation stage yet. Its a shame this comment is near to end as no one will read it.
I was refunded by Macmillan Trust and had to pass my forms to NHS Finance for my treatment at QA. The only charges I incurred happend when I had to have a Taxi following some treatment sessions that overrun the pick up times of the Daisy bus a service which is funded for free by Macmillan. Perhaps not enough information is being given out to some patients about how to claim for expenses hence the shortfall in the 60K given to NHS. It is still disgusting the way we are being viewed and treated in respect of medical care and the pressures and stress of having to get to a mainland hospital when you are unwell doesn’t appear to be taken into account at all.
Travel should be free for hospital appointments !!!!
I had to travel to QA every day for six weeks , I claimed my ferry fare,my parking,and even my petrol to the hover port and if I missed the daisy bus the hospital would get a taxi and pay for it . It is all there for people but you have to find out for yourself as there is no info out there to tell you.