Cancer patients from the Isle of Wight travelling to University Hospital Southampton (UHS) will lose access to the Daisy Bus transport service later this month following the withdrawal of external funding.
The service, which connects the mainland ferry terminal to UHS, more commonly known as Southampton General Hospital, has been a lifeline for patients undergoing cancer treatment. It also supported those staying in mainland hotels by transporting them between accommodation and the hospital.
Operated by UHS in partnership with Wessex Cancer Support and funded by the States of Jersey, the Southampton Daisy Bus was primarily established for Jersey patients – but has also benefited those from the Isle of Wight.
Sadly, it has been confirmed that from Wednesday 20th August 2025 the service will cease to exist, as it is not NHS-funded and therefore cannot continue without external financial support.
The NHS and Wessex Cancer Support say they were aware of the impact on patients and are working to ensure those affected are informed about alternative travel options.
The Daisy Bus service linking the Isle of Wight to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth will continue to operate as normal.
If the NHS wants patients from the Island to attend hospital on Southampton or Portsmouth they should be prepared to provide transport or else make the service available on the Island.
Absolutely, they treat islanders like 3rd class citizens.
Also they should pay for families to visit, eg boat fares etc
if all NHS services were provided for on the island, then
patients and their families would not have to travel to the
mainland, hence no extra costs to incur.
That is why a bridge or tunnel would help.
This service should be kept running and funded by the
NHS
Island residents just like mainland residents pay their taxes.
It is not our choice or fault why the 1 Hospital on the island
does not provide all medical services that is required.
I am currently having chemo therapy at Southampton General Hospital and have always used the Daisy Bus. I have met many other patients and their families. Being on the bus you receive lots of useful advice and knowledge from the passengers. The drivers are all so kind and caring. I recently had a PET scan which finished late and had to get a taxi. It cost me £12 to get back to the Red Jet. So that would be £24 each visit in taxis, £12.80 on the Red Jet and £9 for parking on Cowes for the day. When you have a few appointments in the month the taxi fares will mount up considerably. How can we find another funder for the Daisy Bus?
It upsets me that when persons like yourself are having
to have treatment, you have to pay costs that should be
covered by the NHS.
If the Hospital on the island provided all medical
services then persons would not have to travel to
the mainland for treatment and incur extra costs.
I pray you are much better and I hope that IW Council
and the island MPs step in to keep this service running.
I had to go to queen alexander hospital every day for radiotherapy for 33 days and I had all that to pay but if you go to the finance desk just inside the main entrance in queen Mary,s you can request an expenses form to claim the fares back including the ferry fare, although I used the hovercraft or the fast cat, and if I remember correctly I also claimed back the car parking I think that was from the IOW council parking department, try looking into this as it was a great help. Also if we missed the last daisy bus Q A hospital would phone you a taxi and they paid for it, hope this may be of some helpp
It would not be feasible for every condition to be treated on the Island. For some conditions, you would want to be referred to a centre of excellence in that field as they have more experience and therefore better expertise. So travel is necessary and, given the cost, the Daisy bus is a great service. The first question has to be how much does it cost to operate each year – ie if we are to find a means of funding it, how much do we need to raise? The next question is how those funds can be found? Might there be some available from Jersey still, might the NHS part fund it given that the provision of hospital transport as an alternative for some will have a cost attached for them, and thirdly, how might the rest be raised?
The fact that the service is to stop so imminently implies that this has been known about for some time so something should have been done before now.
I know that in an ideal world the service should be fully funded but we don’t live in an ideal world so we must be realistic and look at what we can do to maintain a service for people which is so valuable, especially in what may be one of the most challenging periods of their life.
I am a patient at UHS for cancer treatment and have used the Daisy bus when possible and what a lovely service it is. The NHS and Wessex Cancer Support say that they are working to ensure patients are aware of alternative travel options, if I may make a suggestion that they approach Bluestar bus company to perhaps have either the 19 or 19A buses call at the Red Jet terminal as part of their route, they both pass by at the bottom of the terminal road and both go to UHS.
It really is a lifeline service that needs to be funded.
Well done Labour, another great caring and sharing result.
I’m sure Rachel in accounts could siphon off a few quid and maybe not spend so much providing E-bikes and I-Phones for the newly arrived.
What a disgrace axing this bus. NHS waste money hand over fist, surely they could fund it, cut out paying for the migrants health care and spend it on our own people!