Hospital shuttle bus in Preston and Chorley to be axed
The discretionary facility was used by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
A service to help discharge Preston and Chorley hospital patients in need of transport has been axed.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the discretionary facility was used by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust during busy periods to supplement the main patient transport operation run by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).
It meant an alternative option was available to avoid patients without their own means of getting home having to remain in situ when demand was high and waits were lengthy.
However, the additional service was dropped six weeks ago, shortly after the start of a financial year during which LTH is having to find £60m of savings.
"real difference"
A spokesperson for the trust told the LDRS: “NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board commission a patient transport service from North West Ambulance Service and the LTH continues to use this on a daily basis.
“Traditionally, the trust had also picked up the cost of providing an additional private service. However, as this is not funded, the contracts were not renewed when they ran out at the end of April.
“With any change like this, it takes a little while for the new processes to become embedded, and the ICB have stepped in to arrange additional transport on a case-by-case basis as appropriate.
“Ultimately health and social care partners are working together to reduce demand for hospital services by investment in community and primary care and this is what will make the real difference to discharge and admission times in the longer term.”