UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Just found out that as of today my local Stagecoach bus service no longer goes to the hospital during the day!

The only bus arrives at the hospital at 6:30pm and departs at 8:15pm.

This leaves a taxi which is expensive as it is a 30 mile round trip.

Could always go to hospital this evening and sleep in the outpatients waiting room until my 2:30 pm appointment on Friday and get the 8:15pm bus Friday Evening.

Currently trying the local volunteer drivers which will cost me £12 provided they are are not waiting more than 2 hours for me, but we all know how unpredictable waiting times can be.

Tried the local travel line for alternative busses which are so confusing and require walking round areas I am unfamilier with to find the correct bus. The return journey will be about the same as a volunteer driver so I much rather the money goes to a charity than some profit making organisation!


Looks like another campaign for us is for better public transport for us.

Gareth,
Shocking!

The problem being I suppose that public transport is not really for the public, since the companies are private. There has to be demand for them to put on a bus.

Is this an eye hospital only or is it part of a general hospital. If it is the former there is probably less through traffic and therefore less likely to be a bus.

'Disgraceful' doesn't begin to cover it but in these days of privatising public transport and centralising hospital services all but inevitable.

If you can't drive you've had it.

Thats bad news Gareth

So what are you going to do?...DO you often have a wait longer than 2 hours?....the £12 option doesnt seem to bad I guess.....but then whats the penalty for a stay over two hours?.....

If I am trying lenses, Yes it often takes a couple of hours, hopefully not this time as I am collecting.

Having said that, the eye unit does not like to let people go unless they can fit a lens, so if there is a wait it is because a lens can not be fitted in the usual fitting time, so they have another go trying a lens while someone else is returned to the waiting room while their lens settles before checking vision again. So depends on how well lens fitting has gone on earlier in the day.

Public transport might be privatly owned, however we need to remember they are still heavily subsidised through the tax payer and still they are allowed to pay out dividends to share holders!

This is one reason I am anti-public transport run by the private sector! Surely if they make enough money to pay share holders they do not need a government subsidy.

My wife has qued in the bus station enquiry office to be told it was advertised in their office and on the buses. Well the enquiry office at the bu station is outside the town centre away from most of the routes! Secondly a notice was behind the driver, so unless you have good vision and there happend to be a seat behind the driver even people with good eye sight would miss it.

I have written a scathing letter to my MP, local papers and the bus company!

Good on you!...be interesting to see the response from each!

Good for you Gareth. If you need others to join a letter writing campaign, I am sure that loads of us would weigh in.

I know how fortunate we are in this part of Scotland to have good rail links to Gartnavel.

Let us know how your campaign works out.

Yours aye

Andrew

Gareth, have you tried the Red Cross they are very good and offer a transport service. my father in law uses them alot and i have booked them for him they are very helpful.

Anne

Can hospital transport services not help you?

Add transport to any survey as a possible campiagn issue.

Sadly public transport and parking fees are an issue for all NHS patients. There might already be a bigger campaign looking at this.