A discussion will take place relating to the proposed bus charges for North Cheshire Hospital Trust.
Minutes:
The Board received a verbal
presentation from Catherine Beardshaw, Chief
Executive of Warrington and Haltons Hospitals NHS
Trust and Mr A Massey regarding the proposed charges to the shuttle bus service
between
The Board was advised by Ms Beardshaw that the free hospital shuttle bus service for
patients and staff had been trialled for a period of nine months and as a
result in the increase in demand a new larger bus had been leased and had been
in operation for a year. However, due to
an increase in pressure on the service, at peak periods, staff had experienced
difficulties in gaining access to the bus between the two sites.
The Board was further advised
that as part of the Trust’s financial plan, consideration had been given to
charging certain groups of people for this service. Patients and staff, children under 16 years
of age or any one else with a free bus pass would continue to receive a free
service, but all other categories of people would be asked to pay £2 per single
journey. In addition, it was reported
that the Trust had kept their promise made in 2006 in providing a free service between the
two sites to staff and patients.
In response to the proposal to charge
visitors to use the hospital shuttle bus between Warrington and Halton
Hospitals, Members of the Board raised the following questions/comments:-
·
Members raised concern that a decision to charge
visitors on the hospital shuttle bus had been made by the Trust without any
consultation with them and clarity was sought on who had been consulted;
In response, it was reported that
the Trust were not obliged to consult on issues outside the original promise i.e that patients and staff would receive the service free,
and it was merely a new approach. In addition it was suggested that a year ago,
during a one to one informal meeting with the Chief Executive of Halton Borough
Council the pressures on the service had been raised.
Members in reply indicated that
the Chief Executive had stated that charges had not been raised or discussed at
the informal meeting, merely that it had been mentioned that the bus service
was experiencing capacity pressures.
·
It was emphasised that there had been an
understanding that visitors would travel free on the bus and to date this had
been the case. It was also emphasised
that Elected Members should have been consulted on this matter as they only
found out via a press article. It was
also highlighted that the bus was mainly for people who did not have access to
private transport and that there was no public transport available between the
two sites.
·
It was reported that information on the Trust’s
website was misleading as it stated that there was a free bus for people visiting
Warrington and Halton hospitals, and the new larger bus had been launched last
year with full wheel chair and disabled access.
·
Clarity was sought on when the decision had been
taken as it was reported that a representative had attended the Board in March
to give an update on the Trust and there had been no indication that charges
would be established on the bus service;
In response it was reported that
discussions had taken place in May/June and a decision taken in June/July
2009. The information on the website
related to the previous year and had not been updated. However, assurance was given that this would
be completed next week.
·
In relation to the information on the website
being misleading in that there was an assumption that visitors and patients
would travel free on the bus, and that they had travelled free for three years and the lack
of any consultation with Halton Borough Council or its Members the Trust representatives were asked
whether he process had been transparent?
In response, it was reported that
the demand on the service had significantly increased and that the Trust had
kept its promise of a free service for patients and staff. It was highlighted
that the Trust was not a transport organisation and did not have sufficient funds
to keep up with the increased volume of activity and demands on the
service. It was also suggested that
people were using the service for personal shopping and displacing staff and
patients. It was reported that the £2 per single
journey would contribute towards the running costs of the service.
Members emphasised that there was
no other public transport service operating between the two sites and it was
suggested that it was unlikely that people were using it to shop because of the
distance from the sites to the town centre, but that it was visitors
transporting patient’s laundry to and from the hospital.
·
Clarity was sought on whether the Trust
consulted with the Governing Body when making a decision to charge for visitors
on the bus service;
In response it was reported that
the Trust had authorisation to make such decisions without consulting the
Governing Body. However, the Governing
Body received regular information to keep them up to date on such matters. In addition, it was highlighted that there
was only a problem with the service during the day at peak times and that the
Trust had to consider how to fund the increase in the cost of the service
whilst keeping the promise that it would be free to patients and staff.
·
It was emphasised that visitors were an
important part of a patient’s recovery and that the area the bus serviced was a
deprived area and the charge would result in people not being able to visit due
to the cost. Clarity was sought on whether
any other options had been considered i.e. limiting the service to one visitor
per patient and the patient would decide which visitor received the free
service;
In response it was reported that
the bus driver would not be able to undertake the task of who was eligible to
use the bus free of charge. It was also
reported that the Trust only received funding to service the population in
health care services not transport.
·
Members of the Board emphasised that the
population of Halton would feel that the Trust had broken a promise as visitors
had always travelled on the bus free of charge. They also indicated that they
were unhappy with the decision of charging for visitors, particularly as they
had not been consulted on the proposal and wished that their discontent be
placed record and that they were not in any way responsible for these charges;
In reply, it was reported that
there had been no explicit agreement that visitors would use the service free
of charge and that the free transport was for patients and staff and the Trust
had not reneged on any agreements. It
was also reported that the Trust were happy to support any action that Members
wished to take to say that it had been a decision made by the Trust alone and
Members had not been part of the consultation process.
·
It was emphasised that the service was mainly
used by people on low wages and that £2 per single visit was excessive,
especially when the service had been free previously. It was also highlighted that the charge would
seriously affect people on benefits who had to visit every day as transport
costs would be at least £24 per week;
In reply, it was reported that
the Trust had been instrumental in moving acute care back to
·
Clarity was sought on the increase in car
parking charges and whether the additional money could be used to subsidise the
shuttle bus service;
In reply it was reported that all
NHS Trusts in
·
It was noted that
·
Clarity was sought on what other options had
been considered before a decision to charge for visitors on the service had
been determined. Members also raised
concern that public perception for three years was that the service was free to
patients, staff and visitors. It was
acknowledged that this issue would be raised at Councillors surgeries and they
had not been part of the consultation process and did not agree with the
decision to charge for visitors;
In reply it was reported that a
huge range of options had been explored one of which was restricting clinical
services. However, it was highlighted
that the Trust were open to suggestions.
In addition, the website would be updated next week, information would
be placed on the bus and a leaflet would be distributed to explain the new
charge and how/who and why a decision had been made to charge visitors for the
service.
In conclusion, the Members of the
Board requested that they take the comments back and review their decision /
look at other options to charging visitors on the hospital bus service.
The Chief Executive of the Trust
indicated that the decision could not be reviewed this year but consideration would
be given to comments made as part of the 2010/11 planning process.
The Members of the Board thanked
the Chief Executive and Mr Massey for their attendance.
RESOLVED: That
(1)
the Chief Executive and Mr Massey,
(2)
it be noted that Halton Borough Council has not
been consulted on the proposal to charge visitors on the hospital shuttle bus
service between Warrington and Halton General Hospitals; and
(3)
although it is too late to review the decision
to charge visitors this year, that the Trust, when undertaking the 2010/11
planning process consider other options other than charging to subsidise the
hospital shuttle service.