Think about how people can get to appointments if there is no public transport. More services available locally. An hour trip to a hub for a simple blood test doesn't make sense for the patient. More mobile services such as the breast screening van.
It's something I come across time and time again. I see people who live 50+ miles from the hospital, can't drive and are sent an appointment for 9 am. It's great having services available locally but it's not always easy to get to either and patient transport doesn't go the community hospitals which adds to this issue.
I work for Mearns & Coastal Healthy Living Network. We are a volunteer-based charity that provides a range of services and activities for the over 50's in Kincardine & Mearns. Part of our provision is a transport service which carries-out 700+ trips a year, taking rurally isolated older people to/from appointments benefitting health & wellbeing. Since 2016, demand for this service has tripled, and, without it, many older people would have no alternative other than a taxi - unaffordable for most. Earlier this year, our service was stretched to breaking-point by demand and, going forwards, it appears that demand will only increase... Volunteer organisations such as ourselves do so much for communities, but we have our limits...
Not just access to transport for appointments; some rural jobs simply don't allow for time off! There needs to be an understanding of how rural jobs are livelihoods & lifestyles - not just jobs. And that often impacts the entire family, not just the jobholder.
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