Campaigners' ticket to ride for NHS services

A PAIR of health campaigners embarked on an eight hour bus trip to highlight the impact possible NHS changes might have on people in Teesdale.
Judi Sutherland and Emma Rowell undertook a round trip from Middleton-in-Teesdale to James Cook University Hospital by bus on Monday, March 13, to experience first hand what people in the dale relying on public transport could be faced with when going to hospital.
Darlington Memorial Hospital’s A&E and maternity units are at risk as part of a review of NHS services currently being carried out.
One outcome could see patients and visitors having to attend James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, or North Tees Hospital, if services are removed from Darlington.
The campaigners said people in Teesdale are worried about the long journeys that will have to be made if services are cut at Darlington.
They caught the 9.23am from Middleton-in-Teesdale to Horsemarket, in Barnard Castle where they took a second bus, at Galgate, to Darlington.
The pair then caught another bus to Middlesborough, before changing to a fourth to get to Coulby Newham. The journey concluded with a six minute walk to James Cook Hospital.
They have called their experiment the “Better Health Bus” and tweeted along the way so that people could follow their progress. Cllr Sutherland said: “This is not a commentary on the bus service, this is a commentary on the health service.
“The NHS Better Health initiative says it is better to treat people closer to home, but one of their scenarios is to move services from Darlington to James Cook.
“It takes more than three hours and that doesn’t sound like treatment closer to home to me. The galling thing is you pass Darlington hospital, a perfectly good hospital, along the way.”
The concern is not only for the journey time of patients, but also for those who want to visit loved ones in hospital.
Ms Sutherland added: “A lot of people can’t drive or do not have access to a car, so they have to use public transport. I’m not sure if there is a quicker route (than the one we are taking).”
Ms Rowell expressed concern that the future of a volunteer driver system currently helping patients get to hospital is also under threat. This will force more people to use public transport. She said: “Volunteer drivers have been funded until June and then they will not have anything.”
A further worry is the cost implication. They said the round trip from Middleton-in-Teesdale would be about £80, while a taxi could cost as much as £183.
The councillors hoped to be back in Barnard Castle for a town meeting at 6pm.