Charles Swift, an 83-year-old resident of Borth in Ceredigion, recently faced significant challenges accessing medical care for his heart condition. Despite having suffered two heart attacks and receiving treatment for three types of cancer, Swift was forced to drive himself 70 miles one way to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, for essential tests in August. The round trip took approximately four hours, a journey Swift described as tiring and difficult given his age and health status.
Swift initially sought assistance from the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust (WAST) for non-emergency transport but was refused by a call handler. According to Swift, he was asked if he could walk, climb stairs, and if he owned a car. Upon answering yes to all three questions, he was told he would have to use his own vehicle. "I can't understand why pensioners have to run about in their own car," Swift stated, questioning the logic of the refusal given his condition. He noted that public transport was not a viable alternative, as train travel between Borth and Haverfordwest takes a minimum of three-and-a-half hours in each direction.
The situation was compounded by previous experiences with transport cancellations. On one occasion, Swift was informed on a Friday afternoon that his scheduled transport for a Monday appointment had been cancelled, forcing him to cancel the medical visit itself. However, when he eventually secured hospital transport for a subsequent appointment, he reported the experience as very pleasant and without issues.
In response to the incident, WAST acknowledged that increasing demand for transport services has strained resources, sometimes leading to cancellations or refusals. Mark Harris, WAST's assistant director of operations, explained that the initial refusal occurred because the service lacked sufficient information during the call. Harris confirmed that processes have since been updated and staff retrained to ensure different outcomes in similar future cases. He noted that the volume of journeys often exceeds available vehicle capacity within a single day.
Local officials and community organizations have highlighted broader systemic issues regarding patient transport in rural areas. Councillor Hugh Hughes, who met with Swift after his first appointment, described the patient as distraught and exhausted. Hughes criticized the trend of services migrating further south, forcing patients to travel longer distances despite having a hospital nearby in Bronglais. He emphasized that people are falling through the net without necessary transport.
Dolen Teifi, a community transport charity operating in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, has stepped in to fill some of these gaps. The organization, which employs 160 volunteer drivers across 42 vehicles, reported handling 145 calls in the past two months regarding last-minute transport cancellations by the ambulance service. Rod Bowen, the charity's manager, stated they were able to assist in about one-third of these cases. Bowen noted a significant increase in patients traveling up to 50 miles for appointments and expressed concern that older patients are often uncomfortable driving long distances to unfamiliar areas. While the non-emergency ambulance service is free, Dolen Teifi charges an average of 57p per mile to cover costs.
Andrew Carruthers, chief operating officer at Hywel Dda University Health Board, acknowledged the challenges faced by patients in large rural areas who must travel long distances for specialist treatment. The health board's website states that patients are normally expected to organize their own transport unless they meet specific eligibility criteria for non-emergency patient transport, such as requiring dialysis, oxygen, a stretcher, or traveling in a wheelchair. Carruthers confirmed that the board works closely with WAST and intends to raise concerns to improve available transport options.
Sources: BBC News UK.