A TROWBRIDGE woman who travels to Southmead Hospital in Bristol is no longer eligible to use a free NHS patient transport service after the Department of Health and Social Care introduced a change in the mobility assessment criteria.

Julie Dutch, 50, rang the Patient Transport Advice Centre to use the non-emergency patient transport service (NEPTS) provided by Arriva Transport Solutions Ltd for the South West.

When she goes to hospital, she is sometimes accompanied by her mother, Norma Suggitt, 74, who lives in School Lane, Staverton.

Mrs Dutch said: “When I rang up to request transport to Southmead Hospital I was asked to respond to a telephone assessment.

“I answered all of their questions and they then told me I could not have transport because I am able to get in and out of a car.

“I suffer from multiple sclerosis, arthritis, stress, depression and anxiety and I have just been diagnosed with Reynaud’s Syndrome. I also have an inflamed heel which makes it difficult to walk. It’s so painful.”

Mrs Dutch, of Cedar Grove, Trowbridge, was told to contact Link, the community service that uses volunteers to transport patients to hospital.

But she says Link asked her for £25 to use its service and she cannot afford to do so if she visits two or three times a month.

“I’m on benefits and have a mortgage to pay. I can’t afford to pay £25 each time I have to go to Southmead for an appointment.”

Mrs Dutch claimed: “I have heard that Link has been inundated with enquiries because so many people have been affected by PTAC’s decisions.”

The Department of Health recently introduced changes in the assessment criteria based on their level of mobility that now prevent some patients from having access to the NEPTS service.

The new criteria are based on whether their medical condition prevents them from travelling by any other means. Their eligibility is assessed each time they request to use the service - apart from those receiving regular dialysis or oncology treatment.

Lynn Gibson, chief executive of Community First, which supports 43 independent Link schemes across Wiltshire, run by volunteers. said they are now measuring the impact of the PTAC changes on patients using their service.

“The call centre went live in Wiltshire in early September and we are working alongside the Link co-ordinators to measure the impact of the new service and any increase in calls that may have been derived from the PTAC team.

“We have calculated that during September 92 new calls have been received across the schemes who responded.

“In early September Link received 46 additional calls, with this reducing to 25 calls and 21 calls for the last two weeks of September.”

NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: “All patients who request Non-Emergency Patient Transport are now assessed against national eligibility criteria, which is defined by the Department of Health and Social Care.”Until this summer, patients using the free NHS-funded service were not assessed as consistently against national criteria so unsurprisingly, some patients are no longer eligible.” “The NHS has finite resources and it is therefore imperative that services such as free transport are directed towards the most vulnerable people and those with the greatest need.”

“Wiltshire CCG funds over 5,000 Non-Emergency Patient Transport journeys a month, and also contributes towards the costs of community transport coordinated via Community First.

“For people on low incomes or certain qualifying benefits, healthcare travel costs can be reclaimed through the national Health Care Travel Costs Scheme. Details are available on the NHS Choices website.”