The council is upset over the lack of consultation regarding the shuttle bus cuts, urging for more research on the impact to patients.
Blackburn: There’s quite a stir going on with the hospital shuttle bus situation. The Blackburn with Darwen Council is really not happy about how the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust decided to cut the free shuttle service. This bus has been running since 2007, helping folks get to the Royal Blackburn, Burnley General, and Pendle Community Hospitals.
So, the council’s Labour leader, Cllr Phil Riley, is bringing this up at a meeting next week. He’s saying they should have consulted with them before making such a big decision. And he’s not alone; the Tory group leader, Cllr John Slater, is backing him up, calling for more research on how this change will affect patients.
It’s already causing a bit of a ruckus, with protest petitions popping up. Burnley Council is even set to discuss it soon. The council leaders are pretty upset, especially since the shuttle bus costs around £780,000 a year, and the trust claims it can’t afford it anymore.
They feel like the trust didn’t show enough respect by not consulting with them or other councils. They get that the NHS is facing financial issues, but they think any cuts should be handled more carefully, considering how it impacts the people who rely on these services.
They also mentioned that it would have been smart for the trust to do a survey to see how many people actually use the bus. It’s not too late for that, and it could help everyone understand the situation better.
In the end, they just want to make sure that patients aren’t left in the lurch because of these changes. It’s a tough spot for everyone, but communication is key, right?
