Prior to measure implementation, health-related transport was provided by the health sector, social services and the voluntary sector, all operating independently. Information regarding these services, and the conventional public transport services, tended to be fragmented, and members of the public were unaware of the available transport options and had problems accessing information. When patients are sent appointment letters, the transport information provided is general, irrespective of the time of travel and the specific journey they need to undertake to get to the hospital from their home.
The specific objectives were to:
- increase the number of public transport users for accessing healthcare, particularly from rural areas;
- provide healthcare users with comprehensive timetable and booking information for transport services linked to healthcare appointments;
- reduce the number of healthcare appointments not attended; and
- achieve an integrated and coordinated approach to providing transport information for accessing healthcare appointments.