Hospital Shuttle Service For Rodney

MEDIA RELEASE
01 APRIL 2005

Hospital Shuttle Service For Rodney

Rodney residents should now find it easier to get to appointments at North Shore Hospital with a new shuttle service that is taking off from April 4.

The service, which runs from Wellsford, through Warworth, Waiwera, Orewa and Red Beach before arriving at North Shore Hospital, is aimed at reducing the number of people who miss hospital appointments.

Ambulatory services manager Nancy Thomson says that transport is often a barrier for people living long distances from the hospital.

Outpatients’ Clinics available at the hospital such as audiology, dermatology, pre-admit and general medical need to be fully booked to be cost-efficient, she says.

“When people miss their appointments it is very costly for the hospital system. To be as cost efficient as possible we endeavour to keep non-attendance rates as low as possible, and residents in Rodney have been telling us that transport is often a problem.”

Waitemata DHB’s General Manager of Funding Tim Wood, who helped plan the new service, says the board has been aware for some time that there has been a gap in transport for patients in the Rodney needing to get to the hospital, or to the Rodney Community Health building.

“Some time ago we promised the Rodney community that there would be a shuttle service. By and large it’s an elderly population and we have to ensure that they have equal access to hospital services as people who live closer to such services.”

Following drop-off and pick-up at North Shore Hospital the shuttle will continue its journey to Waitakere Hospital, returning to North Shore Hospital before 2pm, and to Wellsford by 4pm.
Mr Wood says the route has specific pick-up and destination points and advance bookings are essential.

For bookings and timetable details phone 0800 809342 (0800WDHB) extn 6625.
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