Call one number – Community Transport launch for local hospital visitors

Following public feedback, local people will soon have access to a co-ordinated new transport solution to visit hospital patients in the evening, 5 days a week.

From 2 April 2012, Manchester Community Transport and Rochdale Community Transport are working together to provide an evening service for visitors who need to travel from home to either Fairfield Hospital, Bury or The Royal Oldham Hospital.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and Transport for Greater Manchester have helped co-ordinate this service which will use existing voluntary, community and private transport, but will have one single point of contact which is pre-bookable up to 48 hours in advance.

The evening service will pick visitors up from their home and then drop them off at Fairfield Hospital, or The Royal Oldham Hospital. Visitors can also be collected from these two hospitals and returned home back to their homes.

Dan Cassell, Acute Care Manager for NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale said: “The transport bureau service is being provided in response to public feedback saying how difficult it is to gain access to transport to visit patients in the evening at Fairfield Hospital, Bury or The Royal Oldham Hospital. I’m really pleased that existing transport providers have come up with an innovative solution to meet public needs.”

Stuart Murray, Transport for Greater Manchester explained: “This six month pilot is an excellent example of how different organisations can work together to provide a service that local people say is needed. Its success will depend on local people using it. If the pilot is successful, it will see the creation of at least 30 jobs and will then hopefully become a permanent service for Rochdale borough residents.”

Any Rochdale borough resident can use the service, Monday to Friday to visit hospital patients during evening visiting hours 6pm to 9pm for a standard fee of £3.20 return or £2.00 for a single journey. All you have to do is call 0161 223 6711.

For further information visit www.hmr.nhs.uk.