Transport woes put brakes on specialist appointments - ABC Online

Posted March 11, 2013 11:40:17

Medicare Local says communities must take charge of the lack of patient transport services in southern Queensland.

Last year, the group surveyed people to find out how they get to medical appointments in the region.

Spokesman Garry Hansford says there have been situations where people have been airlifted from the south-west for hospital treatment in Brisbane but have no way of getting back.

"That's what the data's starting to show us is that people are not keeping their appointments, their specialist appointments," he said.

"Then of course what happens is that they don't get the diagnosis and the treatment they require ... and then of course two years later it's a crisis situation and they end up being airlifted or 'ambulanced'."

He says governments cannot afford to fund new ventures.

"We have to be proactive, we have to take ownership, we have to come up with our own sustainable solutions," he said.

"It's just not practical or feasible to go back to the state or federal governments every time a local community has a problem."

Health authorities and the wider community will be asked to help develop a regional transport network during workshops in Roma and Toowoomba in May.

Topics: health, health-administration, healthcare-facilities, roma-4455, longreach-4730, mount-isa-4825, toowoomba-4350