Cancer treatment shuttlebus 'not value for money'

The Daisy Bus links the Isle of Wight ferry terminal and hotels with University Hospital Southampton

A shuttlebus that takes patients undergoing cancer treatment to and from hospital in Southampton is "not the best value for money", the Government of Jersey has said.

Wessex Cancer Support's Daisy Bus is used by patients travelling for treatment from the Isle of Wight as well as those from the Channel Islands staying in hotels in the Southampton.

The Government of Jersey said it was withdrawing funding as falling numbers of patients from Jersey meant it was costing £60 per passenger journey - significantly more than a taxi fare.

The service, operated by Wessex Cancer Support and local NHS trusts is due to end on 20 August.

The bus currently runs five times a day between the Leonardo Hotel, Deanery Court, Ocean Village and the RedJet terminal at Town Quay, taking patients to University Hospital Southampton (UHS).

A similar Daisy Bus service, connecting Portsmouth's ferry terminal with the Queen Alexandra Hospital, will continue for the time being.

The buses are run jointly by Wessex Cancer Support and local NHS trusts in Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, but are not funded by the NHS.

The bulk of its funding was a £56,600 grant allocated by Health and Care Jersey (HCJ).

'Valuable service'

HCJ's head of access, Emily Hoban, said there had been a "notable decline" in patients from Jersey using the service.

She said the bus had provided "an excellent and valuable service" for Jersey patients but was costing "significantly more" than the £19 an average taxi ride was costing.

"The Daisy Bus operates on a scheduled timetable and outside these times taxis are provided for patients, which is an additional cost.

"The decision was made to discontinue the service following a review which found that it was not the best value for money."

She said Jersey patients would not be affected by the end of the bus service as taxis would be booked and paid for by HCJ.

Patients from the Isle of Wight who had also used the buses, have described them as an "essential" service for anyone on the island undergoing cancer treatment on the mainland.

A joint statement from Wessex Cancer Support and NHS trusts earlier this week said support for travelling patients remained available through NHS schemes for those who met eligibility criteria.

They include the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) and access to Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS).