Transport Service

Last year, Macmillan Cancer Relief published its report into the massive transport costs faced by Cancer Patients as a result of cost cutting changes in NHS services. It found that patients were spending, on average, £380 on transport to and from hospital appointments.

Ardgowan Hospice, Inverclyde, identified this was an unnecessary worry for patients at what is an extremely difficult time, back in 1981. As a result, it set up it’s own patient transport service, completely free of charge to patients.

The service has been running for 29 years and now has over 750 cancer patients using the service. A team of 35 volunteer drivers kindly give up their time to take up to 150 patients every week to and from their hospital appointments.

One such driver is retired solicitor, Kenny Gilmour. He started driving for the hospice in 1990 after his father benefited from the service.

“After diagnosis, my father had to travel to the Western Infirmary for treatment. During the first week, he was transported by the hospital ambulance service that picked up and dropped off six other patients. My father was completely exhausted. At the start of week two, someone from the hospice phoned to say they would send a car for him. The difference was quite incredible. He wasn’t as tired and it helped to see a friendly face at a very difficult time.”

Having made more than 500 journeys, Kenny sees the benefits of the service every week.

Ardgowan Hospice is the only hospice in Scotland to offer such a large-scale patient transport service. The service is funded in part by the generosity of community donations and last year cost almost £35,000 to run. Last year the team of volunteer drivers travelled 118,000 miles!

If you or a friend or family member would like to use our unique Hospital Transport Service, please call us on 01475 726830.