New transport scheme helping NHS Tayside patients
The website has been launched following a successful pilot at Perth Royal Infirmary
A new project helping people to plan their journey to hospital sites across Tayside has been rolled out following a successful pilot at Perth Royal Infirmary.
Tayside and Central Scotland Travel Partnership (TACTRAN), alongside NHS Tayside, has developed the Go NHS Tayside website, aiming to assist those attending appointments or visiting hospitals sites in Tayside.
The Perth pilot initially focused on helping those attending appointments at the Urology Department with almost 400 people accessing the website to help plan their journey.
The website allows patients to plan their journey online and find out which types of transport they can use to attend their appointments.
The site aims to make access to health facilities and services easier for patients, whilst raising awareness and use of more sustainable modes of transport.
NHS Tayside’s Director of Performance and Activity Hazel Barnett said: “I am delighted to see the Go NHS Tayside pilot rolled out across Tayside. The initial phase of the pilot at PRI has shown that it has helped make travel easier for patients.
“The website means people can see all the potential travel options available in one place allowing them to make an informed choice.
“We know travelling to hospital can cause some worry for people so this website will hopefully help improve patients’ experiences of visiting hospital.”
Merry Smith, Strategy Officer at Tactran, said, “We’re delighted to see the continued partnership working with NHS Tayside and the expansion of the Tactran ENABLE project. By expanding, this will now enable patients, visitors and staff to plan sustainable journeys to all NHS Tayside sites.”
She added: "Appointments up at Stracathro, which are set outside Dundee. There might be this assumption of, I've been given this appointment can I attend it? Perhaps I don't drive, perhaps I don't own a car and there may be people that ultimately don't attend these appointments or cancel them or put them off so that they can have something nearer to them.
"Now what we're doing by informing them of this website is allowing them to look at the journey and realise that they can get there in many circumstances by public transport. And, we hope that we will reduce the number of do not attends as well so, this might have an impact on the number of people refusing appointments or putting off appointments."
The website has been developed with Scottish Government funding through MaaS (Mobility as a Service) Scotland, which helps organisations pilot their own innovative online journey planning tools.
Tactran are working with key partners across Tayside and Central Scotland to develop these online journey planning tools as part of their ENABLE Programme. Alongside NHS Tayside, they are also working with Dundee and Angus College and Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park to develop online journey tools.