The bus depot in Enniskillen
THE Western Health Trust is facing growing criticism over a pilot bus scheme after it emerged that as few as seven people a week used the service during a six-month period.
The direct route bus service runs from the South West Acute Hospital to Altnagelvin hospital in Derry twice a day every Wednesday and Thursday.
But the pilot scheme is now hanging in the balance as withering passenger numbers could see the bus service deemed as unsustainable.
The direct bus trial was introduced after Fermanagh patients were forced to travel up to eight hours a day for outpatient appointments at the Derry based hospital.
The 294 service on a Wednesday and Thursday morning takes just under two hours from SWAH to Altnagelvin hospital.
Local MLA Phil Flanagan who was instrumental in establishing the bus service believes the Western Health Trust (WHSCT) should be doing more to increase passenger numbers.
“To travel on a bus for three and a half hours to make a hospital appointment is very long,” he said.
“This service was introduced following a request by me to facilitate the large number of people going to Altnagelvin hospital for outpatient appointments.
“The number of people using these buses is disappointing and it’s because a lot of people don’t know it exists.
“I would be very critical of how they (WHSCT) have handled it. Translink must be commended for putting it on but it won’t be returned if no one is using it.
“The Western Trust need to ensure there is sufficient take-up of the scheme as they will only keep it up if there is enough people using it. But if they are not promoting it, how will patients know it’s there.
“The trust need to get behind this, particularly for those from rural areas. They should include information about this service with any outpatient appointment letters.
“A way to promote this is by including a timetable informing patients of the bus service they could use. But they obviously haven’t been doing this as anyone I have spoken to doesn’t know about it.
“This is public money subsidising this bus service. It’s in their interest that it is a success.”
The pilot scheme was initially six months, however a reported number of seven people used the bus from Enniskillen during this time.
It prompted the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA to call for an extension to the pilot while urging the trust to step up the bus advertising.
Mr Flanagan believes that efforts should be made to coincide patient’s appointments with the bus times to help remedy the low passenger numbers.
The Sinn Fein MLA added: “That can only happen if there is a willingness from the trust. People have been looking for this service for years and there is a possibility it could be stopped but it needs to be developed in a positive way.
“Another problem is that sometimes up to a dozen people from Fermanagh go to these appointments to see one consultant. It begs the question – can the consultant not go to SWAH instead.”
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