THE letter in the Gazette & Herald dated October 29 that described the experience of a 91-year-old lady with macular degeneration, who has been regularly attending the Scarborough Eye Clinic, and who requires suitable transport to attend the re-located service in Bridlington, is a good example of the need to develop a caring and sensitive alternative service, particularly for older people. It is also a good illustration of the need to provide suitable and effective transport arrangements for a wide range of patient ability.

Healthwatch North Yorkshire was established to represent health and social care users across the county, and we are active in both urban and rural areas. We are aware of several schemes to re-locate health care service centres and this trend is likely to increase, as efforts are made to reduce acute hospital admissions.

In every case, the provision of a variety of user friendly and suitable transport arrangements is vital, and we must insist on such arrangements being made as a key part of the new service. We are active in pressing the case for this, both locally and across North Yorkshire, to ensure that such schemes are suitably designed and modified. We shall press for changes, to avoid a repetition of this very sad case.

Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of Healthwatch North Yorkshire