My 50-mile bus trip to the doctor four miles away

Hundreds of patients in Cumbria have cancelled health appointments because transport issues prevented them getting there, according to a watchdog.

Kate Rees, assistant head of service for Healthwatch in Cumbria and Lancashire, said a lack of public transport and inconvenient appointment times contributed to the problem.

Fen Watson, from Bowness-on-Solway, said she had to take a "ridiculous" 50-mile round trip by bus to get to and from her GP surgery which is just four miles away as the timetable did not allow for her to get there and back by a shorter route.

Bus operator Stagecoach said its scheduling aimed to achieve the "best balance" possible between different passengers' needs.

Watson, who no longer drives, is registered with a GP practice in Kirkbride.

The bus that runs there from her home village only stops at both places a few times a day and never at times that allow her to get there and back.

She therefore takes a bus to Carlisle and gets a connection to Kirkbride and must return to Carlisle again on the way home.

Having set off at 07:30 BST ahead of an 11:30 appointment, she will return home at 18:00 - a total time of 10 hours and 30 minutes.

It is, she says, "frustrating" as well as "extremely" limiting for her independence.

"I hadn't realised that what I'm doing is actually a 50-mile round trip, which seems ridiculous.

"We have the 93 bus, which we're really glad to have because we've nearly lost it twice, but we think it could be better if the route could be adjusted.

"Public transport is vital. I don't drive anymore having enjoyed it for many years and that stage can come to all of us.

"I'd like the people who organise routes to have a good look at a map.

"The surgery is lovely, but the difficulty is getting there and back."

Watson's alternative to buses would be to ask friends for lifts - something she fears is "not really fair on them" because "you're pinning someone down."

With several hours to fill through the day, she says she "always tries to multitask when travelling".

"I'll do some shopping - milk and things - and then I don't need to do that again until next week."

Tom Waterhouse, managing director of Stagecoach Cumbria and Lancashire, said its timetables aimed to achieve "the best balance we can" between the needs of different passengers.

He also said the company ran services aimed at getting people to medical facilities.

A report on transport to healthcare facilities by Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness said of the 540 people who shared their experiences, 40% had cancelled appointments because they could not get there.

Rees said Healthwatch planned to do a similar piece of research in the area of Cumbria where Watson lives.

"People feel the bus services for example are not reliable enough to use them to get to an appointment," she said.

The report also raised concerns about NHS patient transport and the availability of accessible taxis for disabled people.

It recommended more transport routes to health centres, mobile medical services and greater awareness of transport needs among healthcare staff.