Stafford hospital staff 'stranded' as bus services axed

The health trust has cut the first and last buses on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, forcing staff on an 8am shift to find alternative transport or to travel the evening before and stay overnight.

A nurse affected by the reduced service - between Stafford's County Hospital and the Royal Stoke University Hospital - called the move 'ruthless.'

The shuttle bus used to run between 6am and 10pm seven days a week but health chiefs have now cut the weekend service to run between 8am and 6pm.

The bus was launched a year ago to transfer staff and members of the public between the two sites after maternity, emergency trauma surgery and children's services were transferred to the Stoke site.

It followed the dissolution of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust in the wake of the Francis report which concluded it was not 'clinically or financially sustainable.'

Trust bosses say the £5-return shuttle bus, which is free to staff, is well-used but averaged only 15 passengers a day at weekends.

However a nurse living in accommodation at the County Hospital, who asked not to be named for fear of repercussions, said several staff had been left stranded by the move.

She said: "Even if it affected just three people, they are still essential members of the health care team. Doctors, nurses, cleaners - we all use the service and if our shift starts at 8am on Saturday and we can't get a shuttle bus that gets us to work in time, that could have serious consequences.

"It's too expensive to take a taxi and the alternative, for those of us with no car, is to make the journey the night before and stay overnight. It's appalling that just a year after it was launched, these changes have been introduced. A number of us feel that empty promises were made."

John Simpson, Director of Corporate Services for the University of Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which took over running of the County Hospital, said today: "Following a 12-month scheduled review of its use, the trust found that passenger numbers drop dramatically at weekends.

"Currently, the bus is well used by both staff and patients between Monday and Friday and remains an important link between County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital.

"To ensure the service remains efficient at the weekend we have taken the decision to reduce the frequency of the buses. This will mean the service continues to meet the needs of our staff and patients to travel between the two sites."

He said if any staff were having problems making their shifts they should contact his department.