A TRANSPORT scheme operated by the three hospital trusts in south Essex is being considered.

One of the main issues raised by campaigners fighting emergency patients being taken to one specialist A&E in Basildon was problems with transport, particularly with an already overstretched ambulance service. Under the new plans being considered however, hospitals could have their own free emergency and non-emergency transport service.

Clare Panniker, chief executive of Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals said: “We recognise that travelling around from one end of the patch to the other is not something we normally do and the public isn’t really equipped to deal with somebody travelling say from Shoebury so we need to map out exactly what’s required.

“We have suggested in our proposals that we could run a shuttle bus between the three hospital sites and it would be free for people using it but could be utilised by patients, visitors and by staff if they are moving between the hospital sites.

“It’s really important. Even though the vast majority of patients will be treated locally, for all those whose loved one s are having an operation in a hospital that’s not their closest we want them to be able to visit their relative without them having to pay for taxis.”

The proposed service would operate between all three hospitals.

A separate emergency ambulance service may also be created to alleviate pressure on Essex ambulances.

The service would operate with a dedicated team of specialist doctors and nurses.

Ms Panniker said: “We are working with the East of England Ambulance Service. We know that something we can’t expect them to add into their workload.

“They have enough to do so the question is how do we work best with them.

“We know that we will need some of our own clinical staff.

“These are sick patients so they will need doctors, nurses and anaesthetists to transfer with them so we will have our own transfer team.”

Ms Panniker added: “We will work up the merits of doing that separately or in partnership with the ambulance service. We have to work the details.”