A lifeline service which has been helping to ferry the elderly to hospital appointments is to be extended in south Armagh.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has confirmed it is “supporting the expansion of a key volunteer-led service for older people and their families” which is “designed to ensure they don’t miss vital hospital appointments”.
Council helps finance the ‘Home 2 Hospital’ volunteer driver scheme which is currently available to residents in the Slieve Gullion and Mournes District Electoral Areas.
But there are plans to expand it to include Crotlieve, which contains the wards of Burren, Derryleckagh, Hilltown, Mayobridge, Rostrevor and Warrenpoint.
Between April 2025 and January this year, the service provided 539 return journeys for 359 service users. With 368 trips for residents in the Mourne DEA and 171 for those in Slieve Gullion.
Thirteen volunteer drivers who deliver the service transported people to 21 different healthcare settings during this period including South Tyrone, Belfast and Downpatrick. Craigavon Area Hospital was the most visited destination with 92 journeys, with visits to the City, Royal Victoria and Musgrave Park hospitals in Belfast 52, 48 and 22 respectively.
At a meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Sustainability and Environment Committee in March, it was agreed to continue supporting the lifeline service in the Slieve Gullion and Mournes DEAs.
And the plan is to pilot a new scheme in Crotlieve DEA from the start of this September which will run until March next year.
The potential cost of delivering the scheme across the three areas is £45,000.
The committee also agreed to seek expressions of interest from suitable community or volunteer organisations to administer the schemes. Both recommendations have to be endorsed by the full council when it meets next month.
Given the major difficulty elderly people in rural areas experience when it comes attending hospital appointments in Craigavon, Belfast and other areas, the council has been supporting the Home 2 Hospital scheme for a number of years.
It says it recognises the benefit of continuing to support the initiative to ensure the needs of people in south Armagh and The Mournes are met, explaining that a recent community consultation in the Crotlieve DEA indicated that one fifth of the population – 6,018 people – are aged 65 and over.
Eighty per cent of those surveyed said they would use the Home 2 Hospital volunteer driver service, with 67% reporting issues using public transport to attended medical appointments.
Over half those who participated in the consultation said they previously missed a hospital appointment due to transport issues, with 72% of residents in Crotlieve living alone and experiencing social isolation.
Residents revealed the cost of a one-way taxi journey to Craigavon Area Hospital ranged between £43 and £50, with friends and family rarely able to assist due to a range of issues including age, work or caring responsibilities and non-emergency ambulances rarely available and subject to long delays.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said: “This crucially important Home 2 Hospital service provides essential journeys for elderly and isolated residents who might otherwise struggle to access healthcare.
“Many people rely heavily on volunteer drivers, with access to public transport often one of the biggest barriers to attending hospital appointments. This important scheme ensures equal access to healthcare, regardless of where you live.
“The lifeline service helps people maintain independence, stay connected and receive timely medical care when they need it. I have no doubt the service will continue to go from strength to strength.”
