A PIONEERING scheme has been launched to cut the huge NHS missed appointments bill and get elderly people and patients without transport to GP surgeries on time.

Volunteers who run the Bedale Community Minibus, are working in partnership with the town’s GP surgery, Glebe House, in Firby Road, to launch the patient transport initiative, which is the first such service in the country.

The aim is to ensure residents and patients who have mobility problems or cannot easily reach the doctors can be confident they can keep appointments.

Last year, the then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he sympathised with the idea of charging patients for missing GP appointments, which cost the taxpayer more than £160m annually.

In the same speech he said people would have to "take personal responsibility" for NHS funds.

The move comes at a time when clinical commissioning groups across the county are looking to cut wastage, both to balance their books and provide for a rapidly increasing elderly population.

Martin Baggaley, the surgery's practice manager, said: “At Glebe House we appreciate that some patients have difficulties in attending the surgery for appointments due to transport issues and we are very supportive of the Bedale Community Minibus for providing this service at a very reasonable cost”.

A nominal fee of £5 is being charged, to cover the charities costs.

Trustee Malcolm Bloor said a team of voluntary drivers was in place to transport patients, with their return journey and relatives or friends, to and from the surgery every Tuesday.

He said the minibus is fully equipped to accommodate people with all kinds of mobility problems and alongside the driver is a volunteer escort to help people on and off the vehicle and if necessary into the surgery.

Patients can access the service through the surgery's reception staff and the volunteer drivers will take them door to door.

Mr Bloor said the minibus was equipped to accommodate people with all kinds of mobility problems.

A volunteer escort to help people on and off the vehicle and, if necessary, into the surgery will travel alongside the driver.

“This is a new service being provided by The Bedale Community Minibus and is the first such service in the country,” said Mr Bloor. “We are proud to be able to offer this pioneering service to our local community. Inevitably, in these early days, the number of people taking advantage of the service has been low, but we are convinced that there is a need for such a service and we look forward to the number of requests growing as more and more people become aware of what we can offer”.

The minibus is a registered charity set up to provide community transport for the people of Bedale and the surrounding villages.

Contact the office which is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to noon at Oak House, 35 North End Road, Bedale, DL8 1AQ, phone 01677 425329 or email bedalecommunityminibus@btconnect.com