Taxi Driver Online

Taxipayers’ bill for NHS patients



HEALTH chiefs were accused of running a “luxury chauffeur” service as it emerged they spent millions on taxis for patients.

Cash-strapped NHS boards splashed out massive sums on private hire cabs over the last five years.

Meanwhile taxpayers already fork out £200million to fund the ambulance service. Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: “There are times where a vulnerable patient should benefit from a taxi.

“But the majority of hospitals are served well by public transport.

“It should not be an automatic expectation that a free taxi will be laid on.”

He went on: “Budgets are tight and this is a luxury that should only be afforded when it is actually needed.” NHS Ayrshire and Arran admitted spending £1.9million on cabs, with NHS Highland forking out £1.14million.

Lanarkshire health chiefs ran up a bill of nearly £1million, with NHS Fife splashing out £740,000.

Chris Browning, finance director of the Fife board, said: “There are instances when patients are more appropriately served by the use of private taxis.

“The use of taxis allows flexibility in transporting. This benefits the patient and the service.”


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/fe ... z2ReIhXriy

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Tory tw4t.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

We know what the game is - its politics.

It's refreshing to see such a socialist attitude from a tory politician - because obviously the NHS in Scotland can now purchase their own vehicles and hire their own staff to pick up and take home the ill.

Weird - this is what the tory's usually like - outsourcing - save for the fact they probably don't have shares in the local cab firms

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin