8 April 2005

Michael Howard Calls On East Kent Nhs Hospitals Trust To Address Concerns Of Its Voluntary Drivers

Michael Howard, Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe, has called on East Kent NHS Hospitals Trust to address the concerns of its voluntary drivers.

Mr Howard held a meeting with Mr Robert Surtees of St. Mary’s Bay, New Romney, and other voluntary drivers for the NHS at Hythe Conservative Club on Friday evening, 1 April, to discuss their grievances including the lack of an increase in mileage allowance in recent years and the belief that they are not properly valued by those employees of the Trust who work directly with them.

Mr Howard has written to David Astley, Chief Executive of EKHT, to request a meeting between the voluntary drivers or their representatives and a senior representative of the Trust (not the Manager of the service which directly engages them).

Mr Howard said “It was a most informative evening spent meeting the voluntary drivers. These drivers carry out an extremely valuable service for patients who need to be taken to one or more of the Trust’s hospitals. I am sure that what they do is extremely cost effective since the alternative to the service they provide is the provision of taxis or ambulances. Since the service they provide is so valuable, I very much hope that the Trust will be able to agree to my request.”