Hospital bus service hits funding hitch

Flashback - IT’S ALL YOURS: Leagure of Friends chairwoman Anne Morris hands the keys to volunteer driver Stan Berry

HOSPITAL chiefs have moved to reassure patients that the Royal Oldham's bus service has not gone for good.

Concerns were raised that the Royal Rover ­- a free internal hospital shuttle bus service for staff and patients ­- was no longer operating.

But Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, say it is just a blip while new funding is arranged.

The bus is driven by volunteers to ferry patients, visitors and staff around the hospital site but is not currently running.

Joanne Mcallister, volunteer service manager, said: "The Royal Rover is not being removed at the Royal Oldham Hospital, however it has been temporarily paused for a short period of time whilst we source alternative funds.

"Historically, the Royal Rover has been funded by donations, but recently we have not had enough donations to maintain the service. Because of this, we now need to find an alternative funding stream through the trust, and as soon as we do so, the free hospital bus service will be back up and running."

In 2013, the Royal Oldham Hospital League of Friends purchased a new Royal Rover bus for the hospital after two years of fundraising collected £30,000. The previous ailing vehicle had begun to spend more time in the garage than on the road and was in need of replacing.

The members held coffee mornings, a quiz night, a sale of second-hand books and a host of other events to raise the money.

There were also kind donations from the NHS Trust Charity Fund, Sarah Lees Trust, a Musical Friends Concert, a Trinity Singers Concert, Saddleworth Chairman's Charity, Oldham Mayor's Charity, Manchester City FC, charity nights at Delph Theatre and Shaw's Playhouse 2, Saddleworth Conservative Charity Fund and collections at Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's.