A free community driving service taking Dunedin residents to and from medical appointments has been scrapped by the Red Cross.
The decision comes as the Red Cross conducts a review of its operations and looks to move into areas where it has more impact, such as disaster response and recovery and refugee settlement.
The driving service catered for those who had trouble attending a medical appointment without assistance or for financial reasons, with the help of 19 volunteer drivers across the city.
New Zealand Red Cross humanitarian development general manager Shaun Greaves said lessening demand for the service alongside the annual cost of $17,000 to run it in Dunedin had made it ‘‘unsustainable’’.
‘‘The demand for the service has decreased year on year, with 36% fewer people calling on our assistance over the past two years.
‘‘Community transport’s costs have been unsustainable for New Zealand Red Cross, which relies on donations from generous Kiwis — the service is free for people who use it.’’
While the programme was on hold during the Level 4 lockdown and Level 3, the ‘‘difficult decision’’ had been made to discontinue it, he said.
‘‘We recognise the important role of this service in the community and assure you that it is not a decision we have taken lightly.
‘‘In making this decision, we have taken into consideration the alternative options available to current users of the service and the resources required for us to sustain this service.’’
The decision came as part of a Red Cross review of the organisation’s strategy over the next 10 years, Mr Greaves said.
‘‘We feel that transitioning out of the service will allow New Zealand Red Cross to focus on delivering services where we can have the greatest impact, and where we have unique skills and contributions to make, such as in disaster response and recovery, and in refugee settlement.
Red Cross was working with volunteers, members, staff and users of the service in Dunedin to support them through the change, he said.
‘‘In Dunedin, we recommend users of the service speak to their GPs and other agencies who made referrals to Red Cross for the service, as they will have good advice about the best fit for each individual.’’
