Trevor Goodin, who previously ran the shuttle to take patients to Dunedin Hospital from the Waitaki region, said he was constantly being contacted by patients who could not get on the new shuttle and were missing hospital appointments as times did not match up or their shuttle service was cancelled due to driver sickness.
"I find it an absolutely appalling situation that Hato Hone St John has put this community in by not giving the service you so rightly should be getting and the service that was promised for so long.
"To me that’s a horror story, because people are booked to go — they can’t just ring up and change their appointment because then they go to the bottom of the heap," he said.
Mr Goodin, who ran his own shuttle service before the Hato Hone St John Waka Ora Health Shuttle service shuttle launch in October, said when he started his service it was a "learning curve".
"It got to the point where I was backing up to people’s doors because they couldn’t even walk down the driveway, and Hato Hone St John is expecting them to get to a collection point somewhere in the neighbourhood.
"They’re now being told ‘you’ll have to get a taxi’ or ‘you’ll have to get someone to drive you’. That’s absolutely appalling, especially because they’ve been gifted money from the community," he said.
Mr Goodin said Hato Hone St John had asked for donations to help get the Waka Ora Health Shuttle service "up and running" and had been given trust funds left over after Oamaru Hospital went back to health services "to the tune of $300,000-plus".
"This was ratepayers’ money to assist them for running the shuttle for the next three years, so I would expect you to be getting a hell of a lot better service than is currently being offered," he said.
"I would have thought they would have been in some form of conversation with the appointment makers to work out the best way to meet both patient and hospital needs, not your own, but the very people you profess to be in service for — shame on you," he said.
Mr Goodin said the reason he originally stepped in to help transport people to their health appointments was because Hato Hone St John "promised the community" a service and then "pulled the pin on it".
"People were being gouged by exorbitant rates to get them to Dunedin, up to $300 — I can’t believe that’s the situation."
Mr Goodin said he would continue to help those who needed a shuttle service and that it was not about financial gain.
"There’s a demographic out there that needs to be looked after and looked after properly — they deserve it," he said.
He said he would keep the service in place until Hato Hone St John "do the right thing or at least ask you how they can better serve you".
Hato Hone St John community transport manager Mike Rowell said the new shuttle service had been operating in Oamaru for a month and the organisation was aware of concerns raised online by some members of the community.
"As with any new service, there is a period of learning and adjustment. Although we are still in the early stages, we are committed to ensuring the Waka Ora Health Shuttle service continues to grow and evolve in response to the needs of the Oamaru community.
"Our team is eager to listen, understand, and make improvements wherever they are needed," Mr Rowell said.
Mr Goodin said he had "nothing against the front-line staff or dedicated volunteers of Hato Hone St John but for the sake of a bit of communication, it could have been done a hell of a lot easier".
