"Ratepayers here have put off appointments, or at least postponed them, some have missed them altogether just because they haven't been able to afford the cost," he said. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said people were missing out on healthcare because of transport problems. ![]() Goodin said eligible patients could be reimbursed for transport costs, but elderly people often found the process too onerous. It's a dire situation, it's almost third-world." "I've had people ring me in tears because they didn't know where to go if I couldn't get them there. "People are trying to fund that out of their food bill or power bill and I just think that's horrendous for people who are already not very well," he said. ![]() Goodin said some people had considered cancelling their appointments because they could not drive or afford other taxi services, which in some cases could cost up to $300 return. Hireplus owner Trevor Goodin was already making trips to Dunedin Airport but was now taking people to medical appointments in the city 110km away, after the Ōamaru Dunedin Shuttle stopped in March. ![]() An Ōamaru business is running donation-based shuttle rides to Dunedin for cash-strapped patients struggling to get to hospital appointments, while St John examines the feasibility of providing a permanent service.
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