Supporting Consumers Travelling for Health Care in South West Victoria: a Case for Community Transport

Lack of public transport and or lack of knowledge of financial and physical support programs are barriers for people from rural Victoria needing to access medical services. Waiting times, when changing modes of transport on the journey, or fear of how to get from transport centres to the hospital can influence a decision to attend the appointment or just stay home because it is too difficult. To attend an appointment in Ballarat from Hamilton, in South West Victoria, one must spend up to ten hours in Ballarat before being able to return home when using public transport. This is particularly difficult for older people or families with young children. A further complication is the time it takes to get to the service using public transport once at the destination.