A Borth pensioner is calling for health services to provide a more comprehensive travel service after he was quoted £200 to attend a hospital appointment.

83-year-old Charles Swift is due to have a nuclear medicine stress test which previously has exhausted him, but was told no transport was available to take him on the 160 mile round trip.

Because he owns a car, patient services told him he would have to make his own way to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

He enquired with on how much travel would cost with a community taxi service and was told it would be between £160 and £200, but that they didn’t have drivers on a Monday.

He was advised to get the bus if that was not an option.

Mr Swift said: “When I rang to ask if transport would be made available I felt like I was being interrogated.

“I have had this test before and it wiped me out. I would not be able to drive home and because of the nature of the procedure it is advised I travel alone.

“I can’t afford £200 to get to Haverfordwest, especially when we have a hospital on our doorstep.

“Why can’t a consultant come up to Aberystwyth once a month and conduct these test.

“Or why is there no comprehensive transport service if more and more appointments are being moved down south?

“We used to have everything here in Aberystwyth and slowly and quietly everything is being moved south to Carmarthen, Prince Phillip (in Llanelli) and Withybush.

“I know, I’ve had to travel to all three in recent years.

“But this procedure is one where I can’t drive.

“It’s also a cost for pensioners to have to drive to these places for appointments.

“Doctors and consultants should be running hospitals. The currently people running things shouldn’t be there.

“No one inside the health service is fighting for Bronglais.

“The more I talk about this transport issue, the more people tell me they’ve experienced similar.

“How many more people have been in the same situation that I have found myself in?

“We need to speak out in order for something to change.”

Mr Swift spoke to his local county councillor Hugh Hughes about the problems he was facing and a number of Ceredigion councillors have now written to MSs in Cardiff Bay calling for support in creating a more comprehensive transport service.

In a letter to MSs, signed by Cllr Hughes, Cllr Marc Davies, Cllr Meirion Davies, Cllr Raymond Evans, Cllr Gwyn Wigley Evans, Cllr Wyn Evans, Cllr Gareth Lewis and Cllr Carl Worrall, they say: “We all consider this gentleman’s experience exemplifies the current plight of around 40-50 older people and potentially a growing number in north Ceredigion.

“We humbly request you investigate this gentleman’s pathway from referral to Diagnostics at Withybush Hospital through to non-attendance and time now spent waiting for another appointment.

“On his and our behalf, please seek an explanation from Hywel Dda University Health Board and Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust regarding his experience and future options for him to achieve the missed appointment.

“We recommend you seek a Patient Transport Summit to resolve current problems that result in missed appointments.

“These can be financially costed by the Health board, but from the patient’s perspective mean he remains undiagnosed, is missing out on potential treatment, remains anxious, and possibly at risk of adverse events, all because of what we perceive were poor transport arrangements and communications.

“This is not patient-centred care, nor does it reflect a values-based healthcare approach for HDUHB nor WAST.

The letter went on to explain that Mr Swift was reviewed by Dr Kevin Joseph earlier this year at Bronglais Hospital and was referred to Withybush for a Nuclear Medicine Heart Stress Test.

The letter says: “He first attended a test on Monday 10 August 2026. Mr Swift does not know what that test was but stated he had to go on a treadmill after having an injection which made breathing difficult, the explanatory letter was taken from him on arrival on the 10th. He does not know why he needed a second test but believes this is for the same procedure he underwent on the 10th.

“For his appointment on the 10th August he enquired to request hospital transport by phoning 0300 123 2303 as advised on his appointment information.

“He informs us that after a lengthy phone call using screening questions, he was eventually asked if he owned his own car. When he replied ‘yes’, the call handler informed him that he would have to drive himself.

“This he did, however, he found the day exhausting and fell asleep in a chair at 5:30pm when he eventually got home and slept until the following morning, despite his wife attempting to wake him.”

Patients are advised not to drive after this procedure and Mr Swift said staff were shocked in August when he told them he had driven there.

The letter by councillors adds: “Cllr Hughes emailed Hywel Dda University Health Board patient services and Prof Kloer CEO of the health board on Tuesday 18 August.

“He received a response from the Complaints team administrator informing him that the health board is sorry for the experience Mr Swift had but that patient transport is not their responsibility; it is the responsibility of Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and that they would forward his concerns to them to respond directly.

“Mr Swift’s experience highlights the issues that anecdotally many of our residents in North Ceredigion are experiencing as services appear to be increasingly focused in the southern area of HDUHB.

“This case suggests that HDUHB and WAST are not joined up in delivering patient centred care for patients in North Ceredigion.

“We believe that these issues that Mr Swift has endured are totally unacceptable.

“Perhaps the time has come for Senedd Members to more closely scrutinise health boards and NHS Trusts’ recommendations regarding what services will be delivered and where, rather than leaving these decisions solely to the organisations who clearly appear to be failing their communities.”

Cllr Hughes added: “We fear that there are far more people like Charles out there and the councillors who signed this letter would be pleased to hear from local residents and assist them in any way we can.”

Mark Harris, Assistant Director of Operations, Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service, said: “We are very sorry to hear about Mr Swift’s experience and understand how distressing it must have been when the transport he was relying on was unavailable. We aim to provide reliable, safe and comfortable transport for our patients at all times and recognise that when we are not able to provide a service, it presents sometimes significant issues for patients, particularly those in rural areas.

“The NEPTS service is available to patients who meet eligibility criteria set by Welsh Government. Like many NHS services, this service is experiencing significant pressures.

“We are in the process of strengthening the way we assess eligibility for transport and improve how we plan and manage journeys.

“Mr Swift has raised his concerns directly with our Listening to People team, who will be in touch with him to discuss his experience and respond to the issues he has raised.”

Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “Our Health Board covers a large rural area and we are aware of the challenges that some of our patients face when they have to travel longer distances to access specialist treatment.

“The Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST) provide our patients with non-emergency transport to medical appointments, where appropriate, and we are grateful to them for the service they provide.

“The responsibility for public transport lies with our local authority partners.

“We cannot provide specialist services, such as Nuclear Medicine heart testing across all sites - due to the specialist staff skills needed and the specialist equipment. This service has always been delivered from Withybush Hospital."