Terminally ill patients face isolation if the NHS moves forward with ‘short-sighted’ plans to cut journeys to hospices, two of Kent’s leading charities have said.

Multinational security firm G4S took over the £90 million Kent and Medway Patient Transport Service in July after troubled previous operators NSL opted not to seek a renewal of their contract.

The non-emergency ambulances ferry NHS patients to hospital appointments they cannot make under their own steam, as well as many others visiting hospice outreach centres for counselling, therapy and other vital healthcare services.

But West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (WKCCG), which bought the service, said this arrangement cannot continue as the transport provided by NSL to Heart of Kent Hospice, Hospice in the Weald and many others across Kent and Medway was an informal “good-will” gesture and falls outside the strict eligibility criteria for non-emergency transport.

"It was my only time in the week I could get out and socialise with others. It is very distressing. I feel hopeless - what will I do with the rest of my time?” - Patient Rosemary Veall

These criteria are set at a national level, but in Kent this 'good will' service provides a vital lifeline for patients.

Rosemary Veall, 64, is a patient at Hospice in the Weald in Pembury.

She suffers from spinal stenosis and needs medical support just to leave her home.

She said she was left devastated by the change in policy which means she can no longer attend the hospice’s Tuesday Day Centre.

A return taxi journey would cost roughly £40.

The Paddock Wood resident said: “It really made a huge difference to me, it was my only time in the week I could get out and socialise with others.

“It is very distressing. I feel hopeless - what will I do with the rest of my time?”

Ian Ayres, chief officer at WKCCG, said: “Our contract with G4S is for journeys to and from NHS appointments for people whose health means they cannot get there in any other way.

"Although the hospice provides vital services for people who are reaching the end of their lives and receives NHS funding in recognition of this, it does not usually offer NHS appointments."

Mr Ayres did say however there will be no change for the next three months while hospices make other arrangements - so long as there is no impact on NHS appointments.

Transport for hospice patients at the end of their lives will remain unchanged.

But for two west Kent hospices, the problem presented by the change comes to more than simply arranging other transport.

Many outpatients require trained medical assistance just to leave their homes- something a volunteer run minibus can’t provide.

Rob Woolley is chief executive of Hospice in the Weald, who have at least five patients that could be affected.

He said he was disappointed that given role of hospices in providing free care WKCCG couldn't be more flexible.

“We have 10% of our money from the NHS. The rest is donated to us. It would be wrong to use that money to put on the same patient transport services G4S are running.

“I think it is short-sighted of them. I am sure some of those patients that do access the hospice day service could end up an emergency admission to hospital.

“If they think they are saving money they are wrong. They won’t save any money."

Kerry Harrison, patient services director for Heart of Kent Hospice in Maidstone, added: “At the moment this will affect seven of our current patients, but of course this number changes all the time.

“For many of them it would mean they simply can’t go [to the day service]. It will considerably impact on their way of life.

“It is frustrating as we and Hospice in the Weald asked to be included in the contract before it was put out to tender.”

All non-urgent hospice journeys will stop by September.