HEALTH campaigners have slammed a consultation on free travel for cancer and kidney patients, claiming the Isle of Wight Council has not done enough to publicise it.

The Isle of Wight Save Our NHS group said the consultation had been ‘hidden in plain sight.’

The council has launched a review of its Cross Solent Travel Scheme, which provides financial support to NHS patients travelling to the mainland for chemotherapy, radiotherapy or renal dialysis treatment.

The council is considering axing the scheme to save £60,000 a year.

Isle of Wight residents have been invited to take part in a consultation on the proposal, but the Isle of Wight Save Our NHS group raised concerns that just 200 paper copies were initially made available.

The number of paper copies was subsequently increased to 1,200.

Volunteers from the group visited GP surgeries and libraries to ensure the documents were widely circulated.

Christine Lightbody, from Isle of Wight Save Our NHS, said: “In some instances we found none were available. In one library they were actually out of sight completely because they’d been put in a drawer.”

Age UK Isle of Wight has also requested the consultation deadline be extended. The request was refused because the council said it needed the survey results ahead of February’s budget meeting.

Christine said: “We at Isle of Wight Save Our NHS are distraught that such an important issue has been ‘hidden in plain sight’ with little or no publicity except by people sharing on social media.

“Few people will regularly visit the Isle of Wight Council website so the majority of people will not even know of its existence. We believe the council has a duty to advertise the consultation widely in the press and the media to reach as many of the public as possible and we demand this is rectified immediately.”

Christine said further concerns had been raised that the survey was ‘fundamentally flawed.’ She said: “It doesn’t even recognise family or those escorting users and is simply designed in favour of the council.

“It is disgraceful that such a consultation should be done in the first place. If we cannot look after our most sick and vulnerable then what’s the point of this administration’s existence?”

The Isle of Wight Council has been contacted for comment.