Other Key Activities

Work with Scottish Government on Transport to Health and Social Care

Following a constructive meeting with the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf, MSP earlier in 2023, on the draft Transport to Healthcare Delivery Plan, our subgroup agreed to raise further points, focused to reflect what MACS heard during our phase one engagements and from lived and career experience within the team, i.e. MACS subgroup members have lived experience of using our NHS – career expertise from their current and previous roles within the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Scotland, Public Health Scotland, the Third Sector, from working in Local Authorities, with the Community Transport Association in Scotland and with Regional Transport Partnerships. Subgroup members also have experienced our NHS in their role as a carer.

Over the summer our subgroup continued to meet and correspond with the SG Primary Care Team and with TS Director of Bus, Accessibility and Active Travel (BAAT) and TS Director for Transport Strategy and Analysis.

Proposal One from MACS

That the SG Primary Care Team and Delivery Partners engage and hear directly from disabled people and older people who continue to face transport barriers when accessing healthcare facilities. Committee suggested that Disability Equality Scotland (DES) and Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) are asked to facilitate an online seminar/roundtable discussion to test the draft plan and inform what will work and what is needed at the earliest available stage of the 2023- 2024 delivery plan development.

This was agreed and webinars were facilitated from late autumn via Disabled People Organisations.

Proposal Two from MACS

MACS asked that the Transport to Healthcare Delivery Plan Leads adopt the Theory of Change approach to developing the delivery plan(s) i.e. in the methodology or criterion for planning, engagement opportunities and monitoring and evaluation framework to clearly define intended outcomes, interdependencies, and measures of success (including holistic benefits and efficiency savings) with timeframes.

Again, this proposal was accepted with further discussions between MACS and the SG PCT as the Transport to Healthcare Delivery Plan evolves and develops.

MACS would like to acknowledge our thanks to the Team (SG and TS) leading on the Transport to Healthcare Delivery Plan. Their approach was heavily based on listening, understanding, and responding.

In July and September 2023 our Transport to Health and Social Care Subgroup had further meetings with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to discuss their progress on the recommendations from MACS Phase One work and on areas that had indicated the SAS as the lead organisation within the draft Transport to Healthcare Delivery Plan. The SAS have advised that they will not be able to publish a high-level outline of their Scheduled Care Strategy until quarter one or two of 2024-2025 and agreed to reach out to MACS when they are able to give an update on any progress. MACS will keep this under review meantime.

In the autumn, the Convener presented to the Board of SEStrans (South East Scotland Regional Transport Partnership) and their Equalities and Access to Healthcare Forum on MACS work to date on Transport to Health and Social Care. This covered MACS findings and recommendations from their reports. SEStrans were seeking advice on potential areas of focus as a RTP, and the invite was at the request of SEStrans Partnership Director who looking to set up a subgroup with a specific focus on transport to health and social care.

In September Committee received further updates from the Health and Transport Partnership (HTAP) working in Grampian including through their recent conference paper A Journey produced by Andrew Stewart, HTAP Programme Manager, Aberdeenshire Council (a post jointly funded by Nestrans, Regional Transport Partnership, and NHS Grampian).

Motability and SG Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme (AVES)

MACS Motability Subgroup continued to work with SG Social Security officials. Progress this year included the approval of four new AVES partners to join the AVES (subject to completion of contracts and administrative procurement activity) required before offering their services to the public).

These new providers and their offerings will include opportunities to lease cycles including non-standard cycles through the AVES. Motability have resisted this development for many years even when transport planning and policies increased their focus on delivering opportunities to inclusive active travel and travel by more sustainable modes. The SG AVES will lead the field through the inclusion of non- standard cycles within their scheme.

Naghat Ahmed agreed to take over leadership of our subgroup, supported by Elliot Cooper, Catherine Barile, and Linda Bamford. This allowed us to continue participating in the Scottish Government’s evaluation programme for the scheme. Our work around Motability and with the SG Social Security Team on AVES continues, and subgroup have regular meetings to push for improved value for money for customer, more flexibility in the scheme, as well as feeding into the review of the Mobility element of Child and Adult Disability Payments.

As a result of writing to the CEO of Motability Operations (MO) and the CEO of Motability Foundation (MF) to again raise concerns over the continued surplus the lease scheme generates, in November 2023 the Motability Subgroup met MO and MF. MACS have repeatedly asked that the 10.1% be returned to Motability and SG Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme customers.

MACS believes that money should be returned to disabled people’s pockets as an end year dividend style payment and future lease costs need to be reviewed through the lens of value for money and charging customer no more that needed to operate the lease scheme. Motability, have themselves, stated that they aim to achieve a 1.5% return of assets. The return of assets currently sits at around 7.8%. Our view is the current financial model needs revisited (a recommendation of the National Audit Office in 2019).

Monitoring and Evaluation Through Improved Data Collection

During this year MACS were instrumental in setting up a subgroup to focus on research and data collection to monitor the progress of the NTS2, STPR2 and ATF. The realignment of our sponsorship to TS’s TS&A Directorate assisted this and allowed us to tap into wider resources including through TS Analysis Team. A group was formed including MACS, TS TS&A Directorate, TS Analytical Team,

TS Accessible Travel Team, and Disability Equality Scotland (DES) in their role as a Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) and to benefit from their work on accessible transport over the years, which includes DES hosting the Accessible Travel Hub.

Four Nations - Main Agenda Items - Chaired by MACS

The Four Nations engagement (set up by MACS) took place in September 2023 with the Convener chairing. Other participants and guests included MACS peer committees from across the UK (Inclusive Mobility and Transport Committee – IMTAC – Northern Ireland and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee – DPTAC – England) and officials from Government in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and England.

  • Motability – focusing on obtaining better value for money for customers given the current and historic excessive profit levels.
  • Sectoral Climate Change Targets and Budget. Looking at Northern Ireland’s targets to reduce transport emissions and have a broader discussion of climate change and a just transition to net zero for all the Nations.
  • Discussion on the PSVAR consultation (call for evidence).
  • Rail ticket office closures (mainly in England) and each nations view. MACS have explicitly stated that they are opposed to ticket office closures and our consultation response can be found on our website. Link below:
  • The future of concessionary travel, acknowledging the progress the SG had made with its concessionary travel schemes, including under 22’s to stimulate behavioural change and the long-awaited Fair Fares Review.
  • Legislation and practices for the carriage of battery powered mobility devices by airlines.