PUBLIC transport to Glasgow’s hospitals is a “huge” issue for patients, health chiefs have acknowledged.

Catriona Renfrew, director of planning for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said the de-regulation of buses had led to gaps in services for patients.

Patients, families and carers got the chance to grill the director over the proposed closure of Lightburn Hospital in Carntyne, which provides rehabilitative care for the elderly.

Under the plans, patients requiring acute and day care care will go to Stobhill Hospital in the north of the city. Ms Renfrew acknowledged that it would not be easy for patients living in the east of the city to travel to the hospital by bus.

She said: “Buses are a huge issue because it’s de-regulated.

“I do accept for people in this area Stobhill is not very easy to get to.

“It’s the trade off between distance and access to the full range of acute services.”

“We did do quite a detailed transport review. There are not very many patients travelling by bus here.

“It is mainly patient transport or taxi or they may get a lift from families."

Last year, a Glasgow MP lodged a motion in Parliament urging a bus firm to rethink plans to scrap a vital hospital bus link.

Stagecoach announced they would withdraw the G1 and G2 bus services from Maryhill to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in April.

Patricia Ferguson, Labour MSP for the Maryhill and Springburn area, put forward the motion Holyrood calling for the bus firm to reconsider.

The operator said the number of passengers using the services was not high enough to make the service sustainable.