- Details
NHS Funded Patient Transport
Most people should travel to and from hospital independently by private or public transport, with the help of relatives or friends if necessary.
NHS-funded patient transportation is a specialist service provided by the NHS to transport patients in and out of NHS healthcare settings (e.g. Hospital) and is reserved for when it is considered essential to ensuring an individual’s safety, safe mobilisation, condition management or recovery.
The transport options that should be exhausted before NHS funded patient transport is provided include:
- the patient’s own transport – unless the person does not have a car or would not be able to drive for medical reasons, including the side effects of treatment
- a relative, friend or carer who could assist – for example, using their own vehicle to take the patient or escorting them on public transport or in a taxi
- patient booking their own taxi, including a mobility or assisted taxi
- public transport, including community transport
- transport that people are entitled to as part of funded social care provision or a social security benefit.
NHS England set out the eligibility criteria for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS), you can read the eligibility criteria on their website. If you do not meet the criteria you will need to use one of the options above.
| Eligible | Not Eligible |
|
Patients with a medical need for transport, for example because they:
Patients with cognitive of sensory impairment, including those with:
Patients with significant mobility needs (i.e. unable to transfer without two people assisting, including patients who:
Patients where a safeguarding concern has been raised by any relevant professional involved in a patient’s life, in relation to the patient travelling independently,
Patients receiving renal dialysis are eligible for their dialysis appointments |
Patients who are capable of walking, getting in and out of vehicles, or transferring to and from a wheelchair with minimal assistance do not require support from patient transport personnel and therefore should use private or public transport
Patients receiving mobility allowance are not automatically eligible for NHS funded transport
Patients who can travel on private or public transport without this having a serious detrimental effect on their medical condition, or without posing a risk to others.
Patients who do not wish to pay for private or public transport or associated car parking costs |
Please see below a selection of community transport options with the relevant links, telephone numbers and summary information.
Community Transport Services
Community transport services (usually door-to-door) are available to anybody who does not have easy access (because of where they live) to traditional bus services for journeys to the hospital, has difficulty changing buses or cannot use them for mobility reasons. You can find about local services by following the links below.
| Service | Contact Number | Contact Email |
Surrey Community Action (Good Neighbour Schemes)
|
See website | See website |
Runnymede Community Transport
|
01932 425050 (Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00) |
|
Surrey Heath Community Transport
|
01276 707655 (Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30) |
|
Elmbridge Dial-a-Ride
|
01372 474944 (Monday to Friday, 08:00-16:00) |
|
Woking Community Transport (Bustler)
|
01483 724433 (Monday to Friday, 09:00-16:00) |
|
Spelthorne Volunteer Drivers
|
07817 926736 (Monday to Friday, 10:00-12:00) |
General enquiries: |
Wheelchair Assistance
If you have any particular needs, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01932 723553 between 10am and 3pm Mon-Fri and we will make arrangements to help you.
All clinics are wheelchair friendly and all areas can be accessed via a lift. Wheelchairs are available on arrival - please ask at main reception.
Relevant up-to-date information regarding access to the hospitals can be found here:
