What is hospital transport service?
It is a service only provided for patients who are unable to attend hospital appointments by public transport or any other means due to their medical condition.
Can I use hospital transport?
Our Transport Team can assess whether you meet the Department of Health criteria for eligibility to use this service. Eligible Patients are those;
- Where the medical condition of the patient is such that they require the skills or support of Patient Transport Service staff on/after the journey and/or where it would be detrimental to the patient’s condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means (including private vehicle or taxi).
- Where the patient’s medical condition impacts on their mobility to such an extent that they would be unable to access healthcare and/or it would be detrimental to the patient’s condition or recovery to travel by other means.
Eligibility is based on medical rather than financial need. If you need help to request hospital transport, a friend, relative or carer can call on your behalf.
How is transport booked?
Please consider how you will get to your on-site appointment in advance. The NHS expects that most patients will travel to hospital by public or private transport, with the help of relatives or friends if necessary. NHS-funded transport is only provided for specific groups of patients. If you consider you are eligible for NHS funded hospital transport, please call the UCLH transport team on 0203 456 7010 who will assess your eligibility against the NHS criteria www.uclh.nhs.uk/patient-transport-service
What does the assessment involve?
This is a short, confidential telephone interview with a member of our staff to assess your transport needs.
How much notice should I give?
Please contact the transport team on 020 3456 7010 as soon as you can or at least three days before your appointment to give us time to arrange your transport.
What can I do if I am not eligible for transport?
Our sites are very accessible by public transport and close to many major national transport hubs. Further information on how best to reach us via public transport can be found on our website www.uclh.nhs.uk/UniversityCollegeHospital
If you are unable to use public Transport then you may be able to access our sites by community transport, private car or taxi.
Will you confirm my booking?
Yes. On the day before your hospital appointment (or on Saturday if your appointment is on a Monday or Tuesday), we will phone you to:
- make sure you are still coming to your appointment
- check that you still need hospital transport
- confirm your address
- tell you the approximate pick up time
- check that the correct type of vehicle has been booked for you.
When will I be collected?
This depends on your postcode, but you should be collected to allow enough time for you to arrive before your appointment.
Please be ready when transport arrives, as drivers cannot wait more than 15 minutes.
What happens when I get to the hospital?
We will show you the way to the hospital reception area where a member of staff will tell you how to get to your appointment or arrange for a porter to take you there. A porter request can take up to 30 minutes.
What happens when I’m ready to go home?
If you need to, collect any medication from the Pharmacy then let the Transport staff know that you are ready to go home.
We will try to get you home as soon as we can. However, you may have to wait up to 90 minutes to be collected for planned journeys and up to three hours for journeys arranged on the day.
It is important to note that journeys are planned to make the most effective use of our vehicles. This means that other patients may share the same vehicle with you.
Can I have an escort?
We use Department of Health guidelines to decide whether an escort is appropriate. We will do this as part of the assessment process.
Cancellations
If your appointment is changed, or you cannot attend your appointment, please ring us as soon as possible on 020 3456 7010 to avoid wasted journeys.
Contact Details
Transport Assessment Team
Transport Department
250 Euston Road
London NW1 2PG
Telephone: 020 3456 7010 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
Complaints Department
Quality and Safety Department
UCLH, Second Floor West
250 Euston Road
London NW1 2PQ
Telephone: 020 3447 7413
Email: uclh.
Website: www.