Patient transport

The Trust can provide non-emergency transport to eligible patients at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital.

Who is eligible for hospital transport?

The NHS has limited resources and non-emergency patient transport must be reserved for patients with a medical condition:

• requiring the professional support of patient transport staff during their journey, and/or
• where health issues impact on their mobility to the extent that it prevents them travelling to or from a hospital appointment by any other means

The eligibility criteria/assessment is applicable to all patients (adults and children) registered with a GP practice within the North West London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Eligible

• Patients being transferred to/from an NHS facility who require medical assistance during transit
• Patients who require continuous oxygen therapy, medical gases or intravenous support during transit
• Patients who require a stretcher or sling/hoist during transit
• Patients receiving renal dialysis are eligible but should be offered the choice of arranging their own transport—patient transport must be requested and is not automatically offered

May be eligible

• Patients attending active treatment or a procedure such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or eye surgery, for example, are not automatically eligible but may be eligible if travelling by private or public transport would have a serious detrimental effect on their condition
• Patients who are unable to stand unaided without considerable support from another person and cannot manage any journey in private or public transport for the purposes of daily living
• Patients who currently have a medical condition or disability that means they are unable to travel by private or public transport for the purposes of daily living

Not eligible

• 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 whereby travelling by private or public transport would not have a serious detrimental effect on their medical condition
• Patients who are unwilling to pay for private or public transport or associated car parking costs

How do I find out if transport has been arranged?

• Both sites: Call the clinic or department at which you have an appointment—the contact details will be on your appointment letter
• Chelsea site: Call the hospital appointments office on 020 3315 6666 to check if transport has been requested
• West Mid site: Call the appointments office on 020 8321 5601

Please note: Bookings cannot be made directly with our transport teams—the booking needs to be made by your GP for your first referral, and the clinic or department for any follow-up appointments.

What happens if transport has not been requested?

If transport has not been requested, you will be put through to the clinical area for that appointment for an assessment to take place. 

What happens when transport has been booked?

You should receive a telephone call the day before your appointment to:

• confirm your booking
• advise you what time to be ready (usually two hours before your appointment time or longer if you live more than 15 miles from the hospital)
• ensure we have the correct details, including your mobility needs

If you have not received a call by 2pm on the day before your appointment, please call the transport team:

• Chelsea site: 020 3315 8021
• West Mid site: 020 8321 5704 

What do I do if transport has not arrived and my appointment is in 30 minutes or less?

Please call the transport team:

• Chelsea site: 020 3315 8021
• West Mid site: 020 8321 5704 

If I get a follow-up appointment will I get transport automatically? 

At each appointment, we will assess whether you are eligible for transport on your next visit.

Comments and concerns

If you have any comments or concerns about your journey please write to:

Hospital Transport Manager
Block A, Doughty House
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
369 Fulham Road
London
SW10 9NH