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Non-emergency patient transport

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What is non-emergency patient transport (NEPTS)

NEPTS is a service provided for patients who are unable to attend healthcare appointments by public transport or any other means due to their medical condition.  NHS England determine who is eligible to receive NEPTS.

NHS England set out the eligibility criteria for NEPTS, you can read the eligibility criteria on their website.

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.

Eligible

May be eligible

Not 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 for their dialysis appointments

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

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

 

If you feel you might be eligible and need support getting to and from your CLCH healthcare appointment, call our transport booking team on 0300 373 5678 Monday to Friday: 08.30am to 5.30pm. If your appointment is with one of our services in Hertfordshire then please contact the East of England booking team on 0345 605 1208.

If you are unable to call, a friend, relative, carer or representative can call on your behalf or you can contact our booking team at clcht.transport.booking@nhs.net

One of our trained team members will assess your needs and ask questions about your medical condition and your mobility. This assessment is confidential, and your responses will be saved in your electronic clinical record, you will be asked for your permission to do this.   

If you need to attend a CLCH healthcare appointment on a regular basis we will assess your transport needs every three months so that we provide the right type of vehicle for you each time. 

If your request for hospital transport is approved, we will book your transport for you. This includes your return journey home. 

The day before your hospital appointment, we will contact you to make sure: 

  • you are still attending your appointment
  • you still need hospital transport 
  • the correct type of vehicle has been requested for your needs
  • we have the correct address and have noted any special requirements

If your appointment is on a Monday, we will contact you on a Friday. If you are attending one of our Hertfordshire services the East of England Ambulance service will deal with your booking.

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.

If you need help with travel costs you can find out about the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

If you feel that the assessment decision is incorrect you can appeal this decision.  You will need to complete an appeal form by calling our booking team on 0300 373 5678. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. If your appointment is with one of our services in Hertfordshire then please contact the East of England booking team on 0345 605 1208.

If you are unable to call, a friend, relative, carer or representative can call on your behalf or you can contact our booking team at clcht.transport.booking@nhs.net.

Your reasons for appealing the assessment decision will be reviewed by a panel made up of senior clinical staff. Our booking team will call you to advise you of the outcome of your appeal.

If you are still not satisfied with the decision you can follow the CLCH complaints process or call our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), by calling 0800 368 0412 or by emailing clchpals@nhs.net.

We use NHS England guidelines to decide whether you need someone to accompany you. To discuss this, please call our transport booking team on 0300 373 5678 or for our Hertfordshire services please call 0345 605 1208.

You will need to be ready at least one hour before your appointment, the transport will wait up to 10 minutes if you are not ready.  Once you arrive at your health location the transport staff will make sure you are left in the right waiting area.

Transport staff will come and collect you from the waiting area once your appointment is finished, however they have a busy schedule and you may have to wait up to one hour for collection after your health appointment has finished.

If your appointment has been rearranged or cancelled, or you are no longer able to attend your CLCH appointment, please call the patient transport booking team on 0300 373 5678 to cancel your transport. Please try to give as much notice as possible if you need to cancel your transport booking. If your appointment is with one of our services in Hertfordshire then please contact the East of England booking team on 0345 605 1208.

Please call the transport team on 0300 373 5678 or for our Hertfordshire services please call 0345 605 1208.

If you are accessing services with Central London Community Healthcare, you can contact our Non-Emergency patient Transport Service (NEPTS) booking team by calling 0300 373 5678 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. 

If you are unable to call, a friend, relative, carer or representative can call on your behalf or you can contact our booking team at clcht.transport.booking@nhs.net.

If your appointment is with one of our services in Hertfordshire then please contact the East of England booking team on 0345 605 1208.