Help with Transport

Details: Last Updated: 03 July 2026

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:

Require oxygen and are unable to self administer during transit
Need specialised medical equipment or need to be closely monitored during the journey
Have a condition or disability that could compromise their dignity
Have a serious infectious disease that requires isolation or have been clinically determined as immunocompromised and public transport travel is not advised

Patients with cognitive of sensory impairment, including those with:

Dementia, severe mental illness, confused state of mind, or other disability/impairment of a severity that means they are vulnerable and unable to make their own way with relatives/friends
Are a risk to themselves or others if they travel independently.

Patients with significant mobility needs (i.e. unable to transfer without two people assisting, including patients who:

Need to travel lying down or need a stretcher for all or part of the journey
Need specialist bariatric provision
Are unable to self-mobilise

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
Wheelchair Assistance

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) Please click on the link above for a list of local community schemes and their specific contact details Common options include East Woking Good Neighbours, Byfleet Care, Ashford Helping Hands, and Staines Helping Hands	See website	See website
Runnymede Community Transport Available for residents of Runnymede Free service Registration required Advanced booking recommended	01932 425050 (Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00)	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Surrey Heath Community Transport Available for residents of Surrey Heath or Runnymede (partnered with Runnymede Borough Council) Free service Registration required Advanced booking recommended	01276 707655 (Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30)	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Elmbridge Dial-a-Ride Available for residents of Elmbridge Borough Council only Annual membership fee (£8.90-£25.50) Advance booking required	01372 474944 (Monday to Friday, 08:00-16:00)	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Woking Community Transport (Bustler) Available for residents of Woking Borough only Annual membership fee (£26.80) 2 days advance booking required	01483 724433 (Monday to Friday, 09:00-16:00)	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Spelthorne Volunteer Drivers Available for residents of Spelthorne Borough only 1 week advance booking required Small journey charge	07817 926736 (Monday to Friday, 10:00-12:00)	General enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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: