Patients and visitors : Patient travel support

If you have a medical appointment but need support getting there, you may be eligible for the Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS), or access our non-emergency patient transport service (NEPTS).

You may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, if you're referred to hospital or other NHS services for specialist treatment or tests by a doctor, dentist, or another primary care health professional.

You can learn more about the Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) by visiting the NHS website. 

• Visit NHS website

Non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) support people requiring specialist transport to attend outpatient appointments, receive treatment, and support with admission and discharge across the Frimley, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West areas.

EMED Group provide the NEPTS for patients living within the Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System and the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System.

The Frimley system covers:

• Bracknell Forest
• North East Hampshire (Aldershot, Farnborough, Fleet and Yateley)
• Farnham
• Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
• Slough
• Surrey Heath

The Berkshire West system covers:

• Reading
• West Berkshire
• Wokingham

The expectation remains that patients will make their own transport arrangements where they can and that this service is only for those whose medical need prevents them from using private or public transport.

Non-emergency patient transport is available if:

• Your medical condition means that you cannot use other forms of transport without it being detrimental to your health
• Your mobility means that you would be unable to access your appointment by other means
• You need the skills or support of patient transport staff before/on/after the journey.

Patients who wish to be considered for the service are required to be assessed against the national eligibility criteria by the patient transport provider before a booking can be made.

To make a booking, you must be assessed against the national eligibility criteria by the patient transport provider EMED, before a booking can be made. 

If you are booking for the first time, you will be required to complete an eligibility questionnaire over a call with the EMED team.

Call 0300 777 3333

If you wish to be considered for the service, you can find more information, including the eligibility criteria, on the EMED Group website.

• Visit EMED website