Patient Transport & Going Home

Going Home

Planning for when you are discharged will begin as soon as you arrive in hospital. The ward nursing staff will co-ordinate this, working closely with you and your family/carer.

You will normally be expected to make your own arrangements for transport home. If this is not possible, please speak to a nurse or the ward clerk.

Sometimes we move a patient to a local community hospital for further care and treatment. If your doctor advises this, we will discuss it with you and your family.

Please refer to the Leaving Hospital leaflet

New Patient transport arrangements as of 4 June 2007

As you know, patients are responsible for organising their own transport to and from hospital, unless medically unfit to do so. This will be determined by applying strict medical criteria. For those patients who meet the criteria, travel is free on a PTS ambulance.

Most people however travel with friends, relatives, go by public transport or drive themselves to or from hospital.

Some or all of the travel costs can be reclaimed by people on certain benefits through the Hospital Travel Cost Scheme. Please see the links on the web page or contact the Patient Advise and Liaison Service (PALS) for further details on eligibility and how to go about claiming travel costs.

The current rates for re-imbursement are:

Patients travelling by a Voluntary Car Scheme: 23p per mile
Patients travelling in their own car: 12p per mile
Patients travelling by public transport: Full reimbursement.

You need to make your own transport arrangements to and from your appointment, unless your clinical condition means you need an ambulance.

The best starting place is the Single Point of Contact (SPoC) in Barnstaple, which holds comprehensive local transport information. Tel: 01271 314332.

Options include:

Buses (with a regular service to the hospital from Barnstaple Bus Station)
Taxis
Trains
Volunteer cars (subject to availability and a charge per mile)

SPoC can also arrange ambulance transport if you need help from a trained crew. You will be asked about your health and mobility to check if you are eligible.

If you are on certain benefits, you can reclaim certain travel costs through the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme (HCTS). Details on set out in the leaflet HC11.

Please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01271 314090 or pals@ndevon.swest.nhs.uk for more information or a copy of the leaflet. HC11 is also available below.

If you need to reclaim travel costs, this can be done on the day at the hospital General Office on Level 2. Please bring your benefit book or other suitable evidence.

Claims can also be made later, using form HC5, available from the hospital.

If you are unsure of your benefit entitlement then Care Direct will be able to help you. Care Direct is a service being developed by the Department for Work and Pensions in partnership with Devon Social Services. Its aim is to make life easier for older people by making information and help available when they need it. This includes:

Money and Benefits
Benefits advice including Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Carers Allowance. Pensions and Taxation, help with filling in applications forms.

They can be contacted on:

Telephone: 0845 155 1007 or: www.devon.gov.uk/caredirect

Voluntary Car Scheme Information

Ilfracombe & District Community Transport Partnership
Torridge Community Transport Association Ltd
North Tamar CTA Ltd
Age Concern Barnstaple & District
Combe Martin & Berrynarbor Community Car Service
Chawleigh Car Service
Crediton & District Community Transport Company Ltd
Okehampton District Community Transport Group
South Molton & District Voluntary Bureau