This page is a printable version of: https://www.iow.nhs.uk/our-services/ambulance-services/patient-transport.htm
Date: 11 December 2023

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Patient Transport

The Patient Transport Service provides transport 7 days a week for service users in cases of medical need for outpatient appointments, admissions, discharge and transfer.

The Patient Transport Service is not provided for social means and is only made available to those who meet strict eligibility criteria based on Department of Health Guidance.

If the Patient Transport Service is required and identified by your GP for your first hospital clinic appointment your GP will authorise and book your transport. Further requests for transport must be identified and authorised by the Consultant or Allied Health Care Professional who is treating you.

Other transport options exist for non-entitled service users. These include: social transport, taxi, public transport, self help (own vehicle or driven by friends or family). You can find out more about these in our Getting Here section.

Bookings for the Patient Transport Service are made by either the GP Practice or hospital staff. You can check your booking by calling 01983 822099 ext 3504.

Department of Health Guidance

The Department of Health describes Patient Transport Services as the non-urgent transportation of service users who have a medical need, to and from a health service provider and between health service providers. This covers a range of vehicles and levels of care:

Where the medical condition of the Service User is such that they require the skills or support of PTS staff on/after the journey and/or where it would be detrimental to the Service Users condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means.
Where the Service Users 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 Service Users condition or recovery to travel by other means.

The following Service Users are eligible for PTS:

Service Users who require the continual support and skill of Patient Transport staff to enable them to travel. This typically includes the following Service Users but may also include others (this is an illustrative not an exhaustive list):
Service Users who have received treatment which requires the skill of Patient Transport staff to ensure a safe journey home (i.e. this does not include Service Users who are suitable to travel in a taxi)
Service Users with dementia or other mental health conditions who require Patient Transport staff to ensure a safe journey.
Service Users who are required to travel by stretcher.
Inter hospital transfers. i.e. Journeys to specialist units within Southampton and Portsmouth and possibly further afield.

A call will be made in advance (24hrs) where collecting Service Users from home to ensure they are ready to be collected. The Service Users being discharged from St Mary’s Hospital will be taken to the Discharge Area for collection.

Assistance dogs (including guide and hearing dogs) are permitted on the Service, providing this is specified in the booking.

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