https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/your-hospital-visit/travelling-to-gosh/travelling-to-gosh-with-the-non-emergency-patient-transport-service-nepts/
Travelling to GOSH with the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS)
The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service is an NHS funded hospital transport service. It is for patients who due to their medical condition and needs cannot come to hospital using public transport and is in place to ensure their safety and management of their condition when travelling. This leaflet sets out important information about who can receive this service and how it works.
Eligibility
Most people should travel to and from hospital independently by private or public transport, with the help of relatives or friends if necessary.
Guidance issued by NHS England in May 2022 explains who can receive the service.
Your child will be assessed by your GP and staff at GOSH to check if they are eligible for hospital transport. This assessment will be regularly reviewed throughout your child’s care at GOSH.
Travelling to GOSH
The hospital is accessible with good links to public transport. More information can be found on our website:
If you travel by public transport, you may be able to get help with your travel costs to and from the hospital if you are receiving the following benefits:
- Income Support.
- Income-based Job seeker’s allowance.
- Income-based ESA.
- If you are named on an NHS tax exemption certificate.
- If you are on a low income and are named on certificate HC2 or HC3.
You must have proof of benefit to claim your fares. For details of conditions and how to claim, please visit the Travel Reimbursement office located on level 2 in Oscar the boat, Cheetah Outpatients in the former main entrance of the hospital.
Up to date information about charges can be found at the Transport for London website.
You may be able to claim reimbursement of these charges if your child is assessed as too weak or disabled to travel on public transport and they:
- have a compromised immune system
- require regular therapy, assessment, or surgery
Our Fares Reimbursement team located on level 2 in Oscar the boat, Cheetah Outpatients in the former main entrance of the hospital can advise/arrange the required NHS verification.
The hospital has a limited number of parking permits for specific parking areas surrounding the hospital. Permits can be obtained at the hospital main reception (Guilford Street entrance).
Find out more information about blue and green badge holders at Camden Council.
Travelling by NEPTS
The Hospital administration teams will book your transport directly with the Transport team who will confirm the booking with you the working day before travelling.
The Transport team will check:
- the appointment time and if you are you still coming to your appointment?
- if you still need hospital transport?
- your address and who is travelling?
- your mobility requirements i.e. walker, wheelchair user or stretcher requirements
- any specific additional needs i.e. suctioning, tracheostomy, BIPAP and CPAP which may require specialised high dependency unit (HDU) service
- mobility requirements i.e. walker, wheelchair user or stretcher requirements
- any specific additional needs i.e. suctioning, tracheostomy, BIPAP and CPAP which may require specialised high dependency unit (HDU) service
- that we have the correct vehicle for your journey
- how much luggage you need to travel with as this can impact the vehicle type you are allocated*
- storage of personal seats / additional equipment
**NB: If you bring your own car seats or baby cradles, they can be left with the Transport team at your own risk..
Having confirmed the information above, the Transport team will give an estimated collection time (please note that this may vary depending on your location and traffic.
The driver will call 15 minutes before their arrival, please be ready to leave shortly after they arrive.
Delays longer than 15 minutes may mean that you lose your transport. Drivers are not allowed to wait beyond this time due to other planned patient journeys.
The Transport team will show you the way to the hospital reception area (Guilford Street entrance) where a member of staff or GOSH volunteers (wearing yellow t-shirts) will show or take you where you need to go. Patients on stretchers and HDU (High Dependency Unit) patients will be taken directly to the ward.
Although our Transport team has a rough idea of when you may need to go home, it is important that a GOSH staff member or you notify the Transport team that you are ready to leave.
After you have been marked as ‘READY’ on our transport supplier’s system, you should be on your way home within around an hour. If our Transport team has only been notified the same day of your journey(s), due to the urgency of the appointment, or as a result of any booking errors, we regret that waiting times may be up to two hours.
Where possible and when safe to do so, another patient and parent/carer may share the same vehicle with you.
The transport team will give you an estimated time for collection. This may vary depending on your location and traffic.
Please contact the Transport team as soon as possible and let them know.
Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 1624
We recommend seeking advice from clinical teams before deciding not to use NEPTS..
Please note we are unable to pay any claims for compensation or reimbursement of expenses if you do not use patient transport booked for you.
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