Travel advice to Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre

NHS local patient transport service

Some patients may be eligible to use the NHS-funded patient transport service. This is assessed against a national criteria. When you contact your local transport service they will consider whether:

• your medical condition means you cannot use other forms of transport without damaging your health
• your mobility means that you would be unable to use any other means of transport – for example, stretcher patients
• you need the skills and support of specialist patient transport staff
• you have physical or mental incapacity for example learning/communication difficulties

If you feel you meet the criteria, call one of the following numbers (according to the area you live) to discuss whether you qualify for hospital transport in more detail:

Patients living in Essex

East of England Ambulance Service 
Tel: 0300 0134 996
Open: Monday to Sunday, 8am-6pm

Harwich

Email: manager@harwichconnexions.co.uk
Tel. 01255 552 010
Open: Monday to Friday, 8am – 4:30pm

This service does not start running from Harwich until 9am.  It is free with a concessionary bus pass or £8.50 single/£17 return journey.

Tendring  

Website – https://dial-a-ride.org/

Colchester Hospital Hopper
Tel: 01255 436 962 or 07948 055 888
Open: Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
Free after 9am with concessionary bus pass; regular fare £7.00 each way.

Patients living in Suffolk

HTG-UK – Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service
Tel Norfolk (available 24/7): 0345 2413 012
Tel Suffolk (available 24/7): 01245 951 205
Open: 24 hour service, 7 days a week

Visit the HTG UK website (Opens in a new window) 

BACTS (Barbergh Accessible Community Transport) – Shotley, Holbrook and Hadleigh
Tel:  01473 826 242
Open: Monday to Friday, 9am – 3pm
Call to discuss price and options.

TVN (The Volunteer Network) West Suffolk
Tel: 01440 712 028
Open: Monday to Friday, 8am – 4pm
Call to discuss price and options.

FACT (Felixstowe Accessible Transport) 
Tel: 01394 282 857
Open: Monday to Friday, 9am -1pm
Call to discuss price and options.

Suffolk Infolink Community Directory
Visit the Suffolk Infolink Community Directory website

Good Neighbour Schemes
These are run by volunteers who want to help people in their community.
Tel. 01473 345 400
Open: Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
Call to discuss the various options and cost available for your area.
Visit the Good Neighbour Schemes  website

Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board 
Find out more about non-emergency based transport provision through the Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board

Visit the Norfolk & Suffolk ICB website (Opens in a new window)

If transport is declined because you do not meet the criteria, there are some community transport schemes (below) that may be able to help you:

Financial help with travel

If you cannot make your own way to hospital due to medical reasons or the cost of the journey, here are some options which may help you:

Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS)

You can claim help with travel costs if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive any of the following benefits:

• income support
• income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• pension credit guarantee credit
• universal credit

You can also claim for help with travel costs if:

• you are named on, or are entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate. You qualify if you get child tax credits, working tax credits with a disability element (or both) and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less.
• you have a low income and are named on certificate HC2 (full help) or HC3 (limited help). You can apply for these certificates through the NHS Low Income Scheme.

HTCS covers only the cheapest, most suitable mode of transport for your own individual circumstances. Eligible patients must pay the cost upfront which will be reimbursed later.