A local patient wishes to be referred to London for expert advice on a rare condition. She is not fit to travel by car and will require ambulance transport. What is the position regarding provision of NHS ambulance transport?

We believed that the patient's PCT was responsible for the funding, but sought confirmation from the Department of Health as transport from one end of the country to another could be required which could prove to be a very significant expense.

The Department's response is as follows and may be of use to you in similar situations, particularly if the PCT initially refuses to meet the expense.

Thank you for your email of 7 January to the Department of Health about NHS patient transport services (PTS). I have been asked to reply.

Non-emergency PTS are typified by the non-urgent, planned, transportation of patients with a medical need for transport to and from a premises providing NHS healthcare and between NHS healthcare providers. This can and should encompass a wide range of vehicle types and levels of care consistent with the patient's medical needs.

I can confirm that the patient's Primary Care Trust (PCT) is responsible for providing or securing the provision of ambulance services (which could include PTS) to such extent as they consider necessary to meet all his or her reasonable requirements.

Eligible patients are recognised as those where the medical condition of the patient is such that:
they require the skills or support of PTS staff during or after the journey: or
where it would be detrimental to the patient's condition or recovery if they were to travel by other means: or
where the patient's medical condition impacts on their mobility to such an extent that they would be unable to access healthcare.

Currently, medical need for non-emergency (that which does not require an immediate or urgent response) PTS must be determined by a doctor, dentist or midwife and will depend upon the medical condition of the individual patient, the availability of private or public transport and the distance to be travelled.