South London other schemes

Patient Transport Services

NHS Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) are available to those who are unable to use public or other transport due to their medical condition and meet eligibility criteria based on Department of Health guidance. This includes people who are:

• attending hospital outpatient clinics
• being admitted to or discharged from hospital wards
• needing life-saving treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or renal dialysis or DVT treatment

Each NHS trust has its own criteria for arranging transport, but it normally requires a referral from a GP.  You can search your nearest NHS hospital on the NHS website. The hospital will detail your local transport provider.

It is worth noting that NHS hospital transport is often shared transport and can involve long wait times.

There are private companies which provide hospital transport or patient transfer in London, including Southern Ambulance Services and Myzot. 

Contact South Ambulance Services: 0845 600 2055 

Contact Myzot: 0203 971 1001.

Voluntary community cars

Neighbourhood and community care groups often provide community car services for vulnerable or older people, and for those who are unable to access public transport. These groups usually rely on volunteers driving their own cars.

Not all vehicles can accommodate wheelchairs and some may state that an individual may have to transfer into the car independently. It is best to check in advance with the provider directly.   

Croydon

Croydon has a network of neighbourhood care groups providing support for the elderly and vulnerable. Some voluntary groups can provide transport to day centres and medical appointments. 

For up-to-date information, contact Croydon Neighbourhood Care  or 0208 662 1000. 

• Addiscombe Neighbourhood Care Association
  Provides clients with door-to-door transport for non-urgent health related appointments. Volunteers use their own vehicles to provide transport to local clinics, surgeries and hospitals. Wheelchairs and assistance can usually be accommodated. Contact: 0208 654 5062
• Croham Good Neighbours
  Volunteers can provide transport to medical appointments or for emergency shopping. Contact: 0208 649 9678
• Selsdon Contact
  Provide volunteer transport for medical appointments, as well as other services.  Contact: 0208 651 4944
• Shirley Neighbourhood Care
  Volunteer drivers can provide door-to-door transport for medical appointments. (Doctors, opticians, dentist, podiatrist, Croydon University Hospital, and Bromley, Orpington and Beckenham Beacon Hospitals.) Contact: 020 8662 9599

Richmond

• Ham & Petersham SOS
  Provide volunteer car transport for medical appointments and the hairdressers, etc. A week’s notice is required. Contact: 0208 948 1090
• Hampton & Hampton Hill Voluntary Care   
  Based at the Greenwood Centre in Hampton. Registered clients are matched to a local volunteer driver who use their own car to provide lifts to non-urgent health and medical appointments, local journeys to shops, banks, hairdressers and faith groups. Contact: 0208 979 9662
• Fish Neighbourhood Care
  Covers Barnes, Mortlake, and East Sheen and can provide volunteer drivers for medical appointments Contact: 0208 876 3336
• Kew Neighbourhood Association   
  For TW9 residents, volunteer drivers can take people to medical appointments and the Avenue Day Centre. Contact: 0208 948 8054
• Teddington & Hampton Wick Voluntary Care Group  
  Can provide volunteer drivers for medical appointments. Contact: 0208 943 3112
• Whitton Network
  Can provide volunteer drivers for trips including medical appointments, local shops and the hairdressers. Contact: 0208 755 1336

Companion driving services

Paid companion driver services should be registered with the local authority in the same way as regular taxis.       

Driving Miss Daisy     

Driving Miss Daisy is a national organisation with franchises in Wallington (covering Sutton, Kingston, Croydon and Merton) and Bromley (covering Bromley, Orpington, Beckenham and West Wickham). 

• Contact Wallington: 0333 014 6211 or Wallington@drivingmissdaisy.co.uk
• Contact Bromley: 0333 014 6211 or Bromley@drivingmissdaisy.co.uk

Karen’s Angels

A local care company providing accessible taxi services, and passenger assistants if required, for older and disabled people. Based in Chessington and covering Kingston, Sutton, Merton, Epsom, and parts of Surrey.  

Contact: 0208 2247848