Patient Transport

[Flickchickknits]

My husband is due to have treatment at UCLH. I called to book patient transport and have been told he doesn’t qualify. There is no drop off point , no parking and obviously he shouldn’t use public transport. He had transport for yesterdays appointment. All she kept going on about is the rules about COVID have changed . I don’t what to do. Am waiting for CNS to contact us and hoping they can sort it. It’s £50 one way for a cab. Any ideas

[Flickchickknits]

UPDATE NHS England have updated their rules. The only people who can get patient transport are those who;Have dementia

Need's help being escorted from residence to vehicle

Has oxygen

Has a wheelchair or other mobility aid

Is on a stretcher

[Poodle2 in reply to Flickchickknits]

Oh no, I was hoping I would be able to book patient transport as well. I will be starting treatment in June - I'm at Barts so central London, similar to your husband. I was hoping to get transport home at least since it can be tiring (at least that's what people say). I won't have anyone to pick me up either and I certainly cannot afford to take a cab.

Are there any charities that would provide this service? I can't believe I would be just left to travel on the tube. I'm already riddled with all sorts of infections, I can't imagine doing that. I don't feel that's very safe.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Poodle2]

Just out of idle curiosity I looked to see if I could find the guidelines and I found the latest from the end of last month and it says ‘ ‘have been clinically determined as at risk from using public transport due to being immunocompromised and are unable to make their own way with relatives/friends and/or escorts/carers whether by private transport or a taxi’Looks long and complicated but certainly worth asking.

Colette

[Poodle2 in reply to mrsjsmith]

Thank you. I'm still going to ask but honestly thought this would be so much easier. Like we are not super humans, sorry...and not everyone has the funds. It's sad. I'm young but what about older patients...very disappointing if that's the case.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Poodle2]

Agreed and ask your CNS and see if Maggie’s have volunteers that could help.Do you know what treatment you are going to have yet because that will determine how often you are in the hospital.

Good luck 🤞

[Poodle2 in reply to mrsjsmith]

Thanks, will ask. Going to see them next week on Thursday. I'm leaning towards O+V.

[mrsjsmith in reply to Poodle2]

That will mean more frequent visits to the hospital than Acalabrutinib. So definitely find out about transport.

[Flickchickknits in reply to Poodle2]

They have said that the centre will refund him for the trip but that is at least a 2 week turnaround. We are waiting for the funds to appear for the

[ornstin]

I am in a rather similar position to your husband as I am due to make many frequent trips to a London hospital (the Royal Marsden) in connection with treatment.

First of all, and most importantly, can I say that I hope you find a satisfactory solution in conjunction with hospital. I have not looked into the issue of patient transport myself on the assumption that I was not entitled to it, but may do so. But no one in the hospital has mentioned a word about this topic. This might change I suppose, depending on my health situation. But my current plans are as follows:

While Covid rates remain low I am not ruling out travelling by tube with a high-grade mask. But this is subject to self-isolation rules imposed by the hospital, and whether I feel well/strong enough to travel in this way.

At this stage I can't see how I am going to avoid travelling by cab at least on some occasions. I would use an App based firm (could give you names) which I have found to be a fair bit cheaper than local minicab firms and better in other ways too (eg more reliable).

Antony

[JIDD]

Tried "patient transport" to UCLH Macmillan last year. Service lousy - mucked me about with pickup times, "no show" on the day, took bus (most folk masked back then), called by aggressive driver while enroute. Service by Serco, nuff said! Now use black axis but £50 round trip.

[Poodle2]

I'm reading all these comments and it is so disappointing to read that CLL patients with dysfunctional immune systems and going through very difficult treatments are not given this option-it seems.

Like ornstin I thought I would be happy to make my way to the hospital all masked up but get a lift home. It seems they put you on so much medication which can cause drowsiness that I thought it would be impossible to expect someone to travel on the tube back home. I'm also worried about the winter months when covid will spike up and as we know, 90% of people on public transport do not wear masks. It's a serious health and safety risk - in my humble opinion. If I get sick and end up in the hospital, it will cost them more than transport home!

I definitely cannot afford to pay £50 for one trip to the hospital. It's my understanding that while on e.g. O+V, you can make multiple trips weekly for the first 2 months. I am aware of other cheaper providers but still, it seems absurd...

I'm going to discuss this at my next appointment but I thought this would be much easier than it seems now.

[lexie]

I am not in UK but have to arrange transport to and from procedures where anesthesia is involved since I have no one to accompany me. I use a home healthcare outfit where I pay for pickup, 4 hour standby, and return me back to hotel, or home if local. My cost is £50 for the whole thing.

[janvog]

In my county in Florida, the County Public Transportation system (busses) has a separate branch of 50 vans (for up to ten passengers) for those who qualify under the U.S. "Persons with Disabilities Act" but do not need an ambulance. Eligibility has to be certified by a physician and meet a number of strict requirements. The round-trip costs $ 6 to medical or shopping or disabled facilities. The reservation is called one day to one week prior. The van pick-up is scheduled one hour before the medical appointment and the return trip is scheduled after the presumed finish of the appointment. But the van will also pick-up other passengers and return them home during one's own trips to and from the medical destination. The vans have lift for those in wheelchairs. Sometimes a service dog comes along. With the tremendous traffic and a huge expanse of the county - the sometimes long trips to my medical appointments are for me the shock of reality outside my edlerly residential isolation. But on the other side - in a region almost hidden under palms and tropical vegetation - it is like short vacation in the tropics. (P.S. The palms are of course dangerous: The fronds of Royal Palms fall off and weigh up to 75 pounds. And of course falling Coconuts kill people every year in the tropics. Also: In Florida the alligators hide in draining ditches. )

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to janvog]

Stuff of nightmares! No wonder almost everyone drives everywhere "even short distances" there so they don't get chased/eaten by crocs/gators/hit on head dead or brain damaged by falling fronds/coconuts/shot!

[janvog in reply to Mijmijkey74]

I read your condition report. Here several music therapy videos that distract the mind and also stimulate respiration: Several under same search term: YOUTH BAHIA TICO . Look at all of them for effect!

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to janvog]

What condition report? 🤔

[janvog in reply to Mijmijkey74]

I looked up the information which you had posted to see who you are. There was a long medical report.

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to janvog]

Looked it up where? There shouldn't be any medical reports about me available online that's breach of patient privacy!

[janvog in reply to Mijmijkey74]

It appears under your above name in one of the related logs. I am not computer savy to explain it. It seems that you provided the text, just as I had provided my background and others in the same log. Look up mine "janvog" .

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to janvog]

Thanks, I thought you meant you had somehow got access to my personal hospital/gp surgery medical information and it was freely available online. 😂

[janvog in reply to Mijmijkey74]

Relax ! You'll be fine. I am just watching an impressive singer: NAYLA TANGO UNO

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to janvog]

Impossible to relax with the cost of living going up so extortionatly and my savings being rapidly depleted and no way or chance to replenish due to current economic crisis and Christmas plus birthdays looming, a family to feed and increasing bills to pay! It would be nice to just be able to relax!!!!