Healthwatch York and Healthwatch North Yorkshire heard from more than 200 people about what the changes to non-urgent patient transport mean for them. People told us they are not attending vital medical appointments, are taking risks to drive when they shouldn’t and are facing significant costs because they are no longer eligible for NHS transport to hospital appointment.
In April 2025, national rules for free non-emergency patient transport, mainly provided by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, changed. Our new report outlines what those changes have meant for local people, community transport providers and other voluntary sector organisations.
The main issues people raised were:
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Significant costs for people to make their own way to appointments. We heard of taxi journeys often costing significantly more than £100 for a return journey from some rural places and one hospital journey costed at £200 each way.
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Using public transport can mean that hospital appointments can take a full day with multiple changes and waiting times. The timing of hospital appointments can also make using public transport and even community transport impossible if appointments are first or last thing in the day.
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For many there are no alternatives. Those who don’t have family or friends to take them are often left facing expensive bills or choosing not to go to appointments.
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The new system is inconsistent, with people reporting that they were provided with transport for some appointments or aspects of their treatment, but not all of them.
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Transport can be particularly difficult for wheelchair users. Some areas have very few wheelchair accessible taxis. Where these are available, they are often not free during the times of the school run. Community transport providers can’t always accommodate wheelchairs, especially power chairs. Public transport is often not an option.
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People who need to travel with their children face specific challenges, as some community transport providers are unable to transport those under 18 years of age.
People also highlighted the impact of not being able to access non-emergency patient transport on their physical and mental health. Many respondents explained that they have lost their independence, feel like a burden, have experienced an increase in anxiety or are refusing treatment to enable them to drive to and from appointments. Others are risking their health and the health of others by driving against medical advice because they feel they have no other option.
Siân Balsom, Healthwatch York manager, said: “The feedback we have received is deeply concerning. At the centre of every story we’ve heard is a person who is seeing their world and what’s possible for them shrink. People are turning down hospital appointments for essential treatment or going into debt to get there. We appreciate that the NHS is facing significant financial challenges. But making it impossible for some of the most vulnerable people to get to appointments cannot be the solution. In the longer term, we could all end up having to pay more to fix the problems this creates.”
It will be presented at the next York Health and Wellbeing Board and shared with key partners across North Yorkshire and York.