Hospital transport & low income scheme, little advice please

toady
toady Member Posts: 2,501
edited 25. Mar 2013, 11:57 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi all,

I've seen the LIS mentioned on here before and didn't really know of it before then.

Anyway, I'm wondering if I would be eligible because it would help a lot with my hospital appointments which are a reasonable distance away.

I have read up on it & I think I'd be eligible but to be honest there seemed quite a lot of small print & some of it confusing so I was hoping someone with knowledge of it could help me out.

Basically I have to attend routine hospital appointments, consultants etc, and I currently go with a volunteer (but paid) scheme, which is cheaper than a taxi but more than public transport which wouldn't be suitable for me. I am eligible for free prescriptions etc already & from what I can see I would just have to fill in a HC5 claim form & send it in with a receipt?

I am not sure about the HC2 & 3 certificates though, because I already have free prescriptions etc does that I mean I already have one of these somewhere, it's not something I'm aware of having in person, do the NHS hold that info on file for you? How do you know which you have? I'm asking because the HC5 has a section to tick if you hold one of these, otherwise it seems you have to tick which benefit you are on & send the HC5 to the JCP instead of the NHS (don't want to do that!)

Thanks if you can help, toady.

Comments

  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I use hospital transport because my OH's job means he can't take me to all my hospital appointments and my Dial-a-ride (disabled cheap door to door transport) refuse to take people in wheelchair's to hospital!! My G.P mentioned hospital transport to me and sorted it for me. I'm under the impression my doctor's practice are paying for the transport. So ask your G.P about it and see what they can do. Hope you sort it out.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My hospital has a fleet of volunteer drivers who use their own cars to ferry people backwards and forwards. I don't know if it costs anything to the patient. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • ichabod6
    ichabod6 Member Posts: 843
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My sister in law travels every six months from Lancashire to
    London for treatment given by only one hospital. Her transport
    has been provided by the nhs. Last week she was told this will
    no longer happen..
  • toady
    toady Member Posts: 2,501
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks for replies, I'm fairly sure my hospital don't have a scheme of their own but I will double-check. I think I should be ok claiming my expenses back if I get a receipt etc, and anyway it seems you get a month to do so, so I should be able to firm up on the t&cs before then.

    ichabod6, did they say why they are stopping the nhs transport for your sister-in-law.. just general cuts is it?

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