Berkshire other schemes 

Patient Transport Services

Non-emergency patient transport

The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) is for patients who:

• Need to travel to and from an appointment at a hospital or clinic
• Are discharged from hospital (and meet the eligibility criteria), or
• Need to transfer between centres, and because of their medical condition cannot make their own way.

Meeting the eligibility criteria for transport

The criteria that determine whether or not you are eligible for NEPTS have been set by the Department of Health and are based upon whether your medical condition prevents you from travelling by any other means.

All operators of patient transport are now required to apply these rules, so whilst you may have previously been able to use patient transport this may no longer be the case if you are not deemed eligible.

Making a booking 

Thames Valley (Berkshire) patients’ first NEPTS journey must be booked by a healthcare professional or by calling the Patient Eligibility Line. You can then use NEPTS Patient Zone to book subsequent journeys, manage your bookings and check your journey status.

Should you wish to enquire about your eligibility, you can call the Our Thames Valley Contact Centre on the following number: 

Patient Eligibility Line 0300 100 0015 

Further information can be found on the NHS Berkshire West CCG website.

Voluntary community cars

Managed by a mixture of volunteers and charities, community cars can help people to stay independent, participate in their communities and access vital public services and employment. They can help you go shopping, get to medical appointments, visit friends and family or enjoy a day out.

Most need to be booked in advance and may have eligibility criteria you need to meet.  

Practical things to think about and questions to ask when looking for a community transport provider.

• What type of journey are you making? Some schemes are specific and can only help in certain situations, for example, medical appointments.
• Are you eligible to use the scheme?
• Does the scheme cover your area? There are many good neighbour volunteer schemes in rural parts of the country that are for people who live in those villages.
• How much notice is required to book a trip? 
• Is there a cost involved?
• How to book?
• Does it meet any accessibility requirements you have? For example, wheelchairs and scooters or getting in and out of the car. 

Community Car Schemes – West Berkshire

Hungerford CHAIN

Hungerford CHAIN website
Contact: 01488 683727

Chain provides transport for the elderly and people of any age with a medical condition or disability, in Hungerford and surrounding areas such as Kintbury, to enable them to visit Day Centres, Doctors’ surgeries, and keep necessary hospital appointments. Occasional trips of a vocational nature are also made.

Carebus Volunteer Group

Carebus Volunteer Group website
Contact: 0118 930 4837

A Voluntary Community Transport organisation offering car trips, bus routes and group bus trips. Covers Aldworth, Ashampstead , Basildon, Beenham, Bradfield, Bucklebury, Englefield, Holybrook, Pangbourne, Purley, Stanford Dingley, Streatley, Sulham, Tidmarsh, Tilehurst, Theale and Yattendon.

Chapel Row Community Service Group

Chapel Row Community Service Group website
Contact: 01189 713334

Provide transport for those unable to use public transport to and from the dentist, chiropodist and optician. Can also provide hospital visiting and essential shopping.

Covers Bucklebury, Upper Bucklebury, Woolhampton, Upper Woolhampton, Midgham, Lower Padworth, Beenham and Brimpton.

Lambourn Volunteer Group

Lambourn Volunteer Group website
Contact: 01488 71536

Provide door-to-door transport to healthcare appointments. They will pick you up from your house, take you to your appointment and drive you home. 

Drivers use their own vehicles to take clients to and from the venue and will accompany the client throughout the hospital appointment if required.  Some driver’s vehicles can take folding wheelchairs and walking aids, so it advisable to let the driver know if you need any aids to accompany you.

There is no cost to use the service but the drivers are reimbursed at 50p per mile. A donation towards expenses is welcomed. 

Pangbourne and District Volunteer Centre

Pangbourne and District Volunteer Centre website
Contact: 0118 984 4586

Provide volunteer transport for those in the Pangbourne area. Services are free but donations are welcomed.

Theale Standby Volunteer Transport

Theale Standby Volunteer Transport website
Contact: 0118 930 6419

A voluntary organisation which can organise transport for patients with difficulties using public transport. The service is run by volunteers and they request a donation towards the cost of petrol.

Thatcham Volunteer Bureau

Thatcham Volunteer Bureau website
Contact: 01635 862306

Provide transport to the Doctor, Dentist, Hospital, shops or to visit friends and relatives for anyone who struggles with public transport.

Community Car Schemes – Bracknell Forest

There are voluntary car schemes in Bracknell Forest to support people needing to go to hospital appointments. This service is primarily for those who are older, less mobile or who cannot access public transport but can still walk unaided. A charge or donation is requested to cover the cost of the driver’s expenses. 48 hours’ notice is required. The following organisations offer support:

Ascot Volunteer Bureau

Contact: 01344 625520

Bracknell Forest Voluntary Car Service

Contact: 01344 426320

Bullbrook Good Neighbours

Contact: 01344 443076 or 01344 429838

Crown Wood & Forest Park Good Neighbours

Contact: 01344 640457 or 01344 566684 or 01344 451276

Crowthorne Good Neighbours Scheme

Contact: 01344 761001

Harmanswater Good Neighbours

Contact: 01344 640944 or 01344 425837

Priestwood & Garth Good Neighbours

Contact: 01344 450577 or 01344 642523 or 01344 428579

Community Car Schemes – Maidenhead and Windsor

Maidenhead Care

Maidenhead Care website
Contact: 07538 418448

Provide transport for people living within 3 miles of Maidenhead town centre. 

Windsor Voluntary Car Service

Windsor Voluntary Car Service website
Contact: 07570891842

Provide a service in Windsor and will also travel outside the area for an additional cost of 65p per mile.

Community Car Schemes – Wokingham

Wokingham Community Transport Scheme

Wokingham Community Transport Scheme website
Wokingham: 0118 978 2446
Earley: 0118 986 6980

The Transport Scheme helps residents of the Wokingham & Earley areas to go to medical and dental appointments around the district and beyond. They can also provide transport for social trips such as shopping and lifts to lunch clubs, exercise classes, depending on driver availability.

Companion driving services

As well as using regular taxis there are also care providers who provide paid companion driver services. These should be registered with the local authority in the same way as regular taxis.

Driving Miss Daisy is a national organisation who have franchises across the region.

Contact: 0333 014 6211