To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the co-ordination of hospital planning and the provision of transport facilities for patients and their visitors; and on what grounds she would refuse an application by a health authority or hospital trust for a change in the services it offered because of such transportation considerations.
Ambulance transport for national health service patients is provided, free of charge, on the basis of medical need as determined by a clinician. Patients without a medical need for transport may, exceptionally, be transported by the ambulance service, but a charge may be made. Visitors must make their own transport arrangements. There are no plans to change the basis of ambulance transport provision.