patient travel belfast

Hospital Travel Costs Scheme

You may get financial help from the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme if you're on a low income, need Health Service treatment at a hospital, Health Service centre or private clinic and have been under the care of a consultant.

Who can claim

You can claim hospital travel costs if you, or those you depend on, get at least one of the following:

• Income Support
• Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based)
• Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
• Guarantee Pension Credit

Depending on your income level you may also qualify for the scheme if you get one of the following:

• Child Tax Credit (with or without Working Tax Credit)
• Working Tax Credit with the disability element or severe disability element

Use the tax credit calculator to check if your income is too high for tax credits and work out what money you could get. There is no set limit for income because it depends on your circumstances and those of your partner.

• Tax credits calculator

If an adult or dependant child has to travel to your treatment with you for medical reasons, you can claim their travel costs too.

Help with health and travel costs

If you are claiming Universal Credit you may be able to get help with health and travel costs for you, your partner or your children. You may be able to get help with the cost of:

• dental treatment
• eye sight tests
• glasses or contact lenses
• travel for treatment on referral by a doctor or dentist

To find out if  you can get this help you will need to make a claim using  Health Costs Form HC1 . Once you have completed this form you can post it or hand it into your local  Jobs & Benefits office .

More information is available at  Help with health costs

If a member of your family receives Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based) or Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) you will have to claim help from the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme. For Pension Credit Guarantee Credit the entitlement is automatic regardless of who in the household receives the benefit.

If you're on a low income but don't get any of these benefits or allowances, you may still claim travel costs through the Health Service Low Income Support Scheme.

How much you'll get

If you're on a relevant benefit or allowances you get back the full travel costs by using the cheapest form of public transport available, including any concessions or promotions.

This applies to however you travel. For example, if you use a private car you can claim for petrol instead (and car parking charges where unavoidable) up to the cost of the same journey by public transport.

The hospital should tell you the mileage rate for petrol costs for private transport.

If public transport is unavailable or impractical (perhaps you can't get to your appointment on time or your mobility is restricted), you'll need to contact the hospital well ahead of your appointment. They will need to check your new travel arrangements are allowed.

If you're on the Health Service Low Income Support Scheme you may get back all or some of your travel costs depending on which certificate you've been given.

How to claim

You can claim at the hospital or clinic at the time of your appointment. You'll be paid back immediately in cash, when you show any of the following:

• proof of a qualifying benefit (such as an award notice)
• a tax credit exemption certificate (you'll get this automatically if you qualify)
• a certificate showing you qualify for the Health Service Low Income Support Scheme

Backdated claims

You can claim help with travel costs up to three months after your appointment if you can prove you were eligible to claim at the time. To do this, fill in a refund claim form HC5, which you can get from Health Service hospitals and  Jobs and Benefits offices .

More useful links

• Jobs and Benefits offices
• Health and support
• Guide to medical checks and support
• Vaccine Damage Payment
• Contacting 08 and 03 numbers

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to [email protected] 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email  [email protected]

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750  Email  [email protected]

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912  Email [email protected]

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to [email protected] or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service .

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service .

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit .

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the  Coronavirus (COVID-19) section , then for queries about:

• Restrictions or regulations —  contact the Department of Health
• Travel advice (including self-isolation) —  contact the Department of Health
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the  Department of Health  or  Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] and for queries about your certificate, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email [email protected]

Application and payment queries can be emailed to  [email protected]

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency .

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email  [email protected]

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email  [email protected] .

For queries about:

• Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea  
• Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about passports, contact  HM Passport Office .

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email  [email protected]

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the  Northern Ireland Pension Centre .

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section .

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads .

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service .

For queries or advice about rates, email [email protected]

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact  Smartpass - Translink .

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly .  We don't have access to information about you.

Kerrsland Surgery

About the clinic.

We provide vaccines, anti–malarial medications and advice on all travel related health issues to all.

Our Services

We have a full range of travel vaccinations and aim to provide a one stop service..

Whether you are a patient of the practice, a resident of or a visitor to Northern Ireland, this travel clinic is available to you.

Travel assessment/risk analysis and then vaccination occur in the same appointment.

Our services include:

• Yellow fever assessment and certification
• Mantoux and BCG Service – Temporarily Suspended.
• Immunisation/Vaccination service
• Malaria prevention
• Travel related health issues/Special groups
• Visa assessment/Travel medicals/X–ray requests/Blood tests
• Occupational Health vaccination
• Seasonal Flu vaccination
• Travel Essentials
• Group Assessments
• Meningitis B, Meningitis ACWY, Pneumococcal, Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccines *
• QuantiFERON testing **
• Zika blood testing (post travel)

* refer to vaccination page for more detail** please contact the surgery for more details

Discover our wide range of services. We can also provide non-travel related vaccination services.

Travel Advice

We have advice and fact sheets available for download on a number of travel issues.

Assessments

We provide a thorough travel assessment for both NHS and private patients. Group assessments are also available.

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Kerrsland Surgery

Surgery 028 9029 6600, travel clinic 028 9065 7138.

What happens when I attend the travel clinic.

You will be asked to fill in a health and travel questionnaire with this information you will then have a personalised travel brief given to you. Your name will be called to visit one of our travel nurses or doctor. At your consultation with the nurse, you will receive advice and if appropriate the required vaccines. Once your consultation with the nurse is complete the reception staff will complete your consult. At this point you may purchase any travel related items you need and settle your account. The appointment normally takes up to 40mins including paperwork, consultation and payment.

How can I pay?

We accept debit and credit cards, cheque and cash. Most credit cards are accepted except Diners.

What do you do for nervous travellers?

Our staff are friendly and approachable, every effort is made to offer reassurance and appropriate advice at the time of your consultation. 

We recommend research and planning for any adventure/ holiday you are considering. 

 I am travelling in a few days, what should I do?

Contact us as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate you, call 028 9065 1738

The Belfast Travel Clinic offers last minute travel appointments, these are appointments booked within 5 days of your enquiry – this is subject to availability however, we do try accommodate our travel customers as best possible. If you cannot attend the appointment made you must cancel your appointment at least 48hrs from the date and time of your appointment to avoid a cancellation charge of £20.00.

All amounts debited from customers debit/credit cards will appear on bank statements as KSTC Ltd (Kerrsland Surgery Travel Clinic Ltd) 

What are the rules for sun cream and insect repellent?

You should apply your sun cream first and then your insect repellent.

What is the best insect repellent?

We recommend DEET 50+ insect repellent. One bottle usually does one person 2–3 times a day for two weeks.

Please speak to the clinic for children and those pregnant or breastfeeding.

I used to live in the country I am travelling to. Will I be immune from Malaria?

No, as immunity reduces when you leave the country we encourage all travellers to come and visit the clinic so as a full risk assessment is given and appropriate vaccinations/ malaria tablets given.

Do you see children?

Can one of the doctors or nurses speak to me on the phone?

We encourage travellers to visit the clinic and speak to our Travel Nurses or Doctors where a discussion can be had to cover all areas of your travel concern.

You may send your enquiry via this website where a receptionist will contact you and arrange an appointment time.

Can I get some information on my destination and the recommended vaccinations before coming to the clinic?

Yes, visit Masta.org to get recommendations for your destination and a price guide.

My GP Practice does not offer travel advice

If your GP does not offer travel advice and has referred you to our clinic, please ring 028 9065 7138 to book an appointment to see our travel nurse. We are a private travel clinic and therefore charges will apply. A consultation fee of £20.00 is applied. 

What if I need to get a vaccine/s which is available on the NHS?

The travel nurse will inform you if travel vaccines are available on the NHS. You will then be given a letter to take back to your GP and you can arrange for this vaccine to be sourced and administered through your own Practice. Some customers prefer to have ALL vaccines administered when attending our clinic and will be charged appropriately.

visit Masta.org to get recommendations for your destination and a price guide.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

To arrange an appointment call 028 9065 7138 To send an enquiry to the clinic please use our enquiry form

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NI Trust reveals number of patients who missed appointments in 2023

Each missed Outpatient appointment costs the Trust on average over £200

• 19:54, 28 APR 2024

A local health trust has issued a statement after it was revealed that in 2023, over 20,000 patients did not attend appointments.

Last year alone, 22,000 patients did not attend their Consultant Outpatient appointments or their planned procedures in the South Eastern Trust . This figure, branded as "staggering" by the Trust, is said to have had a "profound impact" on the Trust's ability to provide care to all patients in a timely manner.

Each missed Outpatient appointment costs the Trust on average over £200, which amounts to millions of pounds lost. The cost per patient not attending a planned day case procedure at the Regional Day Procedure Centre at the Lagan Valley Hospital, is approximately £2,500.

Read more: NI woman's journey to recovery after brain tumour surgery

With a "Did Not Attend" (DNA) rate of 6% over the last six months, the Trust says this represents a substantial financial impact and denies other patients the opportunity to receive necessary medical care.

Appealing for patients to cancel appointments if they cannot attend, Assistant Director of Elective Care and Radiology Services, Chris Allam said: "“We understand that things happen in everyone’s lives, but please let us know.

"I want to emphasise the importance of informing us if you are unable to attend your appointment. The high number of missed appointments has a significant impact on our ability to provide care efficiently and effectively."

The Trust offers a text reminder service to Day Procedure patients who are contacted seven days before their appointment and again two days before. These reminders give patients the opportunity to confirm, reschedule, or cancel their appointments in a timely manner.

Chris added: "We encourage patients to use our text reminder service, as it allows for easy cancellation or rescheduling of appointments. By doing so, we can fill these vacant slots with patients who are on a waiting list, at short notice."

This text reminder service will be rolled out across the Trust for all Outpatient appointments next month.

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