Transport to healthcare

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness carried out a transport-to-healthcare project between August and December 2025 to understand how people travel to healthcare appointments and the barriers they face. The project gathered evidence from 520 survey responses and 20 case studies involving residents across the largely rural Westmorland and Furness area. 

The report found that transport is a major factor affecting access to healthcare. Many residents live long distances from hospitals, specialist clinics, GP surgeries and other services, while public transport is often infrequent, unreliable and poorly coordinated. As a result, people frequently face lengthy, complex and costly journeys to attend appointments. 

A significant proportion of respondents relied on public or patient transport to access healthcare. Sixty-one per cent said they depend on public or patient transport, and 40.1% reported having cancelled a healthcare appointment because they were unable to get there. Based on the project sample, Healthwatch estimated that missed appointments linked to transport problems cost the NHS more than £2,300. 

The survey highlighted the time involved in reaching healthcare services. Average journey times were around 18 minutes to a GP, 17 minutes to a pharmacy, 42 minutes to urgent care services and 70 minutes to hospital appointments. Nearly 69% of respondents said that the time of day affected their ability to travel, with early morning appointments often being impossible to reach using public transport. 

Case studies revealed that residents in rural communities can face particularly severe challenges. People described relying on family, friends and volunteer drivers because local bus services are limited, seasonal or non-existent. Long referral distances, multiple transport changes, inaccessible services, poor weather and road closures further increased barriers to care. Some participants reported delaying treatment, cancelling procedures or declining appointments because travel was too difficult or expensive. 

Disabled people and wheelchair users reported additional difficulties. These included a shortage of wheelchair-accessible taxis, higher transport costs, limited access to GP and dental services and a reliance on home visits because travelling independently was not possible. The report concluded that transport barriers contribute to health inequalities and disproportionately affect older people, disabled people, low-income households and those living in remote rural areas. 

The research also identified concerns about NHS Patient Transport Services. While these services were valued, patients reported problems including early collections, long waits for return journeys, inflexibility and difficulties accommodating short appointments or assistance dogs. 

Healthwatch conducted additional engagement focusing on the A590, the key transport route linking Furness with the wider region. Residents expressed concerns about congestion, accidents, roadworks and the lack of alternative routes, particularly when travelling to hospitals such as Furness General Hospital, Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Westmorland General Hospital. Many worried that delays on the A590 could affect access to urgent healthcare. 

The report concludes that transport barriers are creating significant inequalities in access to healthcare and that healthcare systems often fail to take account of patients' travel circumstances. It argues that a more personalised approach is needed, rather than a "one size fits all" model of appointment scheduling and service delivery. 

Healthwatch makes five key recommendations. It calls for greater awareness of financial support schemes for travel costs, better training and awareness among healthcare staff about transport difficulties, improved coordination between transport providers, the creation of a public directory of local transport options, and the expansion of mobile healthcare services in rural communities. These measures are intended to reduce missed appointments, improve healthcare access and tackle transport-related health inequalities. 

NHS organisations and the North West Ambulance Service broadly welcomed the findings and recommendations. They acknowledged the transport difficulties faced by rural communities and indicated that the report would inform ongoing work relating to patient transport, appointment flexibility, community-based care and mobile healthcare services