Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with colleagues in the Department for Transport on the potential impact of access to public transport on access to healthcare.

Ministers regularly engage with Cabinet colleagues on a variety of issues, including, but not limited to, areas impacting access to healthcare. As set out in the Plan for Change, by March 2029 we will deliver the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people.

It is important that patients do not miss or cancel hospital appointments due to a lack of affordable and/or accessible transport options in their area. This is why the Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, committed to reviewing existing national health inequalities improvement initiatives, to develop them and increase their uptake. Specifically, the plan committed to reviewing local patient transport services and improving the signposting to, and accessibility of them for patients, to make it easier for vulnerable groups to travel to, and access appointments.

This includes improving the accessibility, awareness, and efficiency of the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, with a focus on reducing health inequalities and improving the patient experience.