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Financial assistance with patient travel

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Arrange travel to and from hospital with your local Patient Travel department.

Contact Patient Travel

NHS Highland can book air, ferry, and rail travel. All your specific travel needs should be discussed with NHS Highland’s Patient Travel department.

It would be appreciated if you could make your travel needs known to us in advance, as transport provider staff cannot anticipate or deal with problems if they have not been informed.

NHS Highland covers the Council areas of Argyll and Bute, and Highland. To book transport or for further information on your travel requirements, please contact your local Patient Travel department:

Highland

Patient Travel Administrator
NHS Highland
Assynt House
Beechwood Park
Inverness
IV2 3BW 

Argyll and Bute

Patient Travel Administrator
Finance Department
Kilmory Castle
Lochgilphead
PA31 8RT

  • phone 01546 790 080
  • or phone 01546 790 081
  • or phone 07890 435 590
  • or phone 07890 435 591

To make a flight booking or obtain a ferry warrant:

  • Campbeltown - phone 01586 552 105
  • Islay and Jura - phone 01496 301 031 or email ptc.islay@nhs.scot
  • Tiree - phone 01879 220 323

Entitlement to financial assistance

The Patient Travel Schemes are not designed to fully reimburse patients for the full cost of travelling to attend an appointment but to provide a contribution towards the cost.

NHS Scotland Patient Travel Scheme

All NHS Scotland patients are entitled to help with travel costs if they are in receipt of certain income-based benefits. This assistance is not dependent on distance travelled.

Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme

This scheme recognises that patients who are resident in the Highlands and Islands may be required to travel significant distances to attend hospital appointments given the geography of the area.

Under this scheme all patients from the former Highlands and Islands Development Board areas are entitled to financial assistance with their travel costs if they live more than 30 miles from the hospital they are attending.  Patients not on a qualifying benefit are required to pay the first £10 of any claim.

Claim form and policy

Printed claim forms are also available from hospital wards, clinics and cash offices. The form should be completed by the patient or escort, and signed and certified as detailed - including certification of attendance on the dates shown on the form.

Please use the current contact details on this page for patient travel offices rather than the details on the Policy document.

Questions and answers

Who can claim travel expenses?

Patients who have a permanent address in the NHS Highland area, and authorised escorts.  An escort is defined as being for a patient who needs assistance to ensure the safe completion of the journey to or from hospital.

Escorts must return home at the earliest opportunity, however if they choose to stay they must do so at their own expense.  Escorts who are required to accompany patients to and from hospital may either return home and travel back to hospital on patient discharge, or remain near the hospital - provided the cost of accommodation does not exceed that of the second return journey which would otherwise have been required.

What can be claimed?

Patients travelling by car are entitled to be reimbursed for fuel expenses at the prevailing mileage rate.

Patients travelling by public transport - standard class bus, train and ferry fares can be reclaimed upon production of receipts.

Taxis - travel by taxi should be seen as a last resort and reimbursement will be considered in certain circumstances, for example no public transport availability.  Taxi travel must be approved prior to the journey.

Accommodation - patients and approved escorts will be entitled to have overnight stay costs refunded at the current rate per person per night, if the stay is unavoidable due to the time of the appointment, admission or discharge.

What cannot be claimed?

The following expenses cannot be claimed:

  • visiting expenses
  • loss of earnings
  • subsistence (meals and refreshments)
  • parking fines
  • childcare costs
  • car hire

What are the rates of reimbursement?

For appointments dated after 1 March 2025:

  • patient contribution: £10
  • mileage rate: £0.15 per mile
  • overnight bed and breakfast rate: up to £50 per person per night
  • rate for staying overnight with family or friends: £10 per night

The rate of reimbursement is based on the HMRC fuel advisory rate for a petrol engine 1400cc to 2000cc. The reimbursement rate for each financial year will be determined by the advisory fuel rate from 1 September. The rates can go down as well as up.

Last updated: 21 April 2025

Next review date: 1 June 2025