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Special help with medical appointments

Great Ormond Street Hospital

If your child or young person has an appointment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), their social work team can advise on:

  • Hospital transport - some children may qualify for an ambulance or assisted transport to and from GOSH. This will need to be organised with the ward directly
  • Travel repayments - if you travel by public transport, you may get help with your travel costs to and from hospital if you're on certain benefits

Other help available with transport costs

  • Family Fund - you may be eligible for a grant to help with travel costs
  • Taxicard - if you're eligible for a Taxicard you can use it wherever you live in London. You usually pay a flat fare of £2.50
  • Blue Badge - families with a disabled child or young person can apply for a Blue Badge which includes designated spaces in car parks and can include street parking on yellow lines
  • Congestion Charge NHS reimbursement - visit Transport for London (TfL) to pay the charge online and find out if you're eligible for the NHS reimbursement scheme. You may be able to claim back the charge if the patient is too ill to travel to the hospital on public transport
  • Clic Sargent - offers support to children and young people with cancer and their families, and may be able to offer some financial help
  • React Children's Charity - offers help to children with a life-limiting illness. They will consider requests for travel costs made via a medical professional

If your child needs to go to hospital either as an inpatient or outpatient, we recommend you complete a hospital passport (PDF). This will provide staff with important information about your child and can help make appointments and hospital stays run smoothly.

If your child has autism, there is a hospital passport for autistic people which helps parents tell the doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals about their child's needs.

Most hospitals have an Acute Liaison Nurse, who can work with staff to help them understand the needs of your child. They can also advise what reasonable adjustments (PDF) are needed to make your child's hospital stay as comfortable as possible. View details of Local Acute Liaison Nurses (PDF).

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