Imagine needing routine medical treatment or check-ups, vital for your well-being, and being unable to attend because the necessary transport service won't accommodate your essential mobility aid. This is the harsh reality faced by many patients in the East of England.

Recently, my own experience along with several others with the East Of England Patient Transport Service (EEAST) highlighted a grave issue when our mobility aids, which are crucial for our independence and mobility, were deemed not suitable for transport. These aids might not be certified for use as occupant seats, but they are indispensable lifelines for countless individuals like me, who rely on them for daily activities and, crucially, for attending medical appointments. To be told that we cannot have these aids with us in transit is not just inconvenient, but deeply distressing.

Mobility aids, including wheelchairs, walking frames, and rollators, enable thousands of individuals in the East of England to maintain independence and access critical healthcare services. Limiting their transport not only breaches patient rights but also poses significant risks to health and well-being by potentially disconnecting them from essential healthcare services.

We are urging the East Of England Patients Transport Service (EEAST) and the relevant NHS Commissioners to urgently review their current policies. We need definitive guidelines that prioritize patient accessibility and safety by allowing these indispensable aids on their vehicles, irrespective of their certification status as seating.

At the heart of this issue is a fundamental right to equitable healthcare access and the ability to live autonomously. It’s vital we address it swiftly to prevent further distress or health issues due to unavailability of necessary medical transport solutions. We must strive to create a more inclusive health service that understands and supports the diverse needs of its patients.

Let’s stand together in demanding change that ensures all patients have the right to travel with their full support systems intact. Please sign this petition to urge EEAST and NHS Commissioners to act now, reshaping their transport policies to include and protect the needs of all patients.