Nationwide free transport for cataract patients through SpaMedica

(Image credit: AdobeStock/Brian Jackson

SpaMedica, a member of the Veonet Group, the largest provider of ophthalmology care in Europe, is the first healthcare provider in the country to offer free, unrestricted transport to all NHS cataract patients, regardless of location. This action supports the NHS goals to improve equity, access, and community-based care, according to a press release from SpaMedica.

Besides cataract surgeries, SpaMedica also treats posterior capsule opacification, glaucoma, and provides medical retina service.

This new transportation service is an improvement to the previous service that required patients to live at least 10 miles away to qualify for free transport.

According to Tom Fellows, Head of Policy and Value Proposition at SpaMedica, “It’s about making healthcare accessible for everyone and bringing local care closer to the heart of the community.”

This new enhancement aligns with the NHS’s 10-year plan to reduce health inequalities and shift care closer to home, removing transport as a barrier for thousands of patients – especially those in underserved, rural, or low-income communities, explained SpaMedica.

The company has a nationwide network of 64 eye hospitals, ensuring patient access to care. The provider also recently announced that it launched its community diagnostic and treatment centres, which enable patients to attend many of their pre- and postoperative appointments closer to home, further reducing travel time and increasing convenience.

SpaMedica believes this comprehensive service improves the quality of its patients’ lives.

Mr. Fellows commented further, “Our patient transport service is about more than just getting from A to B – it’s about making healthcare accessible for everyone and bringing local care closer to the heart of the community. We’re proud to support the NHS ambition to deliver more care in or near people’s homes, reduce waiting times, and ensuring that no one is left behind because of where they live. Not everyone has a friend or family member who is available to take them to and from their appointments, and taxis are an expense many patients can’t afford. Some of our patients also live in rural areas without regular access to public transport.

To access the free transport service, cataract patients who wish to be referred to SpaMedica for treatment simply need to ask their optician to note that they require transport on their referral form.