Medicar is a specialist patient transport service based in Colchester, supporting adults whose planned journey needs more preparation than ordinary transport.
Patient transport can mean anything from a supported seated journey to specialist stretcher transport. Medicar focuses on journeys where positioning, equipment, access, coordination or clinical support needs careful review.
We work with individuals, families, care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, hospices and healthcare organisations. Each enquiry is considered on its own facts rather than being placed into a one-size-fits-all booking.
Our normal coverage includes Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, East Anglia, the wider East of England and East London. Longer-distance UK journeys can also be discussed.
The service is planned and non-emergency. Eligibility for NHS patient transport is decided by the NHS; Medicar can quote separately for a private journey.
How the booking process works
A useful enquiry moves from journey information to assessment and then confirmation.
- Tell us where and when the journey is taking place
- Describe the passenger's mobility and transport position
- Explain access at both locations
- Identify any escort, waiting or return requirement
- Allow us to assess equipment and staffing
- Receive the final quotation and booking confirmation
Transport that is planned around the passenger
The practical details matter: how the passenger will transfer, whether they remain on a stretcher, the route through the property and who will receive them at the destination.
Where information is incomplete, Medicar may ask for measurements, photographs or contact with a care professional before accepting the booking.
Frequently asked questions
Is patient transport only for hospital journeys?
No. It can include care home transfers, hospice journeys, relocations and other suitable planned journeys as well as hospital travel.
Do I need a medical referral?
A family or organisation can make an initial enquiry directly. Depending on the journey, further information from a care team or clinician may be requested.
Can Medicar wait during an appointment?
Waiting and return transport can be included in a quotation when requested and subject to availability.
Is the service available at short notice?
Short-notice requests can be discussed, but availability and the time needed to assess the journey will affect what can be accepted.