Health and Wellbeing Board	13 May 2026
Report of the Manager, Healthwatch York

Healthwatch Reports: “Getting to Healthcare – The impact of non-emergency patient transport eligibility changes on people in York and North Yorkshire” and “What Trans, Non-binary and Intersex People Told Us About Health Services in York”

Summary

1. This report is for the attention and action of Board members, sharing two reports from Healthwatch York. These share:

a. Feedback received about how changes to non-emergency patient transport, following the tightening of eligibility criteria in April 2025, have affected people across York and North Yorkshire.

b. An exploration into whether reports of poor experiences in accessing local healthcare services from some trans, non-binary and intersex (TNBI) people in York, shared with Healthwatch, were common for this community.

Background

2. Healthwatch York provides information and advice about health and care services, signposts people to support, and listens to their experiences when accessing health and care services. Through our information and signposting service we have continued to gather people’s experiences of mental health services in the city.

Main/Key Issues to be considered

3. The key findings across the two reports are:

Report A:

i. People delayed, cancelled or did not attend appointments because they struggled to find or afford alternative transport.

ii. Without patient transport, the long distances to hospitals, limited public transport and fewer accessible taxis and have increased travel challenges for people living in rural areas.

iii. People with mobility needs and those requiring wheelchair accessible vehicles face significant difficulties finding alternative public transport if they are no longer eligible for patient transport.

iv. Where people no longer qualify for patient transport, the impact can be significant. Loss of independence, increased anxiety and feeling like a burden were common experiences.

v. People can be offered transport for some conditions and not others for some elements of the treatment for some conditions, but not for tests or consultant appointments for the condition or for some venues and not others.

vi. Voluntary transport schemes are facinf increased demand, limited resources and reliance on volunteers.

Report B:

i. Many TNBI people are not treated with respect and dignity. This includes healthcare professionals consistently using the wrong pronouns or names for people.

ii. Many healthcare professionals do not have appropriate/effective training around TNBI people’s healthcare.

iii. The waiting lists for gender specific care are too long, with little to no support for people while waiting.

iv. There is not a consistent approach to shared care in York between GPs and private hormone/gender affirming care.

Consultation

4. There has been no specific consultation involved in producing the recommendations report. 

Options      

5. Health and Wellbeing Board are asked to note this report.

Strategic/Operational Plans

6. Areas of work discussed within the report have helped contribute to a number of different strategic and operational plans.

        Implications

7. There are no specialist implications from this report.

· Financial

There are no financial implications in this report.

· Human Resources (HR)

There are no HR implications in this report.

· Equalities

There are no equalities implications in this report.

· Legal

There are no legal implications in this report.

· Crime and Disorder

There are no crime and disorder implications in this report.

· Information Technology (IT)

There are no IT implications in this report.

· Property

There are no property implications in this report.

· Other

There are no other implications in this report.

        Risk Management

8. There are no risks associated with this report.

Recommendations

9. The Health and Wellbeing Board are asked to:

i. Review the responses to recommendations and confirm whether they are satisfied with these.

 Reason: To keep up to date with the work of Healthwatch York and monitor progress regarding recommendations.

Contact Details

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Siân Balsom Manager Healthwatch York 01904 621133
	Report Approved	Date	1 May 2026
Wards Affected:  All				All	P
For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers:

Annexes

Annex A – Healthwatch Report: Getting to Healthcare – The impact of non-emergency patient transport eligibility changes on people in York and North Yorkshire

Annex B – Healthwatch Report: What Trans, Non-binary and Intersex People Told Us About Health Services in York