Help with Transport
Parking at Colchester Hospital | Patients having Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy | Disabled parking | Hospital wheelchairs | Hospital meet and greet Volunteers | Non-urgent Hospital Transport | Disabled Blue Badge | Park and Ride details | Community Transport | Concessionary Travel - bus pass | Claiming back travel costs | Macmillan Grant | Informing the DVLA | Motability Scheme
Parking at Colchester Hospital
Colchester Hospital Map - including parking zones
It can be stressful finding somewhere to park, give yourself plenty of time to find a parking space as it is often very busy.
Drop off points
If you are traveling with someone, it can be helpful to ask them to drop you off close to hospital building near to your appointment location, whilst they park the car. The hospital map (link above) shows the various drop off points at the hospital. There are usually chairs available just inside every hospital entrance for you to sit and wait,
The chemotherapy day unit at Colchester Hospital is known as the Collingwood Centre. It is on the first floor of the main hospital building. Please click here for a map of how to find the centre.
Click here to access the main hospital webpage ‘Getting to Colchester Hospital’, to access full details of parking, disabled parking, bus routes, train, community transport, non-urgent patient transport service etc.
For patients having Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy
Parking is free for patients attending for chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. The staff in these departments will give you full details of how to access free parking.
Disabled drivers
Disabled patients can park for free. The disabled parking bays are marked on the hospital site map (click here).
If you have a blue badge you must take it to the reception and register it on the system. The reception is located near the main entrance opposite the reception desk. You WILL NOT have to do this again until your blue badge expires or you change vehicle, as the ANPR (automatic vehicle registration recognition) system will recognise your number plate when you visit again.
Blue Badge holders must not park on double yellow lines or hatched areas.
Hospital wheelchairs
A limited number of hospital wheelchairs are available at all entrances. If there are none available you can speak to the reception staff who will do their best to find you one or call a porter to bring one. This can sometimes take time.
Hospital meet and greet volunteers
At certain times, Meet and Greet volunteers are around the entrance areas to help guide you.
Non-Urgent Patient Transport Service (PTS)
PTS by car or ambulance is for patients whose physical or mental condition means that they are unable to travel in any other way and who require the skills of staff to support them during their journey.
The service is provided by the East of England Ambulance Service and where appropriate, the transport will be provided by an ambulance car service provided by volunteers. To find out if you or a family member is eligible for patient transport, please call 0300 0134995.
Please also click here, to access the East of England Ambulance Service website for further information.
Disabled Blue Badge
This is covered in a separate section of our website - click here to go to the page
Park and Ride details
Another option to avoid having to find car parking spaces at the hospital is to use one of the Park and Ride Services.
Park and Ride (to access full details of Colchester Park and Ride locations, costs, timetables and further information).
Community transport
There are a number of community transport services operating in Essex. Most of them run by voluntary organisations. It is difficult to provide details of them all. Your local library, church or community centre may have details of services in your area. Below are just few of the services that you might be eligible to use to get you to and from the hospital. Some of the organisations may also offer the hire of mobility aids, such as wheelchairs and walking frames etc.
Click on the links to give you more information about their services and how you might be able to access them.
Chelmsford Community Transport Tel: 01245 477789
Community 360 Tel: 01206 505250
Essex County Council (Highways)
Harwich Connexions Tel: 01255 552010 Email: info@harwichconnexions.co.uk
Concessionary Travel – Bus pass
You can apply for a free bus pass if you are of retirement age or have an eligible disability. If you have long term side effects from treatment that affect your walking, sight, hearing or speech it is worth checking to see if you qualify. If you are in receipt of PIP benefits and have the mobility component it would again, be worth asking if you can apply.
Concessionary Bus Pass (to access Essex County Council (Highways) website for full details about how to apply/eligibility etc). Telephone: 0345 200 0388
Claiming your Travel costs to and from Colchester Hospital
You may be able to claim for some of your travel costs if you are on low income or in receipt of certain benefits. You will be asked for written proof of benefits, receipts for travel and proof of any appointments you are claiming travel to attend.
The national scheme is called ‘Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme’ (HTCS) and more information about it, including eligibility criteria, can be found here.
Claims for the HTCS scheme are made via the ‘Travel Office’ at Colchester Hospital. Their office is located to the right of the main hospital reception desk (on the right side of the main hospital corridor, opposite the small waiting/sitting area).
Opening times Monday – Friday (excluding bank holidays) 9am – 4pm
Telephone: 01206 742334
Macmillan Grant
You may be able to request a grant from Macmillan if you are struggling financially, to cover the costs of travelling back and forth to appointments.
You can ask your health care professional, the Macmillan benefits team or contact staff/volunteers in the wellbeing centre to complete the application form online on your behalf.
Website: Macmillan Grants
Macmillan direct line for grants: 020 7840 7810
Email: macmillangrants@macmillan.org.uk.
Informing the DVLA ( Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) about having cancer?
You are not automatically expected to contact the DVLA just because you have cancer but there are some specific situations when you are required to.
If you are concerned about whether or not you need to inform the DVLA about your cancer diagnosis you can click here to check the criteria.
Motability Scheme
You might be eligible to lease a car, or have a car adapted.
If you receive Personal Independence Payment’s (sometimes referred to as “PiP”) mobility component at the higher rate and have at least 12 months remaining on your allowance, you may be eligible if you wish to give up the payment and join the Motability scheme.
For more information and details: Motability Scheme