Health and Wellness
In regard to free patient transport:
- (a) How are vulnerable population groups, such as the elderly and those with disabilities, benefiting from the free patient transport service and (b) what requirement is needed to make use of free patient transport;
- whether there is any plan to expand the free transport service to other areas in the province where residents are facing similar challenges with access to healthcare due to facility closures or damage; if so, (a) what is the total budget and (b) which areas will benefit from these transport services?
(1)(a) The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Emergency Medical Services’ HealthNET (Planned Patient Transport) system provides free transport to health appointments for patients in need of healthcare including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with disabilities. This ensures that those who may face mobility, financial or geographic barriers are able to access scheduled health services reliably and safely.
(1)(b) HealthNET is a health-specific service that is strictly reserved for patients with confirmed medical appointments and are not for emergency cases. Bookings are made only by healthcare facilities once an appointment has been scheduled and not directly by individuals. This arrangement ensures that the service is available for vulnerable groups, prevents misuse, and reduces the risk of overbooking so that transport remains available to those who need it most.
(2)(a) The total budget for HealthNET is comprised of staff costs of employment of R55 million, staff overtime of R2.5 million, and vehicle costs of R51 million. Shared costs such as radio infrastructure, booking systems and computer-aided dispatch systems are funded across the Emergency Medical Services platform.
(2)(b) The service already reaches all areas of the province and transports approximately 150,000 people annually. The Department remains committed to ensuring equitable access, particularly for rural and vulnerable communities, and continually reviews demand trends to manage capacity responsibly.
