Here are some questions passengers ask

Do you only help disabled people?
No, we do not limit our service to the disabled.

Do you only take people who are retired or are over a certain age?
No, we do not discriminate by age, or any other criterion.

Do you only work within certain boundaries by or destination?
Yes.  We will pick people up from Alton town plus the surrounding villages.  For destinations, we have no restrictions save that they must be medically-related and that we have a volunteer prepared to make the journey.  In practical terms most destinations are within the counties of Hampshire and Surrey but we do occasionally make journeys to other locations such as Oxford or London.

Do I need my own disabled badge ('blue badge')?
No, but if you have one please make sure you have it with you before leaving home.  It can make life easier when trying to find a parking space at some hospitals and clinics.

How much notice do you need for a trip?
As much as possible, ideally a week (or more).  We can occasionally fulfil requests at short notice but, in general, the more notice yuou can give us, the better.

Will your driver wait for me?
Yes the same driver will normally take you home but if your appointment is expected to take more than two hours we may need to make arrangements for a second driver to collect you; where this is necessary we will not expect you to pay the voluntary contribution twice; the amount is at your discretion.  Please give the Duty Co-ordinator as much information as possible about your appointment when making your request so that our drivers know what to expect. They may wait with you but often will go back to their car or do something else while your treatment continues; if possible they will give their mobile telephone number to the reception desk at the facility you are visiting so that they can be advised when they need to return to meet you.

Can your driver help me from my home into their car and from their car into the place I am visiting?
Drivers may provide a guiding hand or steadying arm but there are very clear restrictions on what drivers can do; first, because of limitations of our insurance cover in case of accidents to you; second, because many of our drivers are retired and hence not as young as they used to be and they need to be careful not to injure themselves; and, third, because our drivers are all unpaid volunteers and not trained healthcare professionals.  

Will your driver push me in my wheelchair to their car, take it to the place of my appointment and bring it home  (or take and bring back my walking aid)?
We can usually take wheelchairs and walking aids.  However, the question of taking your wheelchair or walking aid must be dealt with when arranging an appointment otherwise your driver may arrive and not have space in the car to take it or may be unable to lift it!

I normally would drive my own car but am temporarily unable through illness or disability to use it to go to the doctors/hospital (or I may not be well enough to drive home), can I ask Alton Community Care to help me?
Certainly.  A common situation is that of people going to eye appointments, where the hospital inserts horrid eye drops that cause blurred vision and mean that you cannot drive home.  We are happy to take you and return you home if you are in this unfortunate situation.

I have a sick relative in hospital, will Alton Community Care take me?
We will endeavour to take immediate family of those in our area and without their own transport (or that of a friend or neighbour) to visit a sick relative in hospital; however we do have limited resources and cannot normally undertake regular visits to relatives in hospital.  However, please talk to the Duty Co-ordinator who may be able to negotiate some arrangement in individual cases. 

Will you provide a driver to take me to other locations such as the station, airport or a shopping centre if I have no-one to drive me?
No.  We restrict our service to medical and medical-related appointments.  Trips to hospitals, doctors' surgeries, clinics, dental appointments and physiotherapy sessions are all within our remit.  We also take people to Alton Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre.  We do not take people to the gym, or to the swimming pool (even though such activities might be good for your health).

What if I cannot afford your ‘voluntary contribution’?
We do not make a ‘charge’ and all clients are free to make whatever donation they feel able to afford.

Will the driver give me change if I do not have the correct money?
Most clients give us whatever they wish and your driver may not have change so if you do not have the exact money you wish to donate please make sure your driver knows what change you will require on the outward part of your journey so that he or she can make further arrangements as necessary while you are at your appointment.

Will your driver give me a receipt?
Receipts are available on request; most clients do not ask for one but, if you do require one, please tell the Duty Co-ordinator when you phone for  your appointment.