Assisted travel schemes

The states and territories each provide some financial assistance to patients in rural and regional areas who are unable to access appropriate medical services in their area.

 For more information about the Travel Scheme in your state, click on the links below.

| ACT | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA |

Australian Capital Territory

The Intersate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (IPTAS) provides assistance to permanent residents of the ACT towards travel accommodation expenses incurred when referred interstate for medical treatment not available in the ACT.
More information: http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=da&did=10078875

New South Wales

Transport Health aims to help people who are most transport-disadvantaged tin New South Wales access non-emergenct health-related services.

Transport for Health include the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Scheme (IPTAAS) and StatewideInfant Screening-Hearing (SWISH) Travel.
For more information: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2007/pdf/transport_guide.pdf

Northern Territory

The Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS)assists Northern Territory residents to access a range of essential specialist medical / surgical services where services are not available locally, from within the Northern Territory or from a visiting service. PATS provides assistance with travel, and if applicable, accommodation costs to residents of the Northern Territory who are required to travel more than 200kms to the nearest specialist medical treatment.
More information: http://www.health.nt.gov.au/Hospitals/Patient_Assistance_Travel_Scheme/index.aspx

Queensland

The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) provides assistance to patients and in some cases their carers to enable them to access specialist medical services from which they are isolated.
More information: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/services/community/ptss/default.asp

South Australia

The South Australian Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) provides some financial reimbursement to country patients and approved escorts with the cost of travel and accommodation when they are required to travel over 100 kilometres (each way) to receive specialist medical treatment that is not available at their nearest centre.
More information: http://www.rah.sa.gov.au/country/pats.php

Tasmania

The Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS) provides financial help to Tasmanian residents who need to travel for specialist medical treatment or a service or specialist oral surgery not available locally.
More information: http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/service_information/hospitals/patient_travel_assistance_scheme

Victoria

The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS)  provides partial reimbursement to assist with travel and accommodation costs incurred by rural patients and if appropriate, their escorts, when travelling long distances or staying away from home to receive specialist medical treatment.
More information: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ruralhealth/aservices/vptas.htm

 Western Australia

The Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) provides assistance to people in the country who are required to travel more than 100 km (one way) to obtain the nearest available medical specialist treatment not available locally, via telehealth or from a visiting service. The PATS provides a subsidy only, it does not cover all of the costs associated with travel to a specialist appointment.
More information: http://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/default.asp?documentid=409

Date reviewed: 15.11.2008