Taxi firm Gett begins direct NHS patient transport operations as healthcare mobility market comes into focus
- Perry Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Gett UK has begun carrying out its first direct NHS transport journeys, marking a new step into the healthcare mobility sector for the business. The development was announced by Gett UK Sales Director Paul Grant, who described the launch as the company’s “first ever direct NHS rides” and a significant milestone for the firm.
The move comes shortly after ride-hailing giant Lyft agreed to acquire Gett’s UK business as part of its wider expansion in the British transport market.
Lyft said in April that the acquisition would strengthen its position in London’s ground transport sector and expand its presence in business and public sector mobility services.
Grant highlighted the scale of the opportunity within healthcare transport, claiming that more than £2 billion is spent by the NHS on taxi services. He argued that growing demand driven by demographic trends will continue to increase the need for patient and staff transport across the health service.
According to Grant, many patients are currently being transported in specialist vehicles despite being suitable for travel in standard licensed taxis or private hire vehicles. He suggested this can result in higher costs and longer waiting times, with wider operational consequences for NHS services.
The healthcare transport market has increasingly attracted interest from technology-led booking platforms seeking to improve journey allocation, reduce waiting times and make better use of available transport resources. For taxi and private hire operators, NHS contracts can provide a significant source of regular work, although procurement requirements and safeguarding standards remain stringent.
The latest development signals Gett’s intention to expand beyond its established corporate travel customer base and increase its presence in public sector transport services. The company has not yet disclosed details of the NHS organisations involved or the scale of the operation.
