Home / Health / Govt. Funds Cancer Patient Travel: No More Debt
Govt. Funds Cancer Patient Travel: No More Debt
3 Feb
Summary
- Government allocates £10 million annually for patient travel expenses.
- Fund covers parking, train, and petrol costs for under-25s.
- New initiative aims to prevent families from incurring debt for treatment travel.
Families facing the immense challenge of a child's cancer diagnosis will receive significant financial relief through a new government scheme. The NHS has committed £10 million annually to cover travel expenses, including parking, train fares, and petrol, for young patients and their families. This initiative is designed to alleviate the financial strain that has led some families to cut back on essential living costs.
The travel fund will benefit all children, teenagers, and young adults under 25 undergoing cancer treatment, irrespective of their family income. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized that the focus should be on recovery, not on affording transportation to appointments. This plan ensures that families will not be out of pocket during their child's treatment journey.
The charity Young Lives vs Cancer has advocated for such a fund for nearly a decade, highlighting that families have previously gone into debt or missed treatment due to travel costs averaging £250 per month. Professor Peter Johnson from NHS England noted that this support, combined with earlier diagnosis and emotional care, will improve overall treatment outcomes for young cancer patients.
