Travelling costs

I would like to urge your readers and their patients, particularly those with cancer, to complete the online survey into the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS), under which those on low incomes are supposed to be able to claim back their travel expenses for getting to treatment. The Department of Health consultation aims to find how awareness of the HTCS can be raised among NHS staff and patients, and to work out how patients can claim their expenses back, bearing in mind that many receive their treatment away from the hospital. We know that many cancer patients struggle to find the money to travel to and park at hospital: on average patients make 53 trips costing £325 in total during the course of their treatment. However Macmillan's Cancer Costs report revealed that only 4% of those facing travel costs receive help through existing schemes such as the HTCS and two-thirds of those not getting help with these costs were unaware that these schemes even existed. This survey is a vital opportunity for patients to make their voices heard and could save future cancer patients hundreds of pounds and spare them the stress of trying to make ends meet. People can take part in the online survey from 1 February by visiting www.dh.gov.uk and clicking Policy and Guidance then Policy A-Z then H and selecting Hospital Travel Costs Scheme.

• © British Journal of General Practice, 2007.