Senior Assembly Member supports a Better Deal for cancer patients

12.00.00am GMT Wed 11th Jan 2006

A campaign to raise awareness of financial help available to cancer patients and their families has received the full backing of local assembly member Michael German.

Macmillan Cancer Relief is running a two week awareness campaign, Better Deal to encourage more people affected by cancer to find out about the financial help available.

Supporting the campaign, Michael German AM, said: "In the last year I have been contacted by constituents undergoing cancer treatments and in a lot of cases the costs of travelling to hospital and back home have caused hardship.

"Modern cancer treatments can involve people travelling to and from hospital on a daily basis, over several weeks at a time. Coupled with the side-effects of chemotherapy or radiology, such as fatigue or nausea, can also mean that getting a bus or train or driving becomes impossible."

Cancer patients may be able to get financial help under the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme or the NHS Low Income Scheme for help with petrol costs, parking charges or taxi fares. Some hospitals run schemes that will refund or exempt people from travel costs, parking charge, or both.

People affected with cancer and their families should contact their local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security office. Help is also at hand by calling 08701 555 455 or at www.ppa.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Relief's Better Deal campaign is currently running a helpline on freephone 0800 500 800 and a special website at: www.macmillan.org.uk/abetterdeal

Michael German added, "I would encourage any family affected by cancer and requiring regularly hospital treatment to enquire and file a claim. Not only do patients have the travel costs, sometimes financial pressure increases because of prescription charges, bigger heating bills and special diet requirements and at a time that many people find they cannot work during treatment."