Sir Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for financial support for patients required to travel very long distances to access (a) stem cell transplants, (b) CAR-T immunotherapy and (c) other specialist treatments; what recent assessment he has made of the financial impact on such patients of claiming reimbursement of substantial travel costs retrospectively under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme; and if he will make it his policy to amend that scheme to allow payment in advance to patients having to undertake expensive journeys to and from treatment centres.  [111607]

[Due for Answer on 12 February. Answered on 13 February.]

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety (Dr Zubir Ahmed): No such assessment has been made, and there are no current plans to amend the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). It is already the case that where required and appropriate, advance payments may be made to patients on low incomes to allow them to attend their appointments. Further information can be found on the HTCS webpage, at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/