Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce travel times for cancer patients in rural areas requiring radiotherapy treatment.

We recognise that for those in rural communities, the particular treatment they need may not be available at their local hospital, which would mean that travel to a specialist centre or specialist centres would be required, in order to receive the best care possible. The Government aims to ensure that each radiotherapy treatment centre is accessible to the highest number of patients possible, as well as being easily reached by the staff who work there.

The National Health Service runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital, or other NHS premises, for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

This includes the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, which provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.