Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of the increased cost of living on stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy recipients.

There are no plans to assess the potential benefits and costs of establishing a patient travel fund for stem cell transplant and CAR-T recipients. NHS England does not provide any specific cost of living support for patients receiving stem cell transplantation, however, trusts can exercise discretion to provide accommodation and/or other support depending on local and individual patient circumstances. The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) provide funded transport where it is considered essential to ensuring an individual’s safety, safe mobilisation, condition management or recovery.

Depending on a patient’s financial circumstances, they may be eligible for financial support with costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Those who do not qualify for NEPTS and need financial help with travel can access the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. This is aimed specifically at those with a low income and allows patients to claim for all or part their travel costs should they meet the eligibility criteria.

We recognise the pressures people are facing with the rising cost of living. Our extensive arrangements to help people afford NHS prescription charges, means that almost 89% of prescription items dispensed in community pharmacies in England are already provided free of charge. For those not exempt from charges, pre-payment certificates can be used to cap costs at just over £2 a week for regular prescriptions.

People with long-term health conditions or disabilities, including those requiring stem cell transplants, may be entitled to financial support to contribute towards their extra costs such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.

The Government does not any specific support to stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients pursuing a safe return to work. However, the Government has a range of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including stem cell transplant and CAR-T therapy patients, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include increasing Work Coach and Disability Employment Advisers’ support in Jobcentres, the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work grants, Disability Confident, the Information and Advice Service and support in partnership between Department for Work and Pensions and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies.