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Travel Cost For Cancer Patients

hilili

By hilili
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hilili

hilili

Posted
Posted

Hi All

I work as a Cancer Advisor, within a Cancer Support Organisation. Currently we are finding that more and more patients are having difficulties attending appointments for essential treatment due to travel costs. We are very lucky to have hospital transport but it often means patients waiting around for many hours which doesn't help with their fatigue, also some patients are happy to continue being independent for as long as possible. I was thinking that if we had a designated newsagents in our community perhaps residents would pop in with one or two pounds which would help top up our patients Oyster Cards. This will hopefully be short term as I am talking to TFL for a permanent solution to this problem. Any thoughts or opinions will be appreciated. Thanks

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langlounge

langlounge

Posted
Posted

hilili Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi All

> I work as a Cancer Advisor, within a Cancer

> Support Organisation. Currently we are finding

> that more and more patients are having

> difficulties attending appointments for essential

> treatment due to travel costs. We are very lucky

> to have hospital transport but it often means

> patients waiting around for many hours which

> doesn't help with their fatigue, also some

> patients are happy to continue being independent

> for as long as possible. I was thinking that if we

> had a designated newsagents in our community

> perhaps residents would pop in with one or two

> pounds which would help top up our patients Oyster

> Cards. This will hopefully be short term as I am

> talking to TFL for a permanent solution to this

> problem. Any thoughts or opinions will be

> appreciated. Thanks


Hilili

Don't you advise cancer patients to apply for a Freedom Pass? Cancer is recognised as a disability and anyone who has cancer and is suffering from fatigue that makes waiting for and having to stand on, public transport, certainly used to be eligible for a Freedom Pass. This would give them free travel on buses and the underground and most of the overground at all times, plus free rail travel after 09:30. Have the rules been changed for Freedom Passes so they couldn't get one?

Jeremy

Jeremy

Posted
Posted

ianr Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is there any rationale for restricting such help to cancer patients?


Yes there is - and it ties in with langlounge's point. I believe that freedom passes are generally only available for people with more severe or long term mobility issues. A cancer patient suffering from exhaustion and fatigue may not meet that criteria, so I can see how having transport costs covered could be a huge help.

ianr

ianr

Posted
Posted

Jermy, I think you've misconstrued my question, so I'll rephrase it: Is there any rationale for offering such help only to cancer patients?


I have looked up the actual conditions,. There's a useful recent DfT guidance document too: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181507/eligibility-review.pdf [PDF, 316kB]

Jeremy

Jeremy

Posted
Posted

I understood the question perfectly. But I'm not really sure why you're asking it.


The OP is obviously initiating this as part of their role within a cancer support organisation. So if you're suggesting that they open it up to the wider community, then that would clearly be out of scope.

hilili

hilili

Posted
  • Author
Posted

langlounge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> hilili Wrote:

Hi Langlounge


Thanks for this, Obviously we apply for Freedom Passes and do complete benefit checks. This is my experience of working with various local authorities, the patient applies to their local borough, having Cancer does not fast track the application, e.g for a patient being treated for Lung Cancer, if you can walk a certain distance - you don't qualify, if the applicant is successful it can take up to six weeks, I am working with local authorities and TFL to try to get something in place long term but this was just a thought,for short term immediate help. > --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Hi All

> > I work as a Cancer Advisor, within a Cancer

> > Support Organisation. Currently we are finding

> > that more and more patients are having

> > difficulties attending appointments for

> essential

> > treatment due to travel costs. We are very

> lucky

> > to have hospital transport but it often means

> > patients waiting around for many hours which

> > doesn't help with their fatigue, also some

> > patients are happy to continue being

> independent

> > for as long as possible. I was thinking that if

> we

> > had a designated newsagents in our community

> > perhaps residents would pop in with one or two

> > pounds which would help top up our patients

> Oyster

> > Cards. This will hopefully be short term as I

> am

> > talking to TFL for a permanent solution to this

> > problem. Any thoughts or opinions will be

> > appreciated. Thanks

>

> Hilili

> Don't you advise cancer patients to apply for a

> Freedom Pass? Cancer is recognised as a disability

> and anyone who has cancer and is suffering from

> fatigue that makes waiting for and having to stand

> on, public transport, certainly used to be

> eligible for a Freedom Pass. This would give them

> free travel on buses and the underground and most

> of the overground at all times, plus free rail

> travel after 09:30. Have the rules been changed

> for Freedom Passes so they couldn't get one?

Pugwash

Pugwash

Posted
Posted

What about the Taxi Card scheme?

Someone I know has cancer and needs to travel to Guys Hospital for sessions of chemo, the Palliative Care Team at Kings have applied for a Taxi Card for him. Because of the cancer in his spine - he uses a wheelchair so public transport is more difficult.

  • 2 weeks later...

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