§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the recommendations made to her by Action for Sick Children into the costs of visiting children in hospital.
§ Mr. YeoWe attach particular importance to involving parents in the care and treatment of children in hospital. The hospital travel costs scheme provides help for children, who are in families on income support or family credit or otherwise have a low income, with their expenses for travelling to and from hospital for treatment and the expenses of a companion, where this is medically necessary. Help with the cost of visiting children when in hospital may be available through the social fund to families on income support. We have decided that enhancement of existing help cannot command high priority at the present time as it would entail the diversion of national health service resources away from direct patient care and impose an additional administrative burden on hospitals. Some hospitals are able to give discretionary help from non-exchequer patient amenity funds to parents travelling long distances.