§ Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take to facilitate close relatives visiting patients who have been moved for treatment from their home area to another health authority area because of inadequate facilities in the home area.
§ Mr. MoyleNone, at present. Legislation would be needed to enable the National Health Service to make payments to hospital visitors from public funds and this would make additional calls on the limited resources available to the NHS for the care and treatment of patients. In some cases spare capacity in a health authority vehicle—not ambulance service vehicle—already travelling to the same hospital may be used by a visitor on payment of the appropriate fare. There may also be voluntary bodies who are willing to provide transport for visitors in some circumstances.
I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of the current NHS circular on the subject.
§ Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will meet the cost of close relatives who have to travel to London from Merseyside to visit patients sent there for treatment.
456W
§ Mr. MoyleNo. There are no powers under the National Health Service Acts to pay the travelling expenses of visitors to NHS hospitals. Most hospitals have access to trust funds through which they can, at their discretion, help visitors with financial difficulties to meet their travelling expenses. Under the supplementary benefits scheme, beneficiaries and, very exceptionally non-beneficiaries, may receive assistance from their local social security office with the cost of visiting close relatives in hospital.