HC Deb 26 February 2002 vol 380 cc1083-4W
Vera Baird

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who pays the fares of patients travelling to Europe for NHS operations. [37939]

Mr. Hutton

Regulations have now come into force to amend the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 to permit NHS bodies to pay for the travel of NHS patients going overseas for treatment funded by the NHS. Where patients travel abroad for treatment the NHS meets the cost of the patient's travel from the point at which they begin their international journey (the airport, ferry port or international train station) to the foreign provider. Reimbursement of travel expenses between the patient's home to the airport, ferry port or international train station are governed by the same rules that apply to payment of travelling expenses to hospitals in England. This change ensures that patients treated overseas under the auspices of the NHS are not disadvantaged by having to travel further for that treatment.