Speaking in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood highlighted the financial pressures facing children and young people with cancer and their families, and asked the Welsh Government what action it is taking to ensure that they can afford to travel for their specialist treatment.
In this afternoon’s Business Statement, Mr Isherwood referred to a report which shows that children and young people with cancer in Wales, and their families, are spending more than the UK average travelling for their treatment. He called on the Welsh Government to ensure they receive the financial support they need, such as introducing a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund.
Calling for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on support for children and young people with cancer and their families in Wales, he said:
“The Young Lives vs Cancer's 'Running on Empty' research has found that children and young people with cancer and their families in Wales spend an average of £280 every month, higher than the UK average, travelling for their specialist cancer treatment, and only 12 per cent receive financial support to cover these costs.
“We need to know what immediate steps the Welsh Government is taking to ensure that young people with cancer and their families can afford to travel to their treatment, such as introducing a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund. And I call for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary accordingly.”
Responding, the Trefnydd, Jane Hutt MS, said:
“We want to have the best provision and services and access to cancer treatment for children and their families in Wales. And of course, our clinical networks are crucial to delivering that, but also the specialisms that are provided in support of children with cancer in our children's hospital and, indeed, in terms of north Wales, the provision, of course, in England, which is crucially important and always has been networked for patients in North Wales.”