STEVENSON ADDS HIS NAME TO MACMILLAN MOTION

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has added his name to his colleague Shona Robison’s Parliamentary Motion on the recent Macmillan Cancer Relief report.

Commenting on the Motion, Mr Stevenson said:

“The recent Macmillan Cancer Relief report, ‘Free at the Point of Delivery?’ highlights the financial burden that travelling to and from hospital for regular treatment places on cancer patients.  It is frightful that there is no record of the percentage of cancer patients in Scotland who are currently eligible for reimbursement of their travel costs under the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme.  It is therefore probably so that there are many cancer patients on low incomes without much-needed financial support.

“In conclusion, what is required is action and now in order to increase the number of eligible patients who are claiming reimbursement under the scheme.  This can be achieved via improved and increased awareness and advice.  Bearing this in mind, I urge the Scottish Executive to look at extending the scheme to cancer patients not receiving benefits, as is so done in the non-means-tested Highlands and Islands scheme.”