WATFORD cancer sufferers may be forced to spend more than £500 on transport to and from hospitals for treatment sessions, it was revealed in July.

A report on the issue was released by Macmillan Cancer Relief on Tuesday, July 19.

It also said that patients are not being told they may be able to claim travel costs back by the majority of NHS hospitals.

Some patients make up to 60 trips for treatment, from diagnosis to follow-up appointments.

Many cancer sufferers are forced to give up work due to their condition, and so they have low incomes and survive on state benefits alone.

Such people are eligible for the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme, through which they can reclaim their travel costs.

The report said only 19 per cent of hospitals are informing their patients of this possibility.

Furthermore, 90 per cent of hospitals with cancer centres or units in the south east of England charge patients for parking.

Tom Bishop, of Reeds Crescent, Watford, who had a cancerous tumour in his neck and cancer in his tonsils, but is now disease free, said he spent around £550 on transport to and from treatment centres in London.

Mr Bishop got his care through his membership of Bupa rather than through the NHS, but did receive an operation at Barts NHS hospital in London.

He said: "While I was there I was treated just as any other NHS patient. None of the staff ever mentioned anything about the possibility of claiming back travel costs. When I was going to London for treatment I would often have to pay for someone else to go with me as I could not travel alone.

"I took public transport, as the congestion charge would have made it very expensive for me otherwise."

Until recently, Mr Bishop still visited his doctor every month for check-ups. This has now dropped in frequency to bi-monthly appointments, as he is considered free from the disease, but is not yet in remission.

Macmillan Cancer Relief director for Hertfordshire, Stephen Richards, said: "Cancer patients in Hertfordshire should not have the added stress of trying to find the money to travel for their life-saving treatment.

"As more people are being treated on a day-patient basis, the NHS is saving £200 per patient, per day.

"However, the financial burden has shifted to the patient, in the form of increased travel costs."

A representative from Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood said parking for patients at the cancer unit is subsidised and only costs 50p, but the centre cannot afford to make it free.

He said staff at the hospital are regularly reminded to tell patients about benefits and that literature from Macmillan is available to them.

A spokesman for Watford General Hospital said they perform some cancer operations at the hospital but most cancer patients go to Mount Vernon Hospital.

She said parking for patients who regularly visit the hospital is either free or covered by a nominal charge. In addition, staff are aware of all the benefits on offer.

She said that Macmillan literature is also available to patients.

The report also states that the average amount spent on transport for cancer patients in Hertfordshire is about £380 during the course of their treatment.