Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

HS travel expenses

3.—(1) In these Regulations “HS travel expenses” means the travelling expenses which a person necessarily incurs –

(a) in attending –

(i) a hospital

(ii) any other establishment managed by a HSS Trust, or

(iii) any other place in the United Kingdom,

for the provision of any services (except personal medical or personal dental services provided under Article 15B of the Order) under the care of a consultant in accordance with the Order.

(2) HS travel expenses include the travel expenses of a companion in a case where the person to whom the services are provided is either –

(a) a child; or

(b) a person whose medical condition is such that, in the opinion of a doctor involved in the provision of the services or, where appropriate, another health care professional so involved, a companion is necessary.

(3) HS travel expenses include the travel expenses necessarily incurred or to be incurred by a person –

(a) who is a relative of a person transferred to Great Britain for the purpose of availing himself of accommodation or services arranged under the Order; or

(b) who is a relative of a person transferred to the Republic of Ireland for the purpose of availing himself of accommodation or services arranged under the Order; or

(c) who is the relative of a person ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland who requires hospital treatment while in the Republic of Ireland, and in such cases travelling expenses will be payable only where –

(i) the patient has been certified by the doctor in charge of his case to be dangerously ill; or

(ii) the patient, because of his medical condition, cannot be transferred to a hospital in Northern Ireland and the doctor in charge of the case certifies that the visit of the relative is necessary or expedient on medical grounds for the success of his treatment.

(4) A person who wishes to rely on entitlement to HS travel expenses must –

(a) unless he is a person who by virtue of regulation 5(1) is not required to make such a claim, make a claim to entitlement under regulation 7; and

(b) make an application for payment of HS travel expenses under regulation 9.

(5) The amount of any HS travel expenses to which a person is entitled under these Regulations –

(a) must be calculated by reference to the cost of travelling by the cheapest means of transport which is reasonable having regard to the person’s age, medical condition and any other relevant circumstances; and

(b) where travel is by private car, may include a mileage allowance and car parking expenses.