A leading health charity is calling on cancer patients across York, North and East Yorkshire to speak out about the hidden cost of getting treatment.

Macmillan Cancer Support wants people to take part in the Department of Health's consultation into the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS), which offers those on low incomes the chance to claim back their travel expenses for getting to treatment.

The consultation aims to find how awareness of the HTCS can be raised among NHS staff and patients and to work out how best patients can claim their expenses back.

Charity staff said the most widespread expense facing cancer patients is the cost of travel to and parking at hospital. On average, patients make 53 trips costing £325 in total during the course of their treatment. However, the charity said too many patients are not told they might be able to claim this money back.

Macmillan's Cancer Costs report revealed only four per cent of those facing travel costs receive help through existing schemes such as the HTCS and two-thirds of those not getting help with the costs were unaware these schemes even existed.

Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby, head of campaigns and public affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "This survey is a vital opportunity for patients to make their voices heard and could save future cancer patients hundreds of pounds and spare them the stress of trying to make ends meet."

Cancer patients can take part in the online survey from February by visiting www.dh.gov.uk and clicking Policy and Guidance then Policy A-Z then "H" and selecting Hospital Travel Costs Scheme.