SNP Support for Families with Hospitalised Children Praised

New figures show that families across Scotland benefitted from more than £3 million of support through the SNP Scottish Government’s Young Patients Family Fund last year – helping thousands of parents and carers cover the cost of visiting their children in hospital.

The scheme ensures that families of children under 18 receiving hospital care can cover the costs of travel, food and essential expenses, helping ease the financial strain during what is often one of the most difficult periods in a family’s life.
Locally, the Falkirk East and Linlithgow constituency is served by NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lothian.

In Forth Valley, 324 families benefitted from the fund last year.
In Lothian, 2,382 families received support.

Welcoming the news, SNP Candidate Martyn Day said:
“It is great news that the Young Patients Family Fund has supported families across Forth Valley and Lothian over the last year. This funding helps parents visit their children in hospital – supporting families in their time of need.
Alongside the Baby Box, 1,140 hours of free childcare, and scrapping the two-child cap, schemes like the Young Patients Family Fund help to ensure Scotland is the best place in the UK to raise a family.”

This is yet another example of the SNP Scottish Government’s determination to use the powers it has to support families and tackle child poverty, even while Westminster fails to act.