I mentioned in my last Harlow community update that I had been to visit the Derwent Centre in the grounds of the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

I spent time with a number of the NHS professionals and amongst other things, the subject of the fuel allowance came up in the discussion. I was surprised to learn that some medical health workers get just twelve pence a mile, even is they use their car all day for visiting patients.

My own view is that NHS employees should be given a uniform fuel allowance to combat huge local variations" in existing expenses regimes.

I am concerned that many NHS workers, especially mental health services employees, were not getting a fair deal from their bosses over petrol costs.

For them to not be getting a proper fuel allowance when they're using their car for work, not for pleasure, seems to me incredibly unjust and unfair.

For this reason, I have tabled a Commons motion on the issue which calls on the government to review the current rates of reimbursement. (My Motion is here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=42331&SESSION=905)

I have also asked Questions about this in Parliament and called for an urgent debate. The Leader of the House of Commons, has pledged to write to the Health Department.

I have also been told that a recent review by the NHS Staff Council proposed a simpler system which applies the same rate of reimbursement to all staff, regardless of road mileage.

Rates are set by HM Revenue and Customs and applied by the NHS Employers organisation. Some staff are paid on locally negotiated rates, however, with further variations depending on road mileage.

The new system will be more consistent and deliver a cost-effective way for reimbursing travel costs for staff that use their own vehicles for work purposes. We expect the new system to be implemented in July 2013.

NHS organisations are permitted to agree different arrangements which provide benefits to staff beyond those provided in the [NHS terms and conditions] handbook or are agreed as operationally preferable", however.

Some staff are not on the national terms and conditions, however. In these cases local arrangements would have to be reviewed locally.

Nevertheless, it still seems to be a spaghetti junction of bodies that decide the amount.

I believe in localism... but there can be guidelines and they can be encouraged - dare I say it, nudged - in the right direction.

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