Member for Wollondilly, Nathaniel Smith MP said the NSW Government is looking to make life as easy as possible for bushfire-affected communities with practical solutions during an incredibly tough time.

"People in bushfire-affected areas enough to worry about at the moment without the additional stress of finding extra money to travel long distances to see a specialist," he said.

"By broadening the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) for patients impacted by bushfires, we are helping ease some of the financial pressure.

The IPTAAS provides subsidies for transport and accommodation expenses incurred when travelling at least 100km, or a cumulative distance of at least 200km in a week for specialist medical treatment.

Mr Smith welcomed the Cancer Council NSW's Director of Information and Support Services Annie Miller advice that the scheme would assist cancer patients unable to return home between treatments.

"This will make a significant difference to patients and their families having regular cancer treatments who haven't been able to return home due to road closures or poor air quality and have been forced to spend more on accommodation and travel," Ms Miller said.

Patients are encouraged to include additional information such as extenuating circumstances and tax invoices within their applications. Anyone experiencing financial hardship should contact IPTAAS to discuss payment options.

For more information about the IPTAAS scheme, call 1800 478 227 or go to http://www.iptaas.health.nsw.gov.au/home.

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