UK NEWS

NEW £3-A-DAY LIMIT ON NHS PARKING FEES

COSTLY: Parking at hospitals across Scotland is a drain on staff and patients

Saturday December 22,2007

By Scott Macnab

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(1)

HOSPITAL parking charges are to be capped at £3 a day, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon revealed yesterday.

But the measure will not apply at two of the country’s biggest hospitals with Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangements.

It comes after an independent review group was set up to look at the issue amid concerns from NHS staff and patients.

The principle of a maximum charge was recommended by the review group, although it wants more analysis to be done before setting out what this should be.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The review group has found that the cost of car parking can be too high for staff on lower wages, for patients and for visitors and that a maximum charge should be set, but that further work is needed on what it should be.

“That work will be done, but in order to provide protection against unnecessary or excessive charges in the meantime, I have decided to act now to introduce a cap of £3 a day.”

It will be implemented in January. However, the PFI car park at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, which charges £1.10 an hour, and the PFI-built Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, which has a £7 daily cap, will not be covered. Plans to introduce charges at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow were suspended amid local concerns, pending the review.

A Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board spokeswoman said the board will await the detailed government guidance in the new year, which will also cover the criteria for issuing staff parking permits. She said: “The focus of our approach is on the needs of patients and visitors.”

John Jack, director of facilities at NHS Lothian, said the board will examine the guidance, but said it “does not make any money” from car parking.

Unison regional officer Matt McLaughlin said: “It is welcome that the cabinet secretary has recognised the need to cut the charges that have become a tax on the sick.”

Tory public health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: “The statement that there should be a presumption against charging goes significantly beyond the position of the previous administration, which gave boards the power to levy the charge.

“Certain boards have clearly not been working on this basis, instead viewing the charge as stealth tax on staff, patients and visitors. Such crude attempts to exploit car park users must be brought to an end."

WHY CAN'T WE BE AS REASONABLE AS THE JOCKS?

22.12.07, 11:22am

You would never see a £3 a day cap on English hospitals because they have discovered over the last several years a massive cash cow called the poor motorist.

People do not go to hospital for fun (except Munchausen syndromes and gynacologists). They have to attend for their own well being and health; and it is unrealistic to expect them to rely on public transport or taxis.

• Posted by: Zeigfreid • Report Comment