Are hospital parking charges fair?

[Taf]

The British Medical Association has called for hospital parking charges to be scrapped after it was revealed that NHS Trusts in Wales make nearly £4m a year from charges.

The BMA said the money amounted to a "tax on the sick" and their relatives, although trusts say the charges help manage demand for spaces, keep the car parks secure and any surpluses are ploughed back into patient care.

Do you think there should be an end to hospital parking charges? What are your experiences?

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4360&edition=1&ttl=20080227113611

[Taf]

Added: Wednesday, 27 February, 2008, 10:37 GMT 10:37 UK

The UHW has a lack of parking spaces for staff, patients and vistors, and most surrounding streets have been yellow-lined to force people into the payable carparks. Even a nearby park has been taken over and made a payable area!

Blue badge holders used to be allowed double time for the same fee, but now pay the same as the able-bodied.

Make the car parking free and it will fill with commuter vehicles, so perhaps "parking validation" is the way to go? Free for those using the hospital only?

Taf, Cardiff

[Taf]

Radio Wales has just called me to ask if I could take part in a discussion at 1:15 today, but unfortunately I will be out.. but they will use my comment from the website as a "very valid and constructive idea".

[fred]

Bangor Hossie (Ysbyty Gwynedd) has huge car parks.  all the convenient ones are taken by staff and, before they started charging, most of the rest were filled by 8:30 a.m. by commuters who parked for free and then took a bus into the city centre as it was much cheaper for them.  at least people wanting to visit etc can now usually find a space.

[Kat]

I saw a family come out of hospital, where the granny had just died, to find their car clamped.

That was about 21:00 hours.

You can imagine, I expect.

It's parasitic.

[Pam]

That's terrible.
Alway's very difficult to get parked at our local hossie.

[Nanaof2]

Hubby works as a community nurse and as such has to go into hospitals locally - he refuses to pay the £1.60 for the time it takes to carry out an assessment (they even charge NHS workers!). The charge for a day is £6! He was given a parking ticket once - he disputed it and they dropped the charges - eventually!
It wouldn't be so bad if he was paid a decent wage but he's a nurse.....

[Spite]

Hubby works as a community nurse and as such has to go into hospitals locally - he refuses to pay the £1.60 for the time it takes to carry out an assessment (they even charge NHS workers!). The charge for a day is £6! He was given a parking ticket once - he disputed it and they dropped the charges - eventually!
It wouldn't be so bad if he was paid a decent wage but he's a nurse.....

  That's appaling!  And with rising public transport fares, it's not much cheaper to go by bus.

[Nanaof2]

Hubby can't go by bus - they don't run at 3 in the morning! 

[Brains]

Just think - if the moneys going back into the NHS and local hospitals then isn't it worth paying it 
BUT if it doesnt go back into the system to be used for the NHS/hossies then if that made it so it HAD to go directly back to the hospitals involved to improve patient care then that may make it more palatable

[Spite]

Hubby can't go by bus - they don't run at 3 in the morning! 

   They barely run at any time of day, here.  The timetables are a complete work of fiction.

[Brains]

I am glad I get patient transport to hospital appointments now as it used to cost a small fortune but I dont be grudge it IF it goes back into the right place

[Lisa]

the last time i was at the hospital in a car we had to park in the free space, as there was no way we were going to pay to park just that little bit closer.
How much longer that free space will remain i don't know, but it does get full rather quickly

I think it is wrong that they charge so much for parking at hospitals, a little bit is fine to keep running costs be it security for the night staff and patients when they are out side the building, or even ploughing the money into patient care itself.
I do think they shouldn't be allowed to make a profit on it.

[Taf]

Don't let us forget that the "profit" is what is left over after the parking companies have taken their BIG cut....

Our local hospital spent the money on a statue, a painting and a clock..... hardly patient care... especially as the clock is hidden outside...

[Spite]

Our local hospital spent the money on a statue, a painting and a clock..... hardly patient care... especially as the clock is hidden outside...

  Makes your blood boil, doesn't it, Doc?