The Department of Health has published a clear set of principles to ensure that local parking charges are transparent and that local staff/visitors and their needs are taken into account (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principle).
However, decisions regarding hospital car parking are taken locally by NHS Trusts and ours has concessions for certain groups such as those who have been inpatients for 14 days or more, terminally ill patients after three days, and outpatients with multiple appointments in one week. Exemptions for parking charges also apply to those with a Carer’s Passport, parents staying overnight with children, and outpatients having dialysis, radio or chemotherapy. You can find out more on this here: http://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/en/Patients-and-Visitors/Travel-and-Parking/Parking-costs/
However, free parking isn’t a serious option: the places would simply be taken by those working in the city centre. Many of my constituents do not have cars, they come by bus (without any additional subsidy for visiting sick family patients): and it’s wrong that car drivers should be subsidised, using funds which can otherwise be used by the Hospitals Trust for treating my constituents.
Representatives from the Royal College of Nursing met with me recently about parking for staff: not about charges, but spaces – which is why I’ve put the Trust and Great Western Rail together to discuss the new car park on Great Western Road which I campaigned for, and can hopefully be expanded (made higher) to provide staff with more parking.
So I’m sorry but I don’t agree with FairFuel. They do a great job campaigning for drivers on every issue – but what they don’t tell you is the consequence, which is all taxpayers (including those who cannot afford to have cars) have to pay for the extra money the NHS would need.
I don’t see how that can be justified, and so long as there are clear rules to help e.g. those with long term sickness in the family then I support the Hospital in its current approach. But it is important that the charges are reasonable, which is why I watch the situation closely.