Nurses' fury as health chiefs launch parking crackdown

Published on Tuesday 27 October 2009 08:46

NURSES have been left furious after hospital bosses launched a crackdown on parking at the overcrowded Western General.

Union chiefs said they were flooded with nearly 200 complaints after NHS Lothian announced the get tough policy.

It is understood the health and safety executive, which is looking into arrangements at the hospital following an accident involving a delivery van which took the life of 77-year-old in April, has told health chiefs to crackdown on rogue parkers.

But workers at the hospital without permits say there is nowhere else to park for their shift.

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Unison's Lothian branch chairman Tom Waterson said: "We were absolutely inundated after an e-mail went out.

"At the Western there is quite a lot of parking on yellow lines, or pink lines as some are, and when the health and safety executive went round they said it had to stop.

"Before staff parking in these places would maybe get a sticker on their window but it would be worth it because they need to take their car to work and somewhere to park. It's a huge issue just now among all workers there, not just nurses.

"They may say there has been 80 spaces freed up, but overall there has been a reduction in spaces for staff."

NHS Lothian has dismissed the concerns and insists there are in fact more spaces available now at the Craigleith site.

Parking at the Western General has been a hot topic since the Scottish Government lifted parking charges at most hospitals.

Complaints rocketed from virtually none to scores every month with fears the problem will only get worse as the NHS attempts to boost development on the land.

Space has had to be found for the new Royal Victoria Hospital, a multi-storey car park and the new eye pavilion, while it is expected when the city's psychiatric hospital – the Royal Edinburgh – is revamped at least some of its services will be based in Craigleith.

One nurse who contacted the Evening News said her department was e-mailed to say no staff without permits would be able to park on-site in future – though this has been denied by NHS Lothian.

The medic, who did not want to be named, said: "We're all up in arms about it. "You're either starting very early in the morning or at night, and it's not easy to get buses at that time."

Lynn McDowall, the Royal College of Nursing's professional officer for Edinburgh, said: "The construction plans at the Western General Hospital are likely to cause considerable disruption to parking for staff.

"We are working with other unions and NHS Lothian to ensure that parking for staff and visitors is improved across Edinburgh, and we would be extremely concerned if any staff member were unable to get to work as a result of these changes."

John Jack, NHS Lothian's director of facilities, said: "Far from reducing car parking spaces at the Western, we have actually made more available during improvement works on the site. We recently sent an update to staff telling them that nearly 80 additional car parking spaces have been made available for staff without permits."