Hospital car parking fees to be reviewed

Published on Saturday 15 September 2007 00:24

CAR parking charges at hospitals in Scotland are to be reviewed after concerns over patients, staff and visitors paying hundreds of pounds a year, it was announced yesterday.

Last year, The Scotsman revealed a postcode lottery of fees around the country. Edinburgh Royal Infirmary charges 7 a day and NHS Greater Glasgow has just introduced similar charges at four hospitals.

The charges have proved unpopular with patients and staff, with parents saying they have had to leave the bedsides of their sick children to feed meters.

Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, said it was time to review the guidance to health boards on charging.

"People working at or visiting hospitals across Scotland should be protected from unnecessary or excessive charges," she said.

"The cost of hospital car parking, especially for lower paid members of staff who do not qualify for a parking permit, can be a large expense and I understand the concern expressed to me by many people who work in the NHS."

The Scottish Government review will study how schemes can be modified to ensure fairness to staff, patients, visitors and carers.

Greater Glasgow health board welcomed the move and pledged to work with the Scottish Government.

"It is clear that there are challenges faced all over Scotland in ensuring that patients, visitors and staff who need a car for vital duties can access hospital car parks when they need to," the board said today.

Any changes at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, Scotland's biggest private finance initiative hospital, will have to be made in conjunction with private company Consort Healthcare, which operates the car parks.