FabSwingers.com forum: New costs of parking at NHS Hospitals

By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

Hi guys!

Not sure if it’s just my area - but recently the car park system/fees have changed here!

As some of you know, my mum is constantly in and out of hospital! She was rushed in again on Wednesday and yesterday she was declared critical (for the fourth time since last April).

Cue a 14 hr vigil (with a break to collect takeout from the local KFC) whilst they tenderly pumped her full of steroids and 3 different antibiotics- just so that we can take her home to wash and dress her, make her food, change her nappies and watch her fight for breath for a few weeks - then go back and do it all again!

I left the hospital after 1am after my ‘shift’ was over - to be presented with a parking fee of £10 to add to the fee of £5.50 I’d paid earlier in the day!

There’s no way I can afford to pay those fees (single parent on minimum wage) - so for the rest of the week I’ll have to find somewhere to park for free miles from the hospital and walk there - considerably lengthening the time I’m spending away from my kids!

The hospital staff informed me that patients are getting less visitors - which is delaying their recovery - because many relatives simply can’t afford to visit as regularly! People on dialysis 4 times a week for 12 hours - who still have to pay the same as everyone else - are now being driven below the poverty line!

I’ll be contacting my MP tomorrow - I urge others in similar situations to do the same as this is causing untold misery to patients and their families!

Nobody wants to be in hospital or see their loved ones suffering - but for the ‘privIlege’ of doing so we pay far more than the city centre car parks!

I’d urge others in similar situations with similar astronomical parking charges to do the same - in order that the charges hospital car parks can make may be capped at much lower rates!

Just wondering though - is this just in the chorley/Preston area? Or has this misery been rolled out all over the country?

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By *arlo82Couple
over a year ago

the gym and random places

It's everywhere lovely sadly! The cost in England to park at hospitals is insane and set to go up. Sorry to hear your mum isn't getting any better.

There was an article in paper just recently and prices are set to hike again.

Ironic as in Scotland where I lived (Fife) it's free to park. This notion of paying to see loved ones in their time of need baffles me.

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By *arkman69Man
over a year ago

Erdington

I totally agree. I've been in a similar situation with my mom, who after spending the last three months in hospital, finally came home on Friday. She was in intensive care for month and I spent most of my evenings there. At one stage, the car park barriers weren't working and I was able to park for free. Then eventually they were fixed so i had to start forking out ridiculous money to see our mom. Some of the nurses actually said that it's not fair on people like me who spend every night visiting sick family members and having to pay so much. There is free parking up so I sometimes would try and park there, but everyone does.

Ps. Hope your mom gets better soon and is back home x

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By *angtidy42Couple
over a year ago

Redditch

You need to go though all the options on the parking machine and find the one for a weekly parking ticket.

Most of them are £12 for the week. You will not find it on the list of hours and payment sign next to the pay machine. You need to go though the payment options on the machine. It's well hidden but is there.

Keep hold of the ticket at the barrier for the rest of the week.

Hope this works.

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By *wisted999Man
over a year ago

North Bucks

Is it worth enquiring with the Trust to see if they do discounted rates for people who are expected to be parked for longer periods of time?

Pretty sure my local hospital does that. I spent last summer looking after my Father in a similar situation and the parking fees were awful.

Hope your mum gets better soon.

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By *abs..Woman
over a year ago

I’m sure it’s pretty much everywhere and it’s shameful that this can happen. It’s run by private companies and they set the costs and keep the money.

I’m sorry your Mum is ill Peachy x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Free to park in my local hospital. Maybe an English thing?

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"You need to go though all the options on the parking machine and find the one for a weekly parking ticket.

Keep hold of the ticket at the barrier for the rest of the week.

Hope this works. "

Oh - you CAN get a weekly ticket - but at our hospital it’s £30 - not £12 unfortunately (new fees came into force in the new year!)

As ny mums (and many other patients) condition fluctuates daily - she could be in there for weeks (as has happened before) or - because there’s little they can do and they need the bed - she could be sent home in a couple of days (which has also happened many times) - so I - and many, many others - haven’t a clue how long our loved ones will be in hospital!

And tbh - £30 is still crippling for me and most other people!

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By *arlo82Couple
over a year ago

the gym and random places

"Free to park in my local hospital. Maybe an English thing?"

Aye free in most hospitals in Scotland. I'd say only about 3% charge and at that its only a couple quid.

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"Free to park in my local hospital. Maybe an English thing?"

It is Hun! The pleasure of being English!

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By *gnitemybodyWoman
over a year ago

Onestepoutofthedoor

"You need to go though all the options on the parking machine and find the one for a weekly parking ticket.

Keep hold of the ticket at the barrier for the rest of the week.

Hope this works. "

Thats good to know for the future. Paying and finding a space to begin with can be a nightmare,thankfully near ours there are some houses so I tend to park around there and walk the odd few minutes to the hospital.

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"You need to go though all the options on the parking machine and find the one for a weekly parking ticket.

Keep hold of the ticket at the barrier for the rest of the week.

Hope this works.

As above lovely - it’s £30 at my hospital now!)

They also have people going round all the local neighbourhoods to issue tickets to all cars parked on the streets/roads to make sure we can’t try to park for free - hence I’ll have to park literally miles away!

At the moment my kids see me mostly at meal times - and later to chase them for homework and bed! Now they’ll see me even less!

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By *est Wales WifeCouple
over a year ago

Near Carmarthen

It's free here in Wales but that leads to it's own problems, with not enough parking spaces and stories of workers at nearby offices etc using hospital parking as it's free.

However, the wholesale privatisation of hospital services like parking and PFI contracts is a deliberate policy to channel money to the corporations and to deliberately defund the NHS so that argument can then be made that it isn't working and should be privatised.

There are strong vested interests looking to break up the NHS and parking will then be the least of your worries.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I don't know how far you are from the hospital so some of these may not be appropriate solutions.

Is a taxi cheaper than the parking charge from your place?

Is a taxi cheaper from where you would park you car for free?

Public transport options?

Asking friends for help run you around?

Cycling from home?

Can the unit she's being treated with issue a parking permit?

None may be of any use to you, and the scandal that is parking charges will never go away I fear. My nearest hospital, the parking fees are insane because it's so close to town that they have to deter the workers from dumping their cars at the hospital and walking to town from there.

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By *gnitemybodyWoman
over a year ago

Onestepoutofthedoor

"You need to go though all the options on the parking machine and find the one for a weekly parking ticket.

Keep hold of the ticket at the barrier for the rest of the week.

Hope this works.

As above lovely - it’s £30 at my hospital now!)

At the moment my kids see me mostly at meal times - and later to chase them for homework and bed! Now they’ll see me even less! "

£30 yes that's not good,£12 is a little more palatable,but £30 is sickening and is an added stress. Do you no other local family members that can take some of the strain?

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By *tella HeelsTV/TS
over a year ago

west here ford shire

You can get this refunded speak to the senior nurse on her ward

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It’s insane how much is charged.

Most places the parking is an external private company who run and set fees.

Staff also have to pay monthly fees to park and work at hospitals.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It’s everywhere, Blackpool is just as bad I’m afraid and Lancaster too.

Aren’t they building a big multi story car park at Preston op? That’s what they have to pay for I’m afraid

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By *nvercoupleCouple
over a year ago

Inverness

Free here in Inverness and the rest of Scotland I imagine.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

The cost of hospital parking is astronomical.

Last year my mother was in hospital for stays ranging from overnight to three weeks. I dread to think how much I paid in parking. I managed to pay it but lots of people wouldn't have been able to.

Being ill or having family that need regular hospital visits or stays is an expensive business

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The NHS is in existence to look after people, not their cars. Those who can't afford cars still have to get the bus or taxi every time whether visiting a relative or going for an appointment. Should those poor people get paid the same sort of money lucky car owners save if the parking's free?

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"The NHS is in existence to look after people, not their cars. Those who can't afford cars still have to get the bus or taxi every time whether visiting a relative or going for an appointment. Should those poor people get paid the same sort of money lucky car owners save if the parking's free?"

I think you’re a little confused here! The £15.50 I paid to park yesterday didn’t go to fund my mother’s care - every penny went into the coffers of the car parking company who are getting very wealthy off people’s misery!

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By *arly StagesCouple
over a year ago

Penwortham

"Hi guys!

Not sure if it’s just my area - but recently the car park system/fees have changed here!

As some of you know, my mum is constantly in and out of hospital! She was rushed in again on Wednesday and yesterday she was declared critical (for the fourth time since last April).

I left the hospital after 1am after my ‘shift’ was over - to be presented with a parking fee of £10 to add to the fee of £5.50 I’d paid earlier in the day!

I’ll be contacting my MP tomorrow - I urge others in similar situations to do the same as this is causing untold misery to patients and their families!

Nobody wants to be in hospital or see their loved ones suffering - but for the ‘privIlege’ of doing so we pay far more than the city centre car parks!

I’d urge others in similar situations with similar astronomical parking charges to do the same - in order that the charges hospital car parks can make may be capped at much lower rates!

Just wondering though - is this just in the chorley/Preston area? Or has this misery been rolled out all over the country? "

It's horrendous. I had to go to RPH a couple of weeks ago. Was in and out within an hour but the fact there was only one pay machine for the car park meant there was a huge queue to pay and by the time I got to the machine it had taken me into the next price band. It's not been implemented in any sort of efficient way shape or form.

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By *om and JennieCouple
over a year ago

Chams or Socials

It’s at most hospitals I think now sadly. When TH was in hospital for 3 weeks it cost a fortune as an hour drive each way then parking on top. The 2nd set of 3 weeks was parking & 2 trains. Thank god it’s just 6 week check up now!

Some hospitals let you choose the 24 hour option which can be cheaper xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Free to park in my local hospital. Maybe an English thing?"
its always an english thing

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Free in Wales thank goodness

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It's around £9 for the day at my local hospitals. Staff also have to pay this if they want to park on site as there is not enough staff parking permits available.

The dialysis patients you mention can apply for a disabled parking pass which they can display with a note saying they are having dialysis.

Have a word with the staff on the ward there may be a park and ride scheme available for a nominal charge as a lot of major hospitals offer this scheme.

The only hospitals I know of that are free to park in England are the community hospitals

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By *edangel_2013Woman
over a year ago

southend

I had to take a service user to the hospital last week, couldn't actually get a space. So had to drive into town, park, catch the bus back to the hospital. Still cheaper than parking at the hospital, but bloody inconvenient.

We get 30 minutes free, and it's capped at £10 for 24hours. But not if you leave and then go back. Dialysis and chemo patients get free parking, which is great.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My local hospital is free, that’s very lucky and I hope it doesn’t change. I’m having to go to a more specialist one though that’s further. Last week there were literally no spaces. It’s £4 for two hours, I think that’s too much. The fuel travelling as well, means it’s expensive going regularly. I can’t see it changing any time soon.

I had a relative in recently, we ended up going visiting after 7pm as that was only time you could park free on the street. It’s madness as they’ve made visiting hours all day, but the parking costs make that impossible to do.

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"It's around £9 for the day at my local hospitals. Staff also have to pay this if they want to park on site as there is not enough staff parking permits available.

The dialysis patients you mention can apply for a disabled parking pass which they can display with a note saying they are having dialysis.

Have a word with the staff on the ward there may be a park and ride scheme available for a nominal charge as a lot of major hospitals offer this scheme.

The only hospitals I know of that are free to park in England are the community hospitals "

There are notices on Chorley and Preston hospital car parks to say that there are no parking reductions/concessions for the disabled!

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By *orkie321bWoman
over a year ago

Nottingham

Parking at our local hospitals is a nightmare and very expensive but there are other options available.

The tram network has plenty of parking spaces and a day ticket costs £4, weekly tickets are available too although it only serves one of the hospitals. There is also a bus that runs from between the 2 hospitals and picks up in numerous places where people can park for free. The bus used to be free but now costs £1 each way.

None of these help disabled people though who struggle to use public transport.

The hospitals have recently introduced parking charges for blue badge holders when it used to be free. Now it costs £4 for up to 2 hours, up to £8 for 24 hours. Many disabled patients are now cancelling or just missing essential appointments because they can't afford to pay and can't use public transport

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It's a cash cow. It's immoral, and a disregard to human dignity but as with most things it's squeezed in and hard to fight it. The council will also put double yellow lines anywhere nearby to support the hospitals game. Same with many smaller airports, drop off and pick up is £3 now for 5 mins waiting and all roads nearby are restricted with double yellows.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Unfortunately it is the case that the NHS and Health Trusts are gagging for dosh. It's shit but inevitable.

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By *ust Peachy OP Woman
over a year ago

Prestonish

"Parking at our local hospitals is a nightmare and very expensive but there are other options available.

None of these help disabled people though who struggle to use public transport.

Parking at Chorley and Preston is £10 per day - but if you leave the site to get food (which you need if you’re on a vigil as we are) - the fees start all over again!

Hence by leaving the car park just once you can then pay £20 in the £24 hr period - even more if you leave twice! X

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By *elma and ShaggyCouple
over a year ago

Bedworth

Unfortunately the costs of parking are ridiculous nearly everywhere, not just at hospitals.

I’ve only ever visited my closest hospital for blood tests which are prebooked appointments. The first 30 minutes parking there is free and fortunately we’ve never gone over that time.

The other, larger hospital which is further away is a whole different experience. Parking is always horrendous, can take well over an hour to find a space and the cost is ridiculous. On the occasions I’ve had to go there I isotope via public transport which can take upto 90 minutes each way. It’s worth it because it’s less stressful and much cheaper.

Another example of ridiculous parking charges is the NEC. I went to a show there a few months ago, was planning to drive until I saw they were charging £16 to park. Return bus ticket to Coventry £4 and return train to Birmingham international £2.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Some hospitals will give free parking passes to relatives of people in intensive care or patients having regular treatment. It may be worth enquiring if this is an option for you.

I've had relatives on ICU and each time given a weeks parking pass for their admission to be able to visit.

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By *ig1gaz1Man
over a year ago

bradford

Here around huddersfield and halifax bradford and leeds hospitals they charge as well and it keeps going higher on costs.

I dont agree with them but if they used the money to build a multi storey carpark for everyone to use it would offset the price a little.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Normally if your visiting someone in ICU or critical care they will give you a free pass.

Leeds- St James has been the most horrendous parking fees, I've ever come across.

Definitely ask the senior management on the ward for parking discounts, they can normally point you in the right direction, if they can't do it there.

I wouldn't mind the charges so much if the money went back into the NHS, but alot of the high charging ones are private contractors.

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By *iss.HoneyWoman
over a year ago

...

Sadly this is the case in most places.

Though we have free healthcare which many countries don't

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