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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cost of hospital parking!

66 replies

Cloeycat · 14/02/2017 08:16

Can someone tell me if they NHS or the car park companies get the money you pay for parking at the hospital?

I have been in and out a lot lately for 1hr appts that have taken 7/8hrs or resulted in admission and it is costing me an absolute fortune in parking, I don't know anyone locally so can't have someone else drop and collect me. Now I don't mind so much paying the parking fees if they go back into the NHS but if it goes to the parking company I'm going to start feeling v v resentful. I know some hospitals do a day rate for inpatients and appts that run over but mine doesn't.

OP posts:

Leggit · 14/02/2017 17:33

Don't forget the Scots get free car parking. Paid for by English taxes..

Yup. Because nobody in Scotland pays tax

That and the fact that actually we do pay for parking in some hospitals!

Original poster

Cloeycat · 15/02/2017 03:56

Well mine is £16 for the day and will limit the costs per day to £1.80 for parents of kids in neonatal (and possibly other services too but I'm in maternity centre ATM so that's where I asked) but not for pregnant women who come in for routine appts and are kept in or run over. It's just frustrating as I am now going in every two days and spending between 5 and 9 hours there each time and paying large parking fees. Not keen on public transport or parking ok the street nearby as am suffering from PGP so even walking from the car park to the ward is about as far as I can manage.

OP posts:

identityhidden · 15/02/2017 04:18

Parking in ARI is an absolute nightmare for all concerned. I use public transport but it's not so simple to do that for many people . Not sure the new car park building will help much, especially with staff parking situation. I know of people who will park at other NHS buildings or supermarket car parks and then walk or get shuttle bus down. It's not good at all, it was definitely better when they charged. Would happily see all short stays charged for apart from very exceptional. Won't happen though.

raviolidreaming · 15/02/2017 04:45

At the bottom of the article you link to Groovee:

"Charges remain at three car parks built under Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Ninewells Hospital in Dundee"

Admittedly, only 3 hospitals - but 3 of the busiest and still not none!

Groovee · 15/02/2017 08:16

Apparently when the sick kids opens at Little France they plan to open more car parks! They took away the biggest car park to build the sick kids!

AliceInUnderpants · 15/02/2017 08:28

Jeez bad enough lots of incorrect stuff reported as fact in this thread, but the poster who linked an article obviously didn't even read it.
Our local Infirmary has free parking (with very limited spaces). Our local main hospital does not.

missyB1 · 15/02/2017 08:28

It's expensive for staff too. At our local Trust staff pay a monthly amount out of their wages, but must also buy a daily ticket as well, so they pay twice for no guaranteed space! Oh and when my husband's car was damaged there the private parking firm told him "sorry we don't have many cameras", we later found out they don't have any cameras at all.

Sweetpotatoaddict · 15/02/2017 08:33

The money at the Glasgow Royal infirmary goes to a private company, the site the car park was sold and this company reap the benefits whilst providing atrocious service and sky high prices. It's actually cheaper to park at the airport short stay for the day than at Glasgow Royal!

icy121 · 15/02/2017 08:35

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/royal-surrey-county-hospital-most-12377295 ours is £4 for first 2 hours! Great if you're in and out in 35 mins. Tbh though I am lucky enough to not have to worry about cost, and the hospital keeps the ££. If there's over an hr left on the ticket I'll pass it on (you pay per numbered bay rather than ANPR/similar)

SlipperyLizard · 15/02/2017 08:37

My local hospital is pay and display, doesn't take credit cards. So taking a child to a&e you need to make sure you have enough coins, then somehow guess how long you'll be there.

I don't mind paying, but it should be pay on exit.

ClopySow · 15/02/2017 09:12

Don't forget the Scots get free car parking. Paid for by English taxes

Or Scottish taxes?

hiccupgirl · 15/02/2017 09:30

Our local hospital is pay and display and £3 for the first 3 hrs. When I've been to appointments with a massive wait, I've been told not to worry as they don't enforce fines if you're in a clinic etc, as long as you have bought a ticket.

When I was in a different hospital for a week they had a 5 day ticket for £10 which a nurse had to sign to confirm that you had a need for it.

I do think hospital car parks need to be pay on exit so you're not worrying if you get delayed.

KnittedBlanketHoles · 15/02/2017 09:46

I don't know if it has been mentioned but certain benefits entitled you to your transport costs reimbursed. Also some ward's offer free parking but you have to ask, for instance it children's ward and the cystic fibrosis ward will give you a pass.

Worry asking what's available for your circumstances.

Laiste · 15/02/2017 09:46

So taking a child to a&e you need to make sure you have enough coins, then somehow guess how long you'll be there.

You can't park in A&E at all at ours! You have to park in a car park a fair walk away. I noticed as much when i accidentally drove into the A&e bit while lost looking for the maternity unit first time visit.

What the bloody hell do you do there if you arrive alone with a child?

Cheby · 15/02/2017 10:46

So much misinformation on this thread.

In the vast majority of cases, parking income goes direct to the hospital. In some cases, the hospital may have chosen to outsource the management of car parks and fines to a parking company. this will be because:
A) it is cheaper to outsource the work to another company than attempt to provide it in house

AND

B) the hospital does not wish to devote time and effort into chasing people for parking fines themselves, because it invariably ends in reputational damage and is a diversion from core clinical care

In cases mentioned above where car parks have been sold off, then money will not go to the hospital. But, the hospital will have chosen to do that because the financial benefits would be greater than keeping the car park (perhaps they needed to find a new capital development with the money from the sale).

It is expensive and that is a problem, I agree. But If you want to make hospital car parking free, then you also need to be able to locate a pot of hundreds of millions of pounds to cover the gap in lost revenue.

SquedgieBeckenheim · 15/02/2017 10:54

I think who profits depends on the hospital, parking charges are set by individual hospitals.
Where we used to live, when DD was born they had a system where certain departments could give a certificate to cap the charge at £2 per day. We had that as DD was on NICU, but not while I was inpatient on antenatal.
Where we are now, I attended the maternity assessment unit, didn't have enough change to pay for car park so they let me out without paying a penny.

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