Shropshire Star

Telford and Shrewsbury hospital parking charges rake in over £1.5 million in a year

The trust which runs Shropshire's two main hospitals collected more than £1.5 million in car parking charges in the last financial year, new figures show.

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About a third of the amount collected by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was paid by staff, with the remainder handed over by patients and visitors.

The NHS trust, which runs Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, raked in £1,515,578 during 2016/17 – slightly less than in 2015/16 when £1,525,640 was made through car parking fees.

It was up from £1,289,302 taken by the trust in 2013/14.

Hospital parking fees increased at PRH and RSH last month, for the first time in four years.

Bosses introduced an hourly tariff, which they said would encourage "better flow and increased availability" for visitors.

Previously, visitors paid £2.50 for up to two hours, £3 for two to five hours and £3.50 for five to 24 hours.

The current charges are now £3 for up to two hours, £4 for up to three hours, £5 for up to four hours, £6 for up to five hours, and £8 for 24 hours.

The free 30-minute parking period for patients and visitors was also reduced to 20 minutes.

Data collected by the Press Association showed that hospitals across England took a record £174,526,970 in parking charges in 2016/17 – up six per cent on the year before.

In 2015/16, £164,162,458 was raised.

Some 120 NHS trusts across England were asked to give figures on parking charges and fines under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, of which 111 responded.

While NHS trusts in England continue to charge patients, visitors and staff for parking, hospital parking in Scotland and Wales remains largely free.

The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust came out top when it came to parking income, making £4,865,000 across the year.

Telford MP Lucy Allan tweeted: "Hospital parking charges hit areas with poor public transport hardest, and those experiencing higher deprivation and health inequality - not what NHS is about."

Shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said hospital parking charges were an "entirely unfair and unnecessary burden, which disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people using our health service".

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Patients and families should not have to deal with the added stress of complex and unfair parking charges.

"NHS organisations are locally responsible for the methods used to charge, and we want to see them coming up with flexible options that put patients and their families first."

Parking fees benefit patients says trust

Hospitals in Shropshire defended the use of parking charges amid criticism of them being a ‘tax on the sick’.

Julia Clarke, director of corporate governance at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said money raised helped patients, adding: “Whilst we know that the issue of car parking charges is an emotive one, there is a misconception that all of the money collected goes to the company which manages the car parks.

“These figures show how much actually comes to the Trust to help pay for improvements in patient care. Our annual income from parking pays for the equivalent of about 40 staff nurses.

“Our hospitals were both built at a time when there were half the number of staff and half the number of expected visitors to them. Without a professionally managed car park management service the situation for people trying to park would undoubtedly be much worse.

“Our charges are still among the lowest in the country and we are also working hard to make alternatives to the car more attractive for both patients and our own staff.

“It is important to remember that people are able to park at our hospitals for up to 20 minutes without charge. The 20 minutes without charge is useful for people who could drop off and pick up patients without incurring any parking charges.

“Patients receiving dialysis, radiotherapy or chemotherapy and people visiting hospital for issues connected with bereavement are able to park for free. Patients on low income, who are in receipt of benefits, can also claim back the cost of their parking.”

While fees raised in Shropshire were slightly down in 2016/7 compared to the year before, they were up six per cent nationally. Birmingham’s Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust came out top when it came to parking income, making £4,865,000 across the year.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: “Hospital car park charges amount to a tax on sickness, with people who are chronically ill or disabled bearing the brunt.”

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said the current state of NHS finances meant it was sometimes hard to blame hospitals for trying to find money.