Shropshire Star

Call for Shropshire hospital chiefs to refund staff parking fees as a goodwill gesture

The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council is calling on hospital chiefs to refund car parking fees for accident and emergency staff as a gesture of goodwill.

Published
Councillor Shaun Davies

Council leader councillor Shaun Davies made the suggestion in response to comments on social media by trust chefs calling on the community to support medical as they handle high numbers of people visiting the A&E units and winter pressures.

Simon Wright, chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) which runs Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital posted on Twitter: "Even the smallest gesture of help or support to the teams across our wards and emergency services makes a huge difference. Please think how you can help."

But Councillor Davies replied: "How about refunding the cost of staff to park for the year ?".

"I think most people from across the county will have seen in the media the incredible pressures on our AU&E departments as a result of the winter crisis. the SaTH chief was saying even a small gesture would assist the staff. I'm asking, why should emergency staff who have worked really hard over the Christmas period have to pay to park on trust premises when they help others?

"I'm aware of staff working 18 or 19 hours per shift. The trust should acknowledge this, it's a no-brainer and just do the right thing as a gesture of goodwill."

The health trust has declined to comment on the council leader's tweet.

Many hospitals have a staff charging system annual parking permits which is paid from their wages.

The latest figures show that overall motorists have paid more than £1.5 million in car parking charges at Shropshire’s two main hospitals in the previous financial year.

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.

SaTH collected £1,515,578 during 2016/17 slightly less than in 2015/16 when £1,525,640 was collected in parking fees. It was up from £1,289,302 taken in 2013/14. While patients in Shropshire and Mid Wales who use Welsh hospitals do not pay to park.