I for one think they're a disgraceful tax on visitors. Where do the millions of pounds go and why is the NHS in such a rubbish state EVEN when they're fleecing viisitors in this way?
2006-10-22 00:49:13 · 16 answers · asked by Sir Sidney Snot 6 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
This is a superb question! My mum was in hospital recently for 14 days and sadly she passed away in there. The stress of getting to see her every day was immense but the £22 in parking charges was the biggest insult .... and I had to pay again to see the Bereavement Officer. What a cold, calculating world we live in.
2006-10-22 00:58:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I would have to agree with you. Unfortunately the Government wants to see the NHS hospitals as seperate businesses, where people go to purchase a product. That product is your treatment, be it medical or surgical.
Costs have risen beyond the capacity of the hospital to contain them hence the items in the news about whether certain drugs should be available on the NHS etc. etc. It is also why there is currently a move to contracting the availability of care to fewer and fewer hospitals and transfer of treatment of local General Practitioners. Inevitably, where there are fewer hospitals, there will be fewer beds etc. etc. That will also include fewer parking spaces for both clients (patients) and staff who incidently also pay to park at their place of work unlike most people.
If you are someone who needs to attend regularly, there is usually a mechanism to wave the charges but you need to speak to the staff to access it. I do not know if this is available nationwide but it is there in many hospital sites.
Hospitals are only attempting to gather resources to treat more patients, they are not really trying to fleece visitors even it seems that way.
2006-10-22 01:05:37 · answer #2 · answered by peewit 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's absolutely disgraceful, making money out of other peoples suffering. It's also disgraceful that the staff have to pay a yearly amount, and even then there's no guarantee of a space. It's worse for staff coming in for a late shift or night shift - lots of people have been late for work because they couldn't find a parking space. The local bus service is rubbish, and the hospital covers a huge catchment area, so people NEED to use their cars.
2006-10-22 02:56:57 · answer #3 · answered by Nurse Soozy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also agree that it is a DISGRACE to be charged so much for visiting people in hospital. My mother-in-law was going to the hospital everyday whilst my father-in-law was dying. She was arriving at about 11 in the morning and staying until about 8.30 at night. She spent all her time running up and down from the ward to the car park feeding GREEDY parking meters. However, my husband was in Basildon Hospital from 8pm until the following day at about 2pm. Here, although you are charged for parking, everyone takes a ticket as they drive into the car park and you are charged £2 to get out so it doesnt matter if you are there for 5 minutes or 5 weeks, everyone pays the same and it evens itself out. Much better way of doing it. If we have to pay, I think this is a better system. Once in, you can then forget all about it.
2006-10-22 01:09:34 · answer #4 · answered by pax949 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is a tax on the ill, I am a nurse and I have to pay for each visit or pay £12 per month for the privilege and there is no guaranteed space and if you car gets broken into or stolen they are not responsible.
Most of the money in the NHS goes on managers, we have managers for everything, governance, risk, beds, intelligence, housekeeping, research, what a load of bollocks, these people get paid a fortune. We need nurses and doctors no managers, most of us can manage ourselves.
2006-10-22 00:58:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hospital parking charges are a scandal. People who attend hospital are either ill or visiting ill people and the last thing they should be having are parking charges and parking problems and wheel clampings. If you have ever been the Northern General in Sheffield ...it's horrendous trying to park. Yes it makes you wonder where all the money goes to.
2006-10-22 00:53:56 · answer #6 · answered by little weed 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its the state our country has got to, It cost me £5.00 to park for a hospital appointment. My appointment was 1.15 Min's. My local hospital charges £3.00 per hour or £ 5.00 for up to 3 hours!! They make money because how often are we in and out in lease than one hour. I have to visit the hospital at least once a week for sometimes it can be up to 3 times it works out very expensive.
The car park attenders are normally companies hired by the hospitals so they are the people making the money.
2006-10-22 01:05:17 · answer #7 · answered by Lisa P 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is Shocking! the nhs is in a bad way all this money and where does it go....
i personally think hospitals should not charge for parking and if you are longer than required to park why do you get issued with a ticket...dont they understand someone could be dying!
they need to get they bum in gear and get it sorted once and for all!
2006-10-22 00:56:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well there is a huge debate in Aberdeen at the moment as the car parking charges have been increased to £5.00 yes you are reading this right. Whether you are there for one hour or twentyfour. I had to take my son to A&E with a broken arm, did not have time to collect my handbag and was told i could not leave until i had paid or showed proof of who i was, I had nothing on me. Dont thy realise when people are leaving A&E thy have more important things on their mind, like the welfare of a loved one.
2006-10-22 01:07:33 · answer #9 · answered by scotlandsno1yummymummy 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Hospitals put car parking charges up when they discovered out of town people were parking there all day and catching a bus from there just into towns to go to work.....it was much cheaper
2006-10-22 00:56:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋