LABOUR has promised to abolish hospital parking fees if they win the next general election.
But the ins-and-outs of the policy have not yet been ironed out, leaving users of Coventry’s University Hospital confused.
At the party’s Brighton conference, the Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham, promised that hospital car parking charges would be abolished and phased out completely over the next three years under a future Labour government.
Initially, it would mean free parking permits would be provided for all hospital inpatients. But there hasn’t been any further guidance.
Coventry north west MP Geoffrey Robinson has campaigned against hospital parking fees, claiming they are a “tax on the sick”.
He added: “I have campaigned for years on this issue, so naturally I am delighted with this announcement.
“I’ve written to MP Andy Burnham to find out the fine detail on this and what it means in terms of timescales for our University Hospital.
“It is a big step and a good one too. It is targeting inpatients who have visitors coming in and out so for them a permit will be worthwhile.
“We have to tackle one step so I am not sure what the situation is with outpatients and staff, but this is all very encouraging.
“I’m not sure how quickly it will be implemented.”
The scheme is expected to cost £140million a year but is unclear where funds will be raised.
University Hospital, in Walsgrave, has a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement with ISS Mediclean, which runs and maintains the carpark.
Earlier this year, the hospital was named as the second-highest hospital car park earner in the country, raking in £2.7million in one year.
A University Hospital spokesman said: “There are 1,200 beds at this hospital and if everyone of those patients was given a permit then there wouldn’t be enough spaces for outpatients and staff to park.
“There hasn’t been any indication over what will happen to them and at the moment there isn’t much more we can say on the matter.
“ISS Mediclean are the parking contractors and we don’t know what is written in the contract.”
n What do you think? Write to
us or email timesletters@mrn.co.uk.
No comments:
Post a Comment