NHS hospitals accumulated over £5 million per week in parking fees last year. Patients and visitors paid £192.3 million, while staff contributed £79.1 million for parking privileges. Critics argue that charging for parking near medical facilities essentially imposes a burden on the ill. Patient advocacy groups suggest that parking fees add unnecessary stress to vulnerable individuals and may discourage others from visiting loved ones in hospitals.
Unions highlight that many hospitals are situated in remote areas with limited public transportation access, especially during non-standard working hours. Some hospitals charge visitors up to £5 per hour and staff over £10 per day for parking during an eight-hour shift.
The £192.3 million revenue marks an 11% increase from the previous year, while staff contributions saw a 13% rise to £79.1 million. These figures exceed amounts from previous years when hospital visits were restricted due to Covid-19, and free staff parking was temporarily implemented.
University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire topped the list by generating over £10 million in parking revenue, surpassing London’s Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, which collected £3.7 million.
Despite an increase in parking income post-pandemic, figures remain lower than pre-Covid levels, which prompted the Conservatives to address the issue in their 2019 manifesto, promising to eliminate unfair hospital parking charges for specific groups.
Recent price hikes at hospitals like Hull Royal Infirmary and Lincoln, Boston, and Grantham sites have sparked public outcry. Families with babies in neonatal care face additional financial strain due to parking costs. Campaigners urge hospital trusts to reconsider the impact of parking charges on families caring for vulnerable patients.
Policy analysts criticize hospital parking fees as a hidden tax on the sick and advocate for their abolition. The Department of Health and Social Care emphasizes that free parking is available for those in need, including overnight NHS staff.
NHS clarifies that parking revenue covers operational costs, with any surplus funds reinvested in healthcare services.