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New 'Which?' Research Highlights Extent that NHS Hospitals Profit by Penalising Drivers

Research reveals that the majority of us have experienced problems with NHS hospital car parks and new research shows that the worst hospitals have been profiting by up to £1.8 million a year by penal
Finance, Health - 9 June 2010   Download IconContent available for download:  
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A consumer watchdog has conducted new research looking at NHS hospital parking following previous research that found parking difficulties made hospital visits more stressful for 49% of people.

70% of people have experienced problems with an NHS hospital car park. The worst hospitals received up to 82 complaints over a year, made a £1.8m profit through clamping 1671 cars and fined 10,330 vehicles which generated £142,000 in revenue.

It is hoped that the new research will help the worst NHS car parks to improve their services, including: making charges fairer, ensuring there are enough spaces for patients and visitors, offering regular visitor concessions, provide priority parking, reimburse patients for additional parking fees when appointments are delayed, cease clamping and towing, and consult patients and visitors about what they want.

. Introduction:

Visiting hospital can be a difficult time and for those who drive, research has shown that parking issues often make the experience even more stressful. The majority of people have reported problems, whether that’s finding a space, having the right change to pay at machines or over-running their time due to delayed appointments. These issues can lead to fines, clamping and towing and make the whole hospital experience far worse than it needs to be. The research by consumer watchdog Which? reveals that of those that scored poorly, the worst generated profits of up to £1.8million through clamping, issues over 10,000 fines and logged up to 82 complaints in a year. The hope is that this new information will lead to improvements, so that visitors have one less concern.

Why are NHS hospital car parks causing this additional stress for visitors?

Joining us in the studio is Matt Bath, a health campaigner from Which?

. Suggested Questions:

What are the most common problems with hospital parking?

According to your research, what changes do the public want?

Why is Which? focusing on this issue?

What changes are you hoping to see as a result of this research?

Where can we find out more information?