Hospital Parking

The big 5 Birmingham hospitals have made a total of £4.5 Million in car parking fees from people who have no choice put to park in hospital car parks when visiting sick & dieing relations.

Who are the worst criminals, car clamper's or these ghouls. I can see that clamping cars will be the next trick in their book.

Phil

Phil I agree there can be no justification in these charges. yes land and administration costs money, but these are profits. So how much money have they collected in the first place. it beggars belief. SB

SB

I'm not mean by anybodies opinion and I can also afford the parking rates but I refuse to encourage these money grabbers. Whenever my wife has a hospital appointment (4 times a year minimum) Then I drop her off at the doors, drive off and park in a local street and wait until she phones me to pick her up.

Phil

I don't blame you Phil. In most cases it would be cheaper to use taxis than park your car. No-one wants to throw money away. SB

SB

What annoys me most is that some of the people who have no choice but to use these car parks are visiting husbands, wifes, children who are dying. Some of them over weeks, but it makes no difference they still have to pay the same rate as some thug who broke his arm in a pub fight.

Surely something can be done in cases like this, why can't they be given a weekly free pass or would that be too humane.

Phil

The main problem with hospitals as I see it, is there days they are being run by career managers.
Where years ago they were run by medical staff, risen through the ranks. ie: Matrons etc and aboard of probably senior or retired doctors. All these people see these days are targets, and profit driven promotion. SB

Don't you think that if hospital car parks were free, everyone would park there, leaving no room for genuine visitors Its the same all over you drive you pay, its a business now, not like the good old days. Them days are gone and they won't be coming back.

I think its fair to say there are far too many cars these days.

I don't know how common it is, but in the royal Berks hospital, those visiting people who are very ill or are outpatients receiving treatment who are frail are offered passes for the car park. I'm not clear where they draw the line, though this might be a problem deciding who would qualify.The staff in contact with the patients seem fairly reasonable. when I said I did not drive in, they asked if there was anyone i wanted to give it to

its the same in oxford, when i was there last year to see my brother who only had weeks to live, the car park was not only expensive but hard to get into, it was cheaper by taxi, i guess if I had more time I could have worked out the public transport, but dont think its any different here, our state government has built three new hospitals in the last (say) 5 years in huge blocks of land with multi storey car parks below them, and they charge huge amounts on money to park, then they make the surrounding streets resident permit parking only, which I understand. I think you are lucky that your government does not assett test you for your pensions, we do, in fact they are now saying they will include the family home as an assett, I dont know pensioners will fair if that happens

Why do the Health Authorities feel that charging high parking fees is in their remit. I understand the need to charge something but it should only be a nominal amount to cover the cost of the upkeep. They should not be able to make a profit. I believe it is to stop people using the car park unnecessarily - why else would you park there unless your hospital is in a town centre which now a days many are not (Solihull hospital is a case in point and know that prior to the charges coming in shoppers etc used to park there free of charge).

What's happened to our caring society? After all we do not visit hospital for a jolly day out!

TCA, if they implement the proposal you reference re pensions in Oz it could cause a few problems. I suppose it will reach us sometime in the not too distant future as we don't have enough money in our state pension pot to cover the expected retirees from future generations. I'm already expected to work until I'm 67. Not that I mind, but I think physically and mentally I'll be past it by then.

i guess im lucky, i have a uk pension, not taxed in the uk, the oz government takes a slice, i cant get a oz pension as its means tested, so because ive worked really hard, i get hit with a no pension rule. those who a bit lazy, live in a council house at hugely discounted rent, they will come off best. to give u an idea, where i live there is a high rise block of apartments, some 100 mtrs from the beach, 30 mtrs to the train and 2 mins from the bus they have awesome views across the bay , the beach and the city as a backdrop. owned by the government and rented at $80 a week (say 60 pounds) if these were in private hands and tidied up they would rent for $500 a week - so dont work, get the dole and live in a government apartment with fantastic views and every transport at your door. someone once said, its cheaper to rent for a lifetime than buy.

If I did not know you were talking about Oz benefits I could be fooled into thinking you were on about the UK.