Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will eliminate parking fees at NHS hospitals for NHS staff and patients.

No assessments have been made of the potential merits of eliminating car-parking charges for National Health Service patients and staff, the adequacy of Blue Badge parking spaces, or the effectiveness of the private companies that manage NHS car parks.

All NHS trusts that charge for hospital car parking provide free parking for those in the greatest need, which includes NHS staff working overnight, frequent outpatient attenders, disabled people, and parents of children staying overnight in hospital.

All NHS trusts are expected to follow the Department’s published NHS Car Parking guidance. This sets out that where car parking charges exist, they should be reasonable for the area. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

NHS organisations decide locally on the provision, management, and charging for their car parking, within the policy set out by the Department, and including the provision of Blue Badge parking spaces.