Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to exempt NHS staff from hospital car parking charges when they are at work.

National Health Service trusts make decisions locally about the provision of car parking to patients, visitors and staff. Providing car parking results in NHS trusts incurring costs for equipment, signage, lighting, insurance, security, administration and maintenance. Charges are used to cover these costs which would otherwise fall on the provider and would be likely to impact on its provision of clinical care.

The Department published clear guidelines (car parking principles) for NHS organisations that they are expected to follow. Hospitals should put concessions in place for those who most need help including disabled people, carers and staff who work shifts. The NHS itself is responsible for ensuring that charges are fairly applied. Patients, visitors and staff who have concerns around problems with car parking should therefore contact the NHS organisation which runs the car park.