Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that NHS bank staff are offered the same discounted parking arrangements as other hospital employees.

Decisions on the provision of car parking are made locally by National Health Service organisations, including considering how they affect local recruitment and the retention of their staff. These decisions will need to reflect the local geography and environment, including travel distances.

All NHS staff, regardless of their type of employment, are expected to be similarly treated by their employing NHS organisation. This includes where free parking is provided to staff working nights shifts.

All NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the local area. Further information 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