Geoffrey Calls For All NHS Car Parking Charges To Be Abolished
Geoffrey Robinson MP is calling on car parking charges to be abolished at every NHS hospital throughout England, following an announcement that car parking charges are to be abolished at NHS hospitals across Scotland.
The move, which takes effect from 31 December, applies to 14 hospitals where fees operate. Charges at three PFI car parks will not be scrapped.
Already in Wales, patients, staff and visitors will be able to park free at almost every NHS hospital by the end of 2011.
Geoffrey said: “We should not allow for a two-tier system we must be bold enough to remove charges from all PFI car parks.”
“Healthcare should be free at the point of delivery and it is my firm belief that this should apply whether one comes to hospital as a patient, visitor or a member of staff.”
“It's simply not fair to expect patients or visitors to have to pay when they come to hospital, when they may be suffering personal anxiety, stress or grief.”
“Charging people to park at hospitals is an indirect tax on healthcare. These days, the vast majority of people who attend hospital clinics do so by car. Often, these people have to attend several times during treatment and the costs mount up. It's iniquitous that they have to pay to access hospital care.”
Geoffrey has written to the Health Secretary Alan Johnson MP asking him to urgently review the Government’s policy on this issue.