Scrap the charges! 97% want free hospital parking to help vulnerable patients
THE Daily Express crusade to end the nation’s hospital parking charges scandal is gathering momentum with a 97 per cent of readers backing the cause.
Our phone poll asking: “Should hospital car parks be free?” received huge support and the campaign to cut the fees has already been supported by almost 2,000 people on our website.
Yesterday one of the nation’s leading cancer charities threw its weight behind our bid to cut the rip-off charges.
Macmillan Cancer Support called on politicians to act in order to protect vulnerable patients from being fleeced by NHS Trusts and private operators.
JOIN OUR PETITION TO SCRAP HOSPITAL PARKING CHARGES HERE
At the moment, cancer patients often have no choice but to drive to appointments rather than take public transport because they have impaired immunity.
Laura Keely, the charity’s campaigns manager, said: “We are delighted the Daily Express continues to highlight this issue.
“Macmillan Cancer Support wants to see all hospitals provide free or at the very least, discounted parking for cancer patients.
“It’s completely unacceptable that some hospitals in England continue to charge cancer patients extortionate fees to park at hospital. For those who are regularly attending hospital for life-saving treatment this is not affordable.”
Car parking fees were not our priority – I was very ill
Retired social worker Phil Kelly, 64, underwent surgery to remove his bladder two years ago as a result of cancer.
His wife, Jacky, 62 wanted to visit him but the cost of parking at Pinderfields Hospital, in Wakefield, West Yorks, soon ramped up.
Mr Kelly, from Hebden Bridge, said: “Obviously, the car parking fees were not our priority – I was very ill.
“Jacky was spending about £7 a day, and it was on the second day when she talked to someone involved in administration at the hospital that we found out you could get a cheaper weekly pass if you were visiting a patient. No one on my ward knew about it either.”
Mr Kelly said that while attending appointments before and after surgery, he spent a significant amount on parking – at a time when he was unable to work full-time.
He added: “At other hospitals I went to for outpatient appointments, there was pay and display car parking, which was worse because you don’t know how long you will need to stay. So you often end up paying more just to be on the safe side.”
To join our crusade sign up online at: express.co.uk/hospitalparking
