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Black Country MP outraged over hospital parking fees as trusts defend charges

A Black Country MP has hit out at figures showing the millions of pounds made by hospital parking charges last year.

Published

Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North, called the £455,000 made by Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust in 2015/16 outrageous.

He said: "I think the charges at Russells Hall are outrageous and I've raised it lots of times with the hospital's managers, the people who run the contract and government ministers.

Defended

"It's terrible that we have to pay so much when going for treatment or visiting relatives, especially if people are in for extended periods when the costs really mount up."

The charges were defended by the trust, who said the funds go towards the maintenance of the car parks.

Dr Paul Harrison, acting chief executive at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Patient and visitor car parks at Russells Hall Hospital are owned and run by our PFI partners Summit Healthcare (Dudley).

"Parking charges are set by Summit with input from the trust and they are in line with other trusts locally.

"Most of the money generated goes to the PFI partners with some of the income coming to the trust.

"The funds raised are used to maintain the car parks and carry out necessary works, and deliver a security service to the car parks, including 24-hour monitored CCTV."

The University Hospitals of North Midlands – the trust which runs the County Hospital in Stafford as well as Royal Stoke University Hospital – topped the list, raking in £3.35 million last year.

Lorraine Whitehead, director of estates, facilities and PFI at The University Hospitals of North Midlands, said: "The trust operates within the NHS Confederation's best practice guidance of 'fair for all, not free for all' with regards to car parking at the trust.

"Tariffs for car parking are set to ensure the cost of maintaining this vital service does not impact on finances allocated for patient care.

"As such, any surplus finance generated from car parking operations is reinvested back into direct patient care," Ms Whitehead added.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell Hospital and City Hospital in Birmingham. made £2.2m from parking – broken down as patients/visitors £1,573,201 and staff £698,151.

Steve Clarke, Deputy Director of Facilities at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has the cheapest car parking charges across all Birmingham hospital Trusts and we aim to maintain that position.

"We have a number of schemes to help patients and visitors with parking charges including discounted parking if you need to visit regularly."

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, made £1.3m and declined to comment on the figures.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, did not respond in time to the FOI request.

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