Stafford Hospital parking charges could rise in cutbacks

Car parking charges at Stafford Hospital could be increased as health bosses look to save hundreds of thousands of pounds in the next three months to meet financial targets.

They need to claw back £200,000 each month up to the end of March, on top of £100,000-a-month savings they are already making.

A review of catering and car park charges has been introduced as the hospital strives to stay within its permitted overspend of £18m this year. Visitors currently pay £2 for up to four hours, £4 for between four and eight hours, and £8 for eight to 24 hours parking at Stafford or Cannock Chase hospitals.

But they are facing rises – the first in five years – from early next year.

Reduced opening hours could also be introduced at Nightingale's restaurant at the Stafford. It comes after it emerged a decision to close the accident and emergency department overnight for three months from December 1 will cost the hospital £1.5m.

Trust finance director Darren Cattell said today: "We need to save an additional £200,000 per month every month between now and March 2012 if we are to reach our financial target.

"That target is to spend no more than £18 million more than our income. We have therefore reached the point where we need to introduce more measures to reduce spending more quickly, whilst making sure that we maintain safe patient care." Bosses are lobbying "non-clinical" staff such as administrators and back office workers with a view to offering voluntary redundancy to anyone interested.

Other moves being considered are cutting down "unnecessary overtime, reviewing catering arrangements and car parking charges", Mr Cattell said.

"These include the possibility of reducing the opening hours of Nightingale's restaurant and raising car parking charges for staff and visitors from early in the new year," he added.

"These measures will not be popular but we cannot keep on spending money we do not have."Two hospital wards – one at Stafford and one at Cannock Chase – are set to shut due to staff shortages with the loss of 31 beds next month.