An end to hospital parking charges
Users of local hospitals will benefit from free parking as the government is abolishing charges for inpatients and their visitors.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced that patients will be given a free parking permit for the duration of their stay in hospital to pass on to visiting friends and families, for whom parking costs can currently rack up.
The phasing out of the charges will take place over three years, and could save patients and their families up to £2 million a year. It will be paid for by year-on-year savings in back office NHS costs.
Local hospitals have benefitted from investment under Labour – King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill has a brand new 750-room Golden Jubilee Wing which cost £60 million.
St George’s Hospital in Tooting opened its award-winning new Atkinson Morley Wing in 2003 after government capital investment of £50 million.
Chuka said: “The last thing patients in hospital and their loved ones should have to worry about is paying for a parking ticket.”
“Friends and family should be able to visit patients in hospital without repeatedly paying parking fees to do so.”
