From the BBC today:
Thousands more NHS patients and visitors will be able to access free hospital car parking, the government says.From April, all 206 hospital trusts in England will be expected to begin offering the concession in line with the government’s manifesto promise. Those with the “greatest need” will benefit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50903266
We’ve already heard the first CE complain that the money will have to come from the existing budget, harming frontline services but no affecting his bonus.
In the Herald in February 2018:
‘More than 2,000 NHS staff await parking permits. The Scottish Government has been urged to carry out a national review of NHS parking and transport after it emerged more than 2 000 NHS workers are waiting on parking permits. A total of 2,247 NHS workers across five different health boards currently do not have permission to park at hospitals and health centres.’
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16029524.More_than_2_000_NHS_staff_await_parking_permits/
There were 161 329 people employed by NHS Scotland in 2016.
https://news.gov.scot/news/latest-nhs-workforce-statistics
Unlike in England & Wales, nearly all get free parking spaces, as do patients. See:
This SNP government, letting 1.39% of NHS staff wait for free parking permits, makes my blood boil!
In the Guardian from December 2017:
‘Overall, the study found that NHS trusts netted £120,662,650 in 2015/16 in car park charges, up from £114,873,867 the year before. About 27 trusts provided data on parking fines, showing they made just over £2.3m in fines over a four-year period. In 2015/16 alone, £635,387 was made from fining patients, visitors and staff on hospital grounds. The investigation also found that almost half of all NHS trusts charge disabled people for parking in some or all of their disabled spaces.
They’re getting better at it. You can see how much each of the trusts made here:
http://www.itv.com/news/2015-12-21/how-much-money-did-your-local-nhs-trust-make-from-parking-fees/
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 