Parking at Southampton hospitals makes more than £3m per year for health bosses

The Daily Echo can reveal Southampton General and Princess Anne hospital staff paid £1.1m to take their cars to work last year.

It comes as many have been taking to the picket lines to demand a one per cent pay rise; claiming they are losing money because of long-term pay freezes.

Figures obtained by the Daily Echo through a Freedom of Information inquiry revealed that University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, made £3.5m in parking charges last year.

It is one of 10 trusts across the country that makes more than £2m in parking income per year.

The 2014 total is an increase of around £160,000 on the previous year but £700,000 since 2012, a rise of around 30 per cent.

Cllr Royston Smith, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Itchen at next year's General Election, said parking prices are too high and is calling for the hospital to introduce a £2.50 flat rate.

He said: “This is something I have been taking up on behalf of my constituents and I myself have spent the past few weeks there as my father has been in hospital.“In an ideal world it would be free but I understand why it's there. But I think £2.50 would relieve the hardship placed on people who need to stay for longer.

“But the difference in income would have to be made up through efficiencies savings rather than cuts to frontline services.”

Princess Anne Hospital

And John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, said parking costs were high for staff and patients alike in difficult economic times.

He said: “This is clearly very tough on staff, patients and families' particularly when NHS staff and most patients have not had a real pay increase for years.

“We all know the financial pressures on the NHS after so much money has been wasted by the Government reorganisation and other mistakes, but the hospital has to balance its need for money with the real problems faced by staff and patients.”

Staff monthly parking permits are priced according to pay scale, starting at £15 for porters and ranging to £60 for consultants.

And just weeks ago health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced new guidelines would be brought in to end “unfair” parking charges for staff and patients alike.

Under the new rules relatives of chronically ill patients must be given free or cheap on-site parking along with staff working shifts, patients with disabilities and those with frequent appointments.

It appears none of the income came from parking fines as none have been issued in any trust car park over the past three years.

A UHS spokesman said a large increase in the number of patients, visitors and staff were behind the income rise.

The spokesman said: “We offer a wide range of concessions for patients, particularly those receiving long-term treatment, as well as the option of purchasing seven, 14 or 30-day tickets which bring charges down considerably.

“For staff, those who have a permit for full on-site parking pay a monthly fee linked to their pay band, with a number of other options available that can reduce the cost of parking and the volume of traffic on our sites, such as a discounted car share scheme and two nearby park and ride facilities.”

The spokesman added revenue not used for the improvement and upkeep of car parks is invested into frontline services.

HEALTH bosses are making more than £3m per year from parking charges at Southampton hospitals - and almost a third comes from their own staff.

The Daily Echo can reveal Southampton General and Princess Anne hospital staff paid £1.1m to take their cars to work last year.

It comes as many have been taking to the picket lines to demand a one per cent pay rise; claiming they are losing money because of long-term pay freezes.

Figures obtained by the Daily Echo through a Freedom of Information inquiry revealed that University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, made £3.5m in parking charges last year.

It is one of 10 trusts across the country that makes more than £2m in parking income per year.

The 2014 total is an increase of around £160,000 on the previous year but £700,000 since 2012, a rise of around 30 per cent.

Cllr Royston Smith, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Itchen at next year's General Election, said parking prices are too high and is calling for the hospital to introduce a £2.50 flat rate.

He said: “This is something I have been taking up on behalf of my constituents and I myself have spent the past few weeks there as my father has been in hospital.“In an ideal world it would be free but I understand why it's there. But I think £2.50 would relieve the hardship placed on people who need to stay for longer.

“But the difference in income would have to be made up through efficiencies savings rather than cuts to frontline services.”

And John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, said parking costs were high for staff and patients alike in difficult economic times.

He said: “This is clearly very tough on staff, patients and families' particularly when NHS staff and most patients have not had a real pay increase for years.

“We all know the financial pressures on the NHS after so much money has been wasted by the Government reorganisation and other mistakes, but the hospital has to balance its need for money with the real problems faced by staff and patients.”

Staff monthly parking permits are priced according to pay scale, starting at £15 for porters and ranging to £60 for consultants.

And just weeks ago health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced new guidelines would be brought in to end “unfair” parking charges for staff and patients alike.

Under the new rules relatives of chronically ill patients must be given free or cheap on-site parking along with staff working shifts, patients with disabilities and those with frequent appointments.

It appears none of the income came from parking fines as none have been issued in any trust car park over the past three years.

A UHS spokesman said a large increase in the number of patients, visitors and staff were behind the income rise.

The spokesman said: “We offer a wide range of concessions for patients, particularly those receiving long-term treatment, as well as the option of purchasing seven, 14 or 30-day tickets which bring charges down considerably.

“For staff, those who have a permit for full on-site parking pay a monthly fee linked to their pay band, with a number of other options available that can reduce the cost of parking and the volume of traffic on our sites, such as a discounted car share scheme and two nearby park and ride facilities.”

The spokesman added revenue not used for the improvement and upkeep of car parks is invested into frontline services.

How much does it cost to park at hospitals in Southampton?

Parking charges at Southampton General Hospital

Up to an hour £2.00

Up to two hours £3.50

Up to three hours £4.20

Up to four hours £5.20

Up to five hours £6.20

Up to six hours £8.50

Between six and 12 hours £11.10

Between 12 and 24 hours £14.00

Discounts include:

•  Visitor/outpatient long-stay discount - 7/14/30 day ticket for £18/£33/£48 for multiple use by more than one person or car (not both on site at the same time)
•  Long-stay child resident discount - parent or carer can purchase a long stay 7/14/30 day pass at a discounted rate of 50 per cent against the normal tariff.
• Children's oncology (Piam Brown) visitor/outpatient - £2 ticket
• Renal (dialysis)/endoscopy/neonatal/neuro - £1 ticket
• Paediatric renal outpatients - £1 ticket
• Radiotherapy/chemotherapy /haematology/haemodialysis - £2 ticket
• Intensive care daily discount (reduces the cost of a daily ticket if parked for more than five hours to no more than £7).

COMPARED to other hospital parking fees in the south, Southampton General and Princess Anne Hospital prove to be the most expensive.

Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth charges £1.70 for an hour and a half or £3 for two hours and a half.

And the Royal Bournemouth Hospital currently charges £1 for an hour, £1.80 for two hours, £2.70 for three and £7 for more than six hours.

The Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester charges less as well, with up to an hour costing £1.80, one to four hours costing £3 and more than four hours costing £6 - making it the cheapest for long stays.

What do you think?

Mark Bonser, 32, a builder from West End said: “I don't think you should have to pay to park where you work, it's not fair, all the charges are too much, £2 for an hour is ridiculous when you could just go down the road and get that for free.”

Carol Ward, 47, a cleaner from Thornhill said: “That's a lot of money to make from your own staff, especially when most of them work such long hours already, if the hospital have to charge they should at least make it a bit cheaper.”

Derek Leach, 42, a chef from Pennington said: “I don't agree with staff having to pay but also Southampton charges a lot for visitors and patients, which isn't fair, when you're ill and struggling relative paying for a whole day of parking is the last thing you want.”

Nikky Toye, 21, a student nursed from Southampton said: “I have definitely experienced the strains of having to pay for parking, I don't think it's particularly fair but then if we didn't pay the trust would have to and that takes money away from the patients who need it more.”

Jamie Langfear, 40, a furniture designer from Southampton said: “I can understand why the hospital would need to charge for parking but I don't think they need to charge as much, the flat rate would be a brilliant idea.”

Jo Spong, 40, a full-time mum from Totton said: “Staff should not have to pay for parking at all, they already aren't getting paid enough and that is a lot of money to make from vulnerable people as well, I don't see where that cash is going either."