Hospital chief backs parking consultation (From Craven Herald)

Hospital chief backs parking consultation

4:22pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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Airedale NHS Trust chief executive Adam Cairns has given his support for a new Department of Health consultation on hospital parking charges.

The consultation document, which includes a questionnaire, has been distributed to NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.

It suggests a range of options, including no charges on NHS premises, improved concessions for people on low incomes or restricting charges to outpatients.

Mr Cairns said: “It would be better if patients could park for free.”

But, he said, the trust would then have to find ways of making up a funding shortfall. A lot of the hospital’s security was funded through parking fees.

Unlike some trusts, he said, Airedale offered a range of concessions, such as lower charges for patients on long-term courses of treatment.