Hospital car parks raking in millions

Pennine Acute Hospital Trust has collected over £2.5million in revenue from their car parks at Rochdale Infirmary, Oldham Royal, Fairfield Hospital and North Manchester General in the last financial year.

Car parking costs £6 for a day. A weekly ticket costs £12. These pay and display parking charges apply throughout all the Pennine Acute Trust Hospitals, and they are in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Patients campaign group the Patients Association said the cost of hospital parking - which is free in Wales and Scotland - was penalising sick patients.

Chief executive Katherine Murphy said: “Patients and visitors who attend hospital on a regular basis and for long periods of time are being forced to pay these exorbitant charges. It is often money patients do not have.”

The Trust says it spends the profits generated from its car parks on hospital facilities.

Barry Waterhouse, travel and access manager at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “All of the revenue we get from car parking charges, after costs have been covered, is reinvested back into our facilities across our four main hospital sites.”

Laura Keely of Macmillan said: "It's a big issue as people are often attending hospital for life-saving treatment. It's gruelling and stressful as they are facing uncertainty and feel vulnerable.

"Having a battle to get to hospital, then to find a parking space and to have to find the money to pay for it is an added stress sick people don't need."

It's not just the cost of car parking that angers - it's finding a space. The Patients' Association says it often receives complaints about this.

A staff member at Oldham Royal said: "Charging sick people to park is outrageous, but even finding a space remains very difficult at times."

Revenue raised in car parking fees in 2013/14:

Rochdale Infirmary £210,2397

Oldham Royal: £837,519

Fairfield Hospital, Bury: £602,749

North Manchester General: £858,356

Total £2,508,863