Health staff anger over Trust’s parking fee hike

Staff at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust received an unwelcome surprise with their pay slips this month – a letter informing them that their charge for parking at work was going up on 1 May 2011 by 43 per cent.

The Trust runs hospitals in Rochdale, Bury, Oldham and North Manchester.

The increase means those who work more than 25 hours per week will see a rise from £14 to £20 for their monthly parking permit.

Those who work between 15 and 25 hours per week will now pay a monthly charge of £15 compared to the previous charge of £10.46

Those who work up to 15 hours a week, who previously paid £4.56 for their monthly permit will now pay £6.50.

Since the merger of the four original Trusts and the formation of Pennine Acute, many staff have had to relocate to sites further from their homes and many are also expected to work across sites, making options such as walking or using public transport impossible and increasing the reliance on private cars.

The letter sent to staff read: “The Trust has had extensive discussions with staff side colleagues at the CJNCC the outcome of which is to implement the following proposals.”

The CJNCC is the Central Joint Negotiation and Consultation Committee, a Staff/Management Group which meets monthly to negotiate and consult on issues affecting staff.

Unite Rep and Deputy Staff Side Chairwoman, Liz McInnes, said: “Although the increase was proposed at the meeting, it was not agreed to by the staff side.

“Our position has always been that NHS staff should not have to pay to park at work. However we did indicate that we were prepared to discuss a price increase in line with inflation, which currently runs at around 5 per cent, but not one of 43per cent.”

Mick McAiney, Unison Rep and Deputy Staff Side Secretary, added: “Management refused to consider any arguments put forward by staff side. For many NHS Staff this represents giving up a week’s wages every year just to park at work. Many staff have had their pay frozen this year and certainly no-one has had a pay rise of 43 per cent.”

Health campaigner and Rochdale Councillor, Jean Ashworth, said: “In all honestly it is scandalous.”

Speaking about the Royal Oldham Hospital in particular, she said: "The staff aren’t event guaranteed a parking space.

“I think until they sort the parking problems out they have a cheek asking for more money from staff.”

A spokesman for The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said it has since been recognised that the wording of the letter regarding staff side was “poor.”

He added: “The Trust has made significant investment in lighting and CCTV in its car parks and we have well developed plans to increase the number of car parking spaces at North Manchester General Hospital and The Royal Oldham Hospital later this year. Those who use car parks need to bear the costs of the car parks otherwise we would need to fund the car parks from money available for patient care.

“While the pay and display charges for patients and visitors have increased every year, this is the first increase in staff car parking permit charges for four years. Whilst we accept that the increase is significant, it needs to be seen in that context.

“The fact that salaries are frozen is a national decision affecting the whole of the public sector, not one made by this Trust.

“Staff have the option to participate in a salary sacrifice scheme for car parking. If they choose this option they will actually pay less after 1 May than the current monthly charge.”