Hospital car parking campaign - we need your help

Less than one minute read time.

FormerMember

5 Jan 2010

You may have seen our hospital car parking campaign in the news over the last few weeks and we need your help to make the government listen. We have a game for you to play - Warden Brown - please play the game, sign our pledge and forward this on to friends, family and colleagues. The more support we get the more persuasive we can be. With your help our campaign has really made headway and this is a great opportunity for us all to end this tax on illness. We hope that you like it!

In response to our campaign Health Secretary Andy Burnham MP has begun an 8 week consultation to decide who should be exempt from hospital car parking charges. We will be responding to this consultation and it would be really helpful if you could leave your stories and comments on this blog about your experience with hospital car parking charges, good and bad, as this will assist with our response. We will keep you updated on this.

So, what is your experience with hospital car parking charges?

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Blue badge holders do not get free parking in ospital car parks why not? Disabled spaces are at a premium, and during outpatients clinics, space are at a premium, and it is rarely possible to drop patients at the clinic doors. Cost for daily appointments for radiotherapy add up. Six weeks of treatment can amount to very high parking costs. The same applies to chemotherapy, when treatments last for several hours, so the maximum daily parking costs apply.

Car parking charges for cancer patients is just a money maker for the hospitals, and a tax on sickness
- Cancel
- Up 0 Down
- Reply
- More
- Cancel
FormerMember over 15 years ago

Anyone receiving treatment be it as an in patient, or outpatient should be excempt. I had two separte hospital apointments one early morning, one late after noon, each costing £2.80 each. That was for 1hour 15 mins approx each. Disgussting especially when I had several more in different sections during that week.

Will be in for at least 7 days end of Jan.No pass permit for that time. Scotland and Wales its free, we pay for prescriptions which are also free in Scotland and Wales, how is this fare. By the time I am sorted out my husband will need to take a bank loan out. LOL. If we dont LOL we woulod all cry.
- Cancel
- Up 0 Down
- Reply
- More
- Cancel
FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hope this can be of any use to somebody,

When I had my treatment as an inpatient at the Belfast City Cancer Centre, my husband was given a form which was signed by the ward sister, he had to take it to the main Belfast City Hospital and he got free parking!

Maybe because he had to travel 72 miles to visit me!

This only applied to the actual Cancer Centre, might be worthwhile to ask on the ward as it's not advertised, you have to ask!
- Cancel
- Up 0 Down
- Reply
- More
- Cancel
FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi, forgot to say,

I signed the petition and will pass it on to family and friends,x
- Cancel
- Up 0 Down
- Reply
- More
- Cancel
FormerMember over 15 years ago

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Jan 08 after 4 months misdiagnosis. I stopped counting the number of appointments I have had with medical staff when I reached 100, but I think I am probably up to 120 appointments now. Of these in Northamptonshire my appointments during chemotherapy (14) and my radiotherapy (20) were paid for by the Health Authority. The rest have been for my account. These include paying to go and choose a wig from a brochure. Paying to go and try on the chosen wig. Paying to go and have a bone scan And another. And another. Paying to have blood tests. Paying to order a lymphoedema sleeve. Paying to collect the poorly fitted lymphoedema sleeve. Paying to go and get a breast prosthesis. And on and on on.

Keep up the fight Macmillan. This is desperately needed.
- Cancel
- Up 0 Down
- Reply
- More
- Cancel