Health chiefs act to cure 'running sore' of hospital parking

HEALTH chiefs have set up a group to tackle parking charges and poor transport links to its hospitals.

NHS Lothian chairman Brian Cavanagh said the health board was "very anxious" about car parking charges and action would be taken to tackle them.

The transport group has pledged to unveil a series of new initiatives to tackle transport and parking issues within the next three months.

The move comes amid continuing anger from the public and health workers about parking charges of up to £10-a-day at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Concern has also been raised about a lack of parking spaces at the Western General and patients from Edinburgh having to travel long distances to St John's Hospital in Livingston after a shake-up of health services saw some clinics moved to West Lothian.

And some staff at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh also vowed to quit their jobs unless they become exempt from new parking charges set to be introduced by the city council on surrounding streets.

Health board chiefs have pledged to report their findings by March - a year after Consort, the company which runs facilities at the ERI including parking, said it would review charges.
The plan was revealed after bosses came under fire about the issue from a concerned member of the public at NHS Lothian's annual general meeting yesterday.

In response, board chairman Brian Cavanagh said: "It's no secret that the board is very anxious about the huge burden of car parking charges.

"We are currently in negotiations over the contract and we are of a view, of the unanimous view, that the car parking charges are too high and part of the discussion with Consort is a to renegotiate the contract.

"This is a matter that's gone on too long as far as I am concerned but I do assure you we do need to address the car parking issue.

"It's a running sore and a cause of anxiety to a range of people who use the Royal Infirmary."
Despite pledging back in March to tackle the parking charges, which Mr Cavanagh described as "unacceptable", NHS Lothian is still in negotiations with Consort about the issue.

The health board's facilities director, John Jack, told the meeting at Murrayfield Stadium that the expert group would report its findings in March. He said the transport group, which also consists of representatives from local councils and the ambulance service, was also considering new shuttle bus services.

An initiative in which valets are employed to park patients' cars was also on the table.
Mr Jack said: "We are very conscious of the increasing transport demands, both for our patients and staff at NHS Lothian.

A Consort spokeswoman said: "We are part of ongoing discussions with the health board and parking will be part of those."

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